XN000022-1989-10-24 — Page 8

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1989

INFORMATION CENTRES OPEN AT FORTS * * * * *

NEWLY ESTABLISHED INFORMATION CENTRES ON TUNG LUNG ISLAND AND AT TUNG CHUNG ON LANTAU, DISPLAYING HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND GIVING A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TWO FORTS ON BOTH ISLANDS, ARE NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

AND

THE DISPLAYS HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY THE ANTIQUITIES MONUMENTS OFFICE OF THE RECREATION AND CULTURE BRANCH TO FOSTER THE INTEREST OF VISITORS.

BOTH FORTS, WHICH WERE BUILT IN THE QING DYNASTY, WERE DECLARED MONUMENTS BY THE GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE OF THEIR HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

STRICTLY SPEAKING, THE FORTIFICATION AT TUNG CHUNG IS HARDLY

A

FORT. IT WAS Referred TO IN THE QING DYNASTY AS A "SUOCHENG", THE

TUNG CHUNG BATTALION CITY.

IT WAS THE MARITIME HEADQUARTERS OF THE "RIGHT CAMP OF DA BATTALION" AND INSCRIPTIONS ON THE GRANITE SLAB ABOVE THE ENTRANCE THE FORT SHOWED THAT IT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF DAO GUANG REIGN (1832).

PENG

OF

THE

THERE ARE SIX CANNON PLACED ON THE NORTH WALL AND THESE ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN PUT THERE BY THE LOCAL POLICE IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS CENTURY.

THE TUNG LUNG FORT WAS CONSTRUCTED MORE THAN 150 YEARS EARLIER. BECAUSE OF THE STRATEGIC LOCATION OF TUNG LUNG ISLAND, ITS MILITARY IMPORTANCE WAS RECOGNISED AS LONG AGO AS IN THE SONG DYNASTY.

THE FORT WAS BUILT DURING THE REIGN OF EMPEROR KANG XI (1662 1722) WHEN THERE WAS GROWING ACTIVITY BY PIRATES AND MING LOYALISTS.

MEMBERS OF THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD WILL VISIT THE TUNG LUNG FORT AND ITS INFORMATION CENTRE ON SATURDAY (OCTOBER 28).

THE PARTY WILL INCLUDE THE CHAIRMAN, MR EDWARD HO; THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD'S EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY SUB-COMMITTEE,

DR JANET LEE SCOTT; THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD'S ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND PALAEONTOLOGICAL SUB-COMMITTEE, DR SOLOMON BARD.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE VISIT TO THE TUNG LUNG FORT ON SATURDAY (OCTOBER 281 MORNING. THE GOVERNMENT LAUNCH "CLEMENTI" WILL LEAVE THE QUEEN'S PIER AT 9.30 AM. AN INFORMATION OFFICER WILL BE ON HAND TO ASSIST.

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