[ { "id": 213262, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-1994", "page_number": 84, "title": "RAS-1994", "content_text": "64\n\nthe agreement is only a diplomatic document and not part of the treaty or laws of Hong Kong, it would be unlikely to present a successful legal claim (Wesley Smith; 1992; 29). Customary law is, nevertheless, an essential part of rural life in the New Territories. It has thus been argued that the existence of fung shui was tacitly acknowledged by the government (Hayes, 1963: 143).\n\nWhile Englishmen sometimes claim that, legally, their houses in Britain have 'right of light' or 'right of air', in ancient China disputing parties sometimes went to court over infringements of fung shui rights. 'He has ruined my fung shui. He has no business to put himself above me,' a Chinese would state. In Hong Kong, however, impaired fung shui has never been actionable under British law.\n\nCompensation\n\nNevertheless, the Hong Kong Government has not only respected the beliefs of the New Territories' villagers but also paid out sizeable amounts over the years as compensation when people have claimed the Government has spoiled their fung shui. One wonders how many other colonial powers would have been as considerate. Examples of spoiling fung shui include excavations that break the 'neck of the dragon' and constructing highways or water supply schemes which impair the sweep or rhythm of hills. A less caring government would have ridden roughshod over any perceived obligations,\n\nIn 1990, the Government paid HK$1.1 million to fund a 72-hour fung shui ritual at Ha Tsuen, which included engaging Taoist priests and erecting a small, temporary temple. The fear was that the construction of a sewerage disposal system, which included tunnelling through a small hill on which many of the villagers' ancestors are buried, would disturb evil spirits.\n\nAnother example occurred on Tsing Yi Island when the villagers reacted at intervals from 1977 to 1980 (Hayes, 1979: 213; and Hayes, 1980: 155). There are many other cases. Women protesters are often more visibly active than men.\n\nIn November 1994 Mr Brian Jenney, the Government Director of Audit, tabled his annual report. Tuen Mun New Town, he stated, had cost", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1994.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/zk522640g", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 214713, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-1999", "page_number": 128, "title": "RAS-1999", "content_text": "92\n\nDo villagers really believe in tun fu?\n\nHow many of the New Territories' villagers really believe in tun fu? Earlier, it was mentioned that the Pat Heung villagers were paid $600,000 to stage their collective tun fu ceremonies. Brian Jenny, Government Director of Audit, in November 1994 wrote in his report that, during the 1980s, amounts paid annually by the Government (on account of feng shui disturbances) varied between $500,000 and $950,000. In 1990, the Government paid $1.1 million, in feng shui compensation, to the villagers at Ha Tsuen so that ceremonies could be held (Hong Kong Standard; 1990). The fall in the purchasing power of the dollar over the years must be taken into account when interpreting these figures.\n\nWhen the British took over Hong Kong they promised the Chinese that Qing laws would be retained and local customs respected (Endacott; 1958, 38, 40, 41). Certainly a large number of festivals, customs and much culture have been retained. To some degree, because of lack of restrictions during the colonial period, there was limited hostility towards the British (Cheung; 1999, 573). Other ex-colonial powers could perhaps argue that this easygoing affinity, which developed between the Hong Kong Chinese and their rulers, was not always in the interests of the Colony. For example, the compensation paid to villagers to hold tun fu ceremonies, could have been put to better use.\n\nBut returning to how many villagers really believe? A small group of elderly women that the Author spoke to, sitting in the sun near a tun fu pot at Shui Tau Village, in the Kam Tin District, said that when work first started on improvements to the Kam Tin River the villagers did not intend doing anything. But people started falling sick and several died. It was decided then to hold a tun fu ceremony.12 'Did the elderly ladies believe in tun fu?'\n\n'Well, people stopped falling ill and dying,' they replied, 'so of course we had to believe.'\n\nThat is as good an argument for believing in tun fu as any.