150
NOTES AND QUERIES
“Bethesda" was forced to close down due to the unfortunate consequences of the First World War, and as yet, I have not been able to locate the old "Bethesda". Where was its exact location? Are early Hong Kong Government records regarding the lease or sale of land still available for the period concerned (1860/61) and maps showing the land distribution and property rights?
Being concurrently pastor of the present German-speaking Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation in Hong Kong and chairman of the Ebenezer School and Home for the Blind, which branched off from "Bethesda" in 1897 specializing in the care of blind girls, I have a double interest in the question of locating the former "Bethesda", an institution connected with the history both of Ebenezer and our German-speaking Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong, 1968.
ALBRECHT PLAG
THE COMET OF 1532
Recently, while working on the biography of Feng En (1491 - 1571) I encountered an interesting problem about a comet. But first let me make a few remarks about the man.
He came from a family settled in Hua-t'ing, southwest of Shanghai, which had originally belonged to the military category. Somehow he managed to get a sound education and achieve the advanced degree, or chin-shih, in 1526, and receive the appointment of censor in Nanking. While serving in that capacity a comet appeared on September 2, 1532, and continued to illuminate the sky for 115 days, disappearing (according to the section on astronomy of the Ming shih 27/11a) on December 26. This was no ordinary phenomenon. The comet later known in Europe as Halley's, had appeared just the year before (August 5 to September 7, 1531) and lasted only 34 days. The young emperor, Chu Hou-ts'ung (born 1507), and his entire court took it seriously. According to the theology of the day, which went back at least to the second century before our era, and probably many hundreds of years earlier, someone in high office must be to blame. Chang Fu-ching
(1475 - 1539), senior grand secretary, probably following a nudge from the throne, resigned. Feng En, along with a number of other officials, did not consider his resignation enough.
150
NOTES AND QUERIES
“Bethesda" was forced to close down due to the unfortunate consequences of the First World War, and as yet, I have not been able to locate the old "Bethesda". Where was its exact location? Are early Hong Kong Government records regarding the lease or sale of land still available for the period concerned (1860/61) and maps showing the land distribution and property rights?
Being concurrently pastor of the present German-speaking Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation in Hong Kong and chairman of the Ebenezer School and Home for the Blind, which branched off from "Bethesda" in 1897 specializing in the care of blind girls, I have a double interest in the question of locating the former "Bethesda", an institution connected with the history both of Ebenezer and our German-speaking Evangelical-Lutheran Con- gregation in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong, 1968.
ALBRECHT PLAG
THE COMET OF 1532
Recently, while working on the biography of Feng En (1491 - 1571) I encountered an interesting problem about a comet. But first let me make a few remarks about the man.
He came from a family settled in Hua-t'ing, southwest of Shanghai, which had originally belonged to the military cate- gory. Somehow he managed to get a sound education and achieve the advanced degree, or chin-shih, in 1526, and receive the appoint- ment of censor in Nanking. While serving in that capacity a comet appeared on September 2, 1532, and continued to illuminate the sky for 115 days, disappearing (according to the section on astronomy of the Ming shih 27/11a) on December 26. This was no ordinary phenomenon. The comet later known in Europe as Halley's, had appeared just the year before (August 5 to September 7, 1531) and lasted only 34 days. The young emperor, Chu Hou- ts'ung (born 1507), and his entire court took it seriously. Accord- ing to the theology of the day, which went back at least to the second century before our era, and probably many hundreds of years earlier, someone in high office must be to blame. Chang Fu-ching
(1475 - 1539), senior grand secretary, probably following a nudge from the throne, resigned. Feng En, along with a number of other officials, did not consider his resignation enough.
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