XN000022-1994-11-25 — Page 27

25

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1994

A SOUL TABLET OF THE PRINCESS IS STILL WORSHIPPED AT THE ALTAR OF THEIR MAIN ANCESTRAL HALL, THE TANG CHUNG-LING ANCESTRAL HALL.

MA WAT WAI WAS BUILT DURING THE QIAN LONG REIGN (1736-1796) AND TOGETHER WITH FOUR OTHER WALLED VILLAGES IN THE AREA, THAT IS, LO WAI, TUNG KOK WAI, WING LING WAI AND SAN WAI (OR KUN LUNG WAI) ARE WIDELY- KNOWN AS THE "FIVE WAIS".

A

1988

OF THE FIVE WAIS, SAN WAI IS THE FIRST TO HAVE BEEN DECLARED MONUMENT. ITS GATE TOWER AND WALLS WERE DECLARED AS MONUMENTS IN AND 1991 RESPECTIVELY.

MA WAT WAI WAS ORIGINALLY A VILLAGE ENCLOSED BY BRICK WALLS FOUR SIDES WITH A TOWER AT EACH CORNER.

ON

ROWS OF HOUSES OCCUPIED THE INSIDE OF THE VILLAGE WITH A SHRINE AT THE FARTHEST END TO THE ENTRANCE GATE.

HAVE

LARGE PARTS OF THE WALLS AND ALL THE CORNER EITHER COLLAPSED OR BEEN DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY CONSTRUCTIONS, LEAVING ONLY THE ENTRANCE GATE AND PART OF THE WALLS.

TOWERS, HOWEVER,

FOR NEW

THE ENTRANCE TOWER IS IN FAIRLY GOOD CONDITION.

A RED

IT HAS A FINE FACADE OF GRANITE BLOCKS SURMOUNTED WITH SAND STONE LINTEL CARVED WITH THE CHARACTERS LITERALLY MEANING A PLACE OF LONGEVITY IN CHINESE.

THE

THE ENTRANCE TOWER OF MA

WAT

OF

WAI

A AS DECLARATION MONUMENT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD AND HAS THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE TANG CLAN IN LUNG YEUK TAU.

RESTORATION OF

THE

ENTRANCE TOWER WILL

COMMENCE SOON

WITH

FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

THE

THE WORKS WILL BE SUPERVISED BY THE ANTIQUITIES SECTION OF

AND MONUMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ANTIQUITIES ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES OFFICE OF THE RECREATION AND CULTURE BRANCH.

0.

18 APPOINTED TO BEDSPACE APARTMENTS APPEAL BOARD

ON THE BEDSPACE YEARS FROM DECEMBER 1

THE GOVERNOR HAS APPOINTED 18 PERSONS TO SIT APARTMENTS APPEAL BOARD FOR A PERIOD OF TWO THIS YEAR.

A NOTICE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS WAS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).

/THE BOARD