XN000022-1982-02-02 — Page 5

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1982

TAI PO HISTORY EXHIBITION OPENS

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A TAI PO HISTORY EXHIBITION, WHICH INCLUDES SOME ITEMS OVER 300 YEARS OLD, WAS OPENED TODAY (TUESDAY) BY THE DISTRICT OFFICER, MR NICKY LO.

IT IS PART OF THE DISTRICT'S 18-DAY LUNAR NEW YEAR FESTIVAL AND TRACES THE HISTORY OF TAI PO - WHICH ORIGINALLY MEANT 'BIG STRIDE' - BACK TO SUNG DYNASTY TIMES WHEN THE FIRST SETTLERS ARRIVED FROM FUJIAN PROVINCE.

IT SHOWS HOW THE TOWN HAS GROWN FROM AN AGRICULTURAL CENTRE INTO A NEW TOWN, WITH A POPULATION OF 3 000 TO 4 000 IN THE 1500'S TO A PRESENT FIGURE OF 73 000. IT ALSO LOOKS INTO THE FUTURE WHEN TAI PO WILL BE A NEW TOWN WITH 236 000 INHABITANTS.

THE EXHIBITION IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS: ONE SHOWING PRE-1960 TAI PO AND THE OTHER SHOWING THE TOWN FROM THE 1960'S ONWARDS, WHEN MUCH OF ITS DEVELOPMENT AS A NEW TOWN HAS OCCURRED. MR LO THANKED LOCAL VILLAGERS, RURAL LEADERS, THE URBAN COUNCIL'S MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY, FOR HELPING TO COLLECT THE ITEMS ON DISPLAY.

AMONG THE ITEMS ON SHOW ARE BOWLS AND DISHES FROM WUN YIU VILLAGE MADE DURING THE LATE MING/EARLY CHING DYNASTY PERIOD, A PORTRAIT OF A TANG CLAN ANCESTOR, AND SCHOLARS' TABLETS WHICH ARE MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD.

THE EXHIBITION HAS BEEN ORGANISED BY TAI PO LUNAR NEW YEAR FESTIVAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE AND WILL LAST SEVEN DAYS. IT

IT IS BEING HELD AT THE RURAL COMMITTEE OFFICE DAILY FROM 10 AM TO 4 PM.

TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF ROAD SECTION

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A SECTION OF PRINCE EDWARD ROAD NEAR EMBANKMENT ROAD WILL BE CLOSED TO TRAFFIC BETWEEN 1 AM AND 5 AM FROM THURSDAY TO SATURDAY (FEBRUARY 6), FOR DISMANTLING WORK TO BE CARRIED OUT UNDER THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY BRIDGE.

DURING THE CLOSURE, VEHICLES ALONG EASTBOUND PRINCE EDWARD ROAD WILL BE DIVERTED VIA SAI YEE STREET AND BOUNDARY STREET, AND WEST-BOUND TRAFFIC MAY USE EMBANKMENT ROAD AND SOUNDARY STREET.

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