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be larger than that of the existing ‘Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre' in Kowloon Park. Some Members may question if such a centre will duplicate the Hong Kong Heritage Museum which the Regional Council proposed to set up. In fact, the two have different functions. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum stresses on real objects such as the collection of ancient rosewood furniture, jade and precious stones, calligraphy and paintings. However, the proposed centre in my suggestion is mainly on the resource provision, exhibition, education and appreciation of Chinese culture and history. There is no need for the display of any serious historical objects. Instead, it should be designed as a novel entertainment and leisure centre as suggested by the Chief Curator of the Hong Kong Museum of History, Dr. Joseph TING, this morning. In this way, the public will get to know Chinese history and culture such as lyre-playing, chess, calligraphy and painting in a joyful mood without even noticing their own progress. Generally speaking, museums will not have a chess game of wei-qi as its exhibit, nor will it teach the visitors how to play this game. But all these can be found in this centre. Other subjects not covered by ordinary museums will also be included such as poetry, classics, rites, music, riding skills, archery, calligraphy, mathematics, Chinese medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion, martial art, qi-gong application, fung-shui and geomancy, and the Eight Diagrams used in ancient adivination, etc.
Lastly, is there any suitable site for the construction of such a centre? The answer is 'yes'. According to the recommendation of a consultancy report on Kowloon Development Statement Study released by the Planning Department last year, the site on top of the Wong Tai Sin MTR Station vacated upon the redevelopment of the in-situ old housing estate should be redeveloped into a tourist attraction on Chinese national culture with library, auditorium and museum facilities and a hotel. The proposed centre in my suggestion can therefore be accommodated here. The library can be designated as one for the special collection of materials on Chinese culture and history, and the auditorium can be used as a venue for staging Chinese national culture shows. Since this site is specially located between Wong Tai Sin Temple and Chi Lin Nunnery right at the top of an MTR station, it can bring benefits on two fronts. On the one hand, it can attract the local people of Hong Kong and become a hot tourist spot for overseas visitors, thereby benefiting our tourist industry. On the other hand, it can also help to promote the culture and arts of China as well as Hong Kong. In the light of the above, the proposed Chinese cultural education, exhibition and resource centre' project in my suggestion is not only necessary, but is also feasible. I therefore earnestly request the Members of the Council to support my suggestion.
With these remarks, I support the Chairman's motion.
MR. Lee Kwok-KEUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, today I would speak mainly on the improvement of markets. There are altogether 61 Urban
Page 498 of 654
Page 498 of 654
Page 498 of 654
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
493
be larger than that of the existing ‘Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre' in Kowloon Park. Some Members may question if such a centre will duplicate the Hong Kong Heritage Museum which the Regional Council proposed to set up. In fact, the two have different functions. The Hong Kong Hleritage Museum stresses on real objects such as the collection of ancient rosewood furniture, jade and precious stones, calligraphy and paintings. However, the proposed centre in my suggestion is mainly on the resource provision, exhibition, education and appreciation of Chinese culture and history. There is no need for the display of any serious historical objects. Instead, it should be designed as a novel entertainment and leisure centre as suggested by the Chief Curator of the Hong Kong Museum of History, Dr. Joseph TING, this morning. In this way, the public will get to know Chinese history and culture such as lyre-playing, chess, calligraphy and painting in a jooyful mood without even noticing their own progress. Generally speaking, museums will not have a chess game of wei-qi as its exhibit, nor will it teach the visitors how to play this game. But all these can be found in this centre. Other subjects not covered by ordinary museums will also be included such as poetry, classics, rites, music, riding skills, archery, calligraphy, mathematics, Chinese medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion, martial art, qi-gong application, fung-shui and geomancy, and the Eight Diagrams used in ancient adivination, etc.
Lastly, is there any suitable site for the construction of such a centre? The sanswer is 'yes'. According to the recommendation of a consultancy report on Kowloon Development Statement Study released by the Planning Department !last year, the site on top of the Wong Tai Sin MTR Station vacated upon the redevelopment of the in-situ old housing estate should be redeveloped into a tourist attraction on Chinese national culture with library, auditorium and museum facilities and a hotel. The proposed centre in my suggestion can therefore be accommodated here. The library can be designated as one for the special collection of materials on Chinese culture and history, and the auditorium can be used as a venue for staging Chinese national culture shows. Since this site is specially located between Wong Tai Sin Temple and Chi Lin Nunnery right at the top of an MTR station, it can bring benefits on two fronts. On the one hand, it can attract the local people of Hong Kong and become a hot tourist spot for overseas visitors, thereby benefiting our tourist industry. On the other hand, it can also help to promote the culture and arts of China as well as Hong Kong. In the light of the above, the proposed Chinese cultural education, exhibition and resource centre' project in my suggestion is not only necessary, but is also feasible. I therefore earnestly request the Members of the Council to support my suggestion.
With these remarks, I support the Chairman's motion.
MR. Lee Kwok-KEUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, today I would speak mainly on the improvement of markets. There are altogether 61 Urban
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