RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1983 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/j9607p61v PRESIDENT'S REPORT 1983 — 84 This evening I take pleasure in reporting on the Society's activities during the year, and will also comment on some other matters which will be of interest to members. It has been an important year for me, being my first as President, though I have been an office bearer since 1967. The objects of the Society, as revived in 1959, are to encourage an active interest in East Asia, and in particular China, through the medium of lectures and discussions and by publishing an annual journal. In fact, we have always done rather more than this, by arranging local and overseas tours whenever the opportunity offers. This year's programme, like last year's, reflects the wide range of our activities in type and content. It is, however, dependent upon there being speakers and organisers available, and despite our efforts, they are sometimes not ready, not willing, nor even readily to hand! Lectures, film shows, and tours By type of activity and in chronological order, the programme for the year included the following items: Tours/Film Shows 14th May 1983, some 45 members visited the Chai Wan and Shaukiwan districts of Hong Kong Island. They went by boat from Queen's Pier to Chai Wan, viewing the many changes along the Eastern waterfront, and then visited a number of places in the area, including a group of temples at Shaukiwan and the adjacent and long-established Nam On Fong hillside squatter area there. 30th July 1983, some 25 members visited the Hong Kong Collection at the University of Hong Kong through the kind permission of the Librarian, and afterwards visited the Hong Kong History Workshop in the Department of History conducted by our Council member, Ms Elizabeth Sinn. 9th November 1983, about 30 members attended a film showing the work of the Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Association in Hong Kong and latterly in Nepal, an account... ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1983 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/j9607p61v of the charitable work done by the Kadoorie family in this field. A cheque for $500 was sent in appreciation to Mr. Horace Kadoorie on behalf of the Society. K 26th November 1983 about 35 members took part in a visit to the Soo Kon Poo district of Hong Kong Island where we visited the Buddhist Memorial to victims of the Race Course fire in 1918, the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital and the Confucian Middle School. December 1983 and March 1984 - two separate groups of members visited the Narcotics Museum of the Narcotics Bureau, RHKP, in Police Headquarters, Arsenal Street, under the kind arrangements of Mr. K. W. J. Lloyd, Chief Inspector of Police. 28th January 1984 about 70 members went by boat to the Ch'ing Dynasty fort on Tung Lung Island, and passed by the Tin Hau Temple at Fat Tong Mun and the former Chinese customs station at Junk Island on the return journey. Lectures 29th March 1983 Mr. Nigel Cameron, the author and art critic, gave an interesting illustrated talk on "Hong Kong Art: the Quiet Revolution". 14th April 1983 — Ms Elizabeth Sinn of the Department of History at the University of Hong Kong spoke about "The Strike and Riot, Hong Kong 1884", an interesting local side effect of the Sino-French war over Vietnam. 25th April 1983 Professor Daffyd Evans, Head of the Department of Law, University of Hong Kong, spoke about the wills made by some Chinese in early British Hong Kong in an interesting talk entitled "Fearing Verbal Words, or Chinese Testaments in British Hong Kong". 25th May 1983 Professor Daniel Kwok, professor of History at the University of Hawaii and visiting professor, Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong, gave a stimulating talk entitled "Confucianism and Modernization: Reflections of Antipathies and Sympathies". This dealt with ix ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1983 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/j9607p61v the compatibility of Confucian values and attitudes with the requisites of modernization. 6th June 1983 Dr. Norman Miners, Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Hong Kong, talked interestingly about the Hong Kong Government Opium Monopoly between 1914 and 1941. 22nd November 1983 Mrs. Mimi Chan, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Asian Studies and Comparative Literature, University of Hong Kong gave an enlivening talk on the study of lexical-borrowing from Chinese into English with special reference to Hong Kong, entitled "Hongs, Tongs and all that Jazz”. 