XN000022-1981-09-02 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1981

FOUR NT BUILDINGS TO BE PRESERVED

******

FOUR STRUCTURES WHICH REFLECT THE WAY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED AND WORKED IN HỌNG KONG IN PREVIOUS CENTURIES WILL BE PRESERVED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THESE HISTORICAL BUILDINGS, TO BE DECLARED AS MONUMENTS UNDER THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS ORDINANCE, ARE SITUATED IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND ARE THE LARGEST GROUP TO BE SO DECLARED AT ANY ONE TIME.

THEY ARE

* MAN LUN FUNG ANCESTRAL HALL IN FAN TIN TSUEN, SAN TIN-

* FAN LAU FORT ON THE SOUTH-WEST TIP OF LANTAU-

* SHEUNG YIU VILLAGE BY THE PAK TAM CHUNG ESTUARY IN SAI

KUNG- AND

* DISTRICT OFFICE (NORTH) BUILDING IN TAI PO.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THESE BUILDINGS ARE OF INTEREST NOT ONLY TO STUDENTS OF SOCIAL HISTORY BUT ALSO TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. SHEUNG YIU VILLAGE AND FAN LAU FORT IN PARTICULAR, WHICH ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE SAI KUNG EAST, AND SOUTH LANTAŬ COUNTRY PARKS RESPECTIVELY, WILL BE WELL WORTH A VISIT BY HOLIDAY-MAKERS AFTER WORK ON RESTORATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

THE MAN LUN FUNG ANCESTRAL HALL IS ONE OF THREE ANCESTRAL HALLS OF THE LONG-ESTABLISHED MAN CLAN IN HONG KONG, THERE IS NO PRECISE EVIDENCE OF WHEN THE BUILDING WAS ERECTED, BUT THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT IT WAS BUILT POSSIBLY OVER 200 YEARS AGO IN HONOUR OF MR MAN LUN FUNG.

THE BUILDING HAS THREE SEPARATE HALLS AND TWO ENCLOSED COURTYARDS IN-BETWEEN. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE EXCELLENT WOOD CARVING HAS DETERIORATED, THE FINE GRANITE COLUMNS ARE STILL IN GOOD ORDER AND THE BUILDING IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND.

THE HALL IS ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF CHINESE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND IS STILL REGULARLY USED

FOR IN THE TRADITIONAL MANNER, FOR WORSHIP OF ANCESTORS FESTIVALS AND CEREMONIES, AND FOR MEETINGS OF VILLAGE ELDERS.

FAN LAU FORT IS LOCATED ON HIGH GROUND ABOUT 60 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL, OVERLOOKING LANTAU CHANNEL, AN IMPORTANT PASSAGE TO THE PEARL RIVER ESTUARY AND CANTÓN.

RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE AND MEASURING 21 METRES BY 46 METRES, THE FORT HAS WELL-BUILT WALLS OF SEMI-DRESSED STONE AND RESEMBLES THE OTHER FORT (ALREADY DECLARED A MONUMENT) ON TUNG LUNG ISLAND, AT THE EASTERN APPROACHES TO HONG KONG.

/HISTORICALLY, THERE