XN000022-1986-07-25 — Page 8

FRIDAY, JULY 25, 1986

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OLD HAKKA HOUSE DECLARED HISTORICAL BUILDING

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AN OLD HOUSE BUILT AT HOI PA VILLAGE IN TSUEN WAN 82 YEARS AGO HAS BEEN DECLARED A HISTORICAL BUILDING UNDER THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENT ORDINANCE.

A NOTICE THAT THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE DECLARATION ON GROUNDS OF THE BUILDING'S HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE WAS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).

ACCORDING TO RECORDS, HOI PA VILLAGE ORGINALLY COMPRISED ABOUT 15 HAKKA CLANS WHO SETTLED IN TSUEN WAN DURING THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES.

THE OLD HOUSE ITSELF WAS BUILT IN 1904 BY A MR YAU YUEN- CHEUNG (1865-1937), A BUSINESSMAN AND VILLAGE SCHOLAR WHO WAS BORN AND EDUCATED IN TSUEN WAN.

MR YAU'S LARGE COLLECTION OF BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS ACCUMULATED DURING HIS RESIDENCE IN TSUEN WAN REFLECTS VILLAGE LIFE OF THE PERIOD, THE COLLECTION WAS DONATED TO THE GOVERNMENT IN 1982.

BUILT OF TRADITIONAL GREEN BRICKS, THE HOUSE COMPRISES TWO HALLS WITH A SMALL COURTYARD IN FRONT. THE HOUSE IS HANDSOMELY DECORATED.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENT OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH SAID THAT ALTHOUGH BUILT IN THE TRADITIONAL HAKKA STYLE, THE HOUSE NONETHELESS DIFFERS IN FORM FROM THE MAJORITY OF HAKKA RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN THAT IT IS A FREESTANDING STRUCTURE.

+ THE OLD HOUSE IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE VILLAGE ARCHITECTURE AND IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND FOR WHICH DECLARATION HAS BEEN APPROVED, + HE ADDED.

MOST OF HOI PA VILLAGE HAS NOW BEEN ZONED AND RESUMED AS DISTRICT OPEN SPACE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA SURROUNDING THE OLD HOUSE IS EXPECTED TO START IN DUE COURSE.

ON THE ADVICE OF THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD, THE OLD HOUSE WILL BE RESTORED AT A COST OF $300 000. IT WILL THEN BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. AND WILL PROVIDE A STRIKING CONTRAST BETWEEN THE OLD STYLE OF LIFE IN TSUEN WAN AND THE NEW.

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