6th December 1983 Miss Elizabeth Ride, daughter of our former President, Sir Lindsay Ride, talked informatively on his wartime activities and his role in the establishment of the British Army Aid Group in China, following up her brother's book on this subject. 1st March 1984 Dr. Brian Shaw of the Department of Political Science, University of Hong Kong gave a well-illustrated talk on the kingdom of Bhutan and its cultural traditions. Photographic Survey and Publications Members will remember the successful publication Hong Kong Going and Gone published by the Society in 1980. This provided photographs and text on a number of interesting old buildings in the Central and Western districts. The Society planned to follow this up with another book, but cataloguing a mass of photographs from these and adjoining districts was felt to be a prerequisite to another publication or any further photographic work. Last summer, through arrangements made by Ms Elizabeth Sinn, Mr. Tony Rydings and Mr. Ian Diamond, university students undertook the work for a suitable remuneration and the backlog was cleared. Since then we have been fortunate in obtaining the enthusiastic support of our member, Mr. Philip Bruce of the Government Information Services Department, who has already taken 1,000 photographs of the Wan Chai area and ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1987 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/rx919b522 PRESIDENT'S REPORT 1987-88 The progress reported at the last Annual General Meeting has continued over 1987-88. The number of new members joining during the year has been, I imagine, the highest since the early years of re-establishing the Society in Hong Kong. Activities have been maintained at a satisfactory level and have been well attended. The current position of the Society and its administration have been subject to intensive scrutiny with members' help, and our proposed reorganisation for the coming year is the subject of a separate information paper. The 1984 and 1986 Journals are expected soon, and a new publication on Religion in China Today is in the press. The only area of concern is that of financing, but you will see that the increase in the annual membership charges approved at the last Annual General Meeting, taking effect from 1 January 1988, will help to restore the position, together with the income from new members and the energetic measures being taken to publicize and sell our publications. Finally, in this introductory statement I must not fail to record that soon after his appointment as Governor of Hong Kong, H.E. Sir David Wilson consented to follow the late Sir Edward Youde as our Patron. Programme I shall now review the year's activities. During the year there were 12 lectures and 5 local visits, plus three tours to China. The talks were as follows: March 31 Mr. Geoffrey Emerson "Yankee on the Yangtze" April 28 Ms. Diana Martin 'Ghost Marriages' May 12 Dr. Elizabeth Sinn June 2 'Kowloon Walled City: A Journey into the Past' Ms. Maja Boyd 'Père David's Deer Return Home' vii ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1987 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/rx919b522 June 24 July 15 Prof. Alan Griffiths "Victorian Flower Power' Mr. Phillip Bruce "The Bogue Forts' September 29 Dr. Elizabeth Sinn 'Kowloon Walled City' (repeat) October 17 Rev. Carl Smith "History of the Wanchai District' October 28 Mr. Mitya New 'Expatriates in Pre-Revolutionary China' November 27 Dr. Betty Wei Peh-T'i 'Shanghai: Crucible of Modern China' February 8 Ms. Veronica Pearson 'Health and Welfare in Modern China' February 27 Prof. Jean Chesneaux 'China in the eyes of French intellectuals' Local tours were made to the following places of interest: Wanchai and the Ruttonjee Sanitorium (7 November, led by Rev. Carl Smith and Dr. Elizabeth Sinn), Stonecutters Island (3 December, led by Phillip Bruce), the Hong Kong Bank Picture Collection (18 December, led by Mrs. Anita Wilson), Tai Po and Island House (9 January, led by Dr. Patrick Hase) and Sam Tung Uk Museum and Tin Hau Temple in Tsuen Wan (10 February, led by Dr. James Hayes). Tours outside Hong Kong included two visits to Shekou, Humen and the Bogue Forts on 18/19 and 25/26 July organised and led by Phillip Bruce, and an eight-day visit to the Yangtse River Gorges starting 29 August led by Dr. Michael Lau. You will, I am sure, agree that these activities have given a great deal of pleasure to members of the Society. Our thanks and appre- viii ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1995 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/95941j25g this Society's main objectives is to produce an annual journal. Contributions