\n\nNevertheless several retired civil servants, both British and Chinese who have worked in the New Territories, some as District Officers,", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1999.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/s178b887x", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 214981, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-2000", "page_number": 77, "title": "RAS-2000", "content_text": "33\n\nTHE CHINESE LABOUR CORPS IN FRANCE\n\n1917-1921\n\nBRIAN C FAWCETT\n\n\"What were the Chinese doing in France during the First World War?\"\n\nThe above is a frequent question, not only posed by people in the UK but also, as we found, by amazed French people in their own country.\n\nTo answer this, and also as a possibility for a visit by a larger group of Friends of the RAS [Hong Kong Branch] in the UK, a small group under the guidance of Keith Stevens, accompanied by Jenny Welch, Paul Bolding, John Tamplin, David Mahoney, my French wife, Claudine and myself, decided to investigate. Claudine and I have also made separate visits, but more of our findings later.\n\nIntroduction\n\nBriefly the reasons as to why the Chinese were in France may be stated as follows:\n\nAs China was not a belligerent nation, her nationals were not allowed by their government to participate in the fighting. The recruiting for labourers was launched by the War Committee in London, in 1916, to form a Labour Corps of labourers from China to serve in France and to be known as the Chinese Labour Corps [CLC]. This was because, as the war progressed, Great Britain and her allies required more manpower for their Forces, so releasing those men who were assisting at the docks unloading necessary supplies and war material. The Allies regarded such recruitment of labour in market and business terms rather than as politically significant Chinese participation in the war. The Chinese did declare war against Germany and Austria-Hungary on 14th August 1917, for reasons of domestic policy and also to ingratiate themselves with the Powers and win resources from them which would support a military campaign to reunify the country under Beijing's rule.\n\nThe scheme to supply men was originated in June 1915 by Liang", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-2000.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/nk328168n", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 215498, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-2001", "page_number": 275, "title": "RAS-2001", "content_text": "224\n\nIs that they're not the sort\n\nTo ever be thought of as frantic.\n\n13 Diana and Charles\n\nThis group of ours includes all manner\n\nOf people. There's one who's a spanner.\n\nThere's no end of ditches\n\nHe's spanned with his bridges.\n\nHis wife's quite nice too - that's Diana.\n\n15 Giovanna\n\nC'è anche una bella signora\n\nDa Padova in Italia, allora.\n\nShe 'as a bag-a, più grande.\n\nShe say: 'Is a-very ‘andy,\n\nWhenever I go on a tour-a.'\n\n17 Jenny\n\nShopping, and more shopping yet.\n\nShe'll be at it tomorrow, I'll bet.\n\nWith her hats and her scarves\n\nShe don't do things by halves.\n\nBut remember, it's a very small jet.\n\n19 Christopher\n\nA classical scholar, a star,\n\nHe's been high and low, near and far.\n\nHe's come quite a journey, This pukka attorney.\n\nHe'd go anywhere if called to the bar.\n\n21 Brian\n\nOn account of her glasses,\n\nBut what does she say? 'No thank 'ee.'\n\n14 Alan\n\nThere is one other engineer,\n\nFrom whom every day you will hear:\n\n'It's better by far\n\nWith the KCR.'\n\nBut not in Bhutan, I fear.\n\n16 Helen and Ian\n\nAustralia has regulations.\n\nIt's one of those fussier nations.\n\nBut he wants to take back\n\nThe tail end of a yak.\n\nSays she: \"This will strain our relations.\"\n\n18 Rupert\n\nThere is one geographical gent\n\nWho has quite a musical bent.\n\nHe gets his horn off the shelf\n\nAnd plays with himself.\n\nNO - BY himself, that's what I meant.\n\n20 Felicity\n\nThe style of this lady is simplicity.\n\nSo calm, yet so much tenacity.\n\nShe has to be so.\n\nIt's her husband, y'know You all know her name - it's Felicity!\n\n22 Robert\n\nI've been up\n\nI didn't have time to do me.\n\nhalf the night, y'see.\n\nThere is one chap who's made our lives hell,\n\nFor he's constantly ringing his bell.\n\nBut his job's been quite tough\n\nWith a group that's so rough.\n\nNapoleon - we all think you're swell!\n\nBut I suppose if I must\n\nI could... maybe... just.\n\nLeave it with me a while and we'll see.", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-2001.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/zg651950g", "rank": 0 } ]