to the Journal from members are always very welcome and so please do contact our editor, Mr. Peter Halliday. Other Activities The Society is fortunate in having a very outward and enthusiastic Activities Committee. For the first half of the year until her departure from Hong Kong Mrs. Rosemary Lee was the Chairman, and for the last few months, Mrs Anita Wilson has taken on this mantle, and more recently Mr. Geoffrey Roper has done so, and will be doing so in future. To all of them I would like to offer our sincere thanks. The Committee's efforts are there for all to see We have had 12 lectures at the City Hall: Date Title Lecturer 28 Apr 95 A Fujian Hakka Village Temple Alliance Dr. John Lagerway 19 May 95 Reflexivity in Research and a Question of Culture Dr Mary Pang (A study of Chinese in Britain) 23 Jun 95 Contemporary Chinese Painting. Metamorphosis or Misrepresentation? Ms. Catherine Maudsley 7 Jul 95 Fung Shui Woods of Hong Kong Mr. Richard Webb 15 Aug 95 Liberation Evening (2 videos and brief talk) held at Royal HK Regiment Mess, Beaconsfield House Dr Elizabeth Sinn 29 Sep 95 Hong Kong 1931-1941 Ms. Mimi Chan 20 Oct 95 A Guide to Hong Kong Literature 17 Nov 95 Marine Bio-Diversity Protection in Hong Kong Prof. Brian Morton 15 Dec 95 Hong Kong's Wild Places Mr Edward Stokes 12 Jan 96 Hong Kong - A Woman's Place? Dr. Veronica Pearson xi ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1995 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/95941j25g particular attention and that was the three and a half months photographic exhibition which was put on by the Society in conjunction with the very helpful Antiquities and Monuments Office. This exhibition, covering many aspects of Hong Kong history with a fine array of photographs from the Society's archives and other sources, ran for three months. It attracted a great deal of publicity in the Chinese and English press, radio programmes and United Press International also beamed a release around the world, not just about the exhibition but also about heritage and local history in Hong Kong in general. I would like to thank the staff of the Recreation and Culture Department of the Hong Kong Government, and particularly its Secretary, Mr. T.H. Chau, for making this all possible, those who lent photographs for the exhibition, Mrs. S. McGrady, Mr. Colin Gimson, Mrs. P. Alway, Mr. Brian Pearce and Mrs. Elaine Marden, and even more particularly Dr. Dan Waters. Without Dan's drive and enthusiasm it is doubtful if the Exhibition would ever have got off the ground, but it did and we owe him a huge vote of thanks. The Exhibition was such a great success that we do hope that it will be possible to run similar events. I have dwelt for sometime on the activities of the Society deservedly so since they play a very important and prominent part in the Society's affairs. However there are other activity areas which are important for us to note and acknowledge. Firstly there is the library. Under the capable guidance of Ms. Julia Chan, our Librarian, it continues to flourish: she will report separately to you. Secondly, there is the administration of our finances, by our Treasurer, Mr. Robert Nield; he will be reporting to you separately later in detail. However, well as the finances are run, and they are in a sound position, even he cannot manufacture income from nothing and escape from the ravages of inflation. Subscription rates have not been raised since 1993 and you will note therefore that we are recommending a rise in rates with effect from 1 January 1997. Lastly I would like to convey our thanks to those who keep this very interesting Society together, to all Council members, particularly to the two Vice-Presidents, Reverend Carl Smith and Dr. Elizabeth Sinn; Mrs. Anita Wilson for co-ordinating the all important Newsletter and last but not least our Assistant Secretary, Mrs. Claire Hockaday. XIV Page 15 Page 16 ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1999 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/s178b887x 246 The Royal Asiatic Society Council Dr Dan Waters President Rev Carl Smith Hon Vice-President Mr David Gilkes Immediate Past President Dr Michael Lau Vice-President Dr Elizabeth Sian Vice-President Dr Peter Barker Hon Secretary Mr Robert Nield Hon Treasurer Dr Peter Halliday Hon Editor of the Journal Ms Julia Chan Hon Librarian Mrs Valerie Garrett Hon Activities Co-ordinator Dr Patrick Hase Mrs May Holdsworth Mr Bob Horsnell Mr Tim Ko Tim Keung Prof Janet Lee Scott Dr Joseph Ting Royal Asiatic Society GPO Box 3864 Tel: 2813 7500 www.royalasiaticsociety.org.hk ================================================================================