KW@HONG KONG HERITAGE - Rock Carving

Hong Kong have many different Rock Carving.

Let's me show you some:)

Hong Kong Island

Big Wave Bay Rock Carving was first reported in 1970 by a police officer. The design shows very dynamic geometric and animal patterns with a worked surface measuring 90cm x 180cm. Like most other carvings, apart from those at Shek Pik and Wong Chuk Hang, it is situated on a headland embracing the beautiful bay. There is some evidence that early inhabitants who created these carvings depended on the sea for their livelihood. The carvings might have been intended to propitiate the power of the sea and to protect its sea-faring population.

   

 New Territories

Kau Sai Chau Rock Carving was discovered in 1976. It is located at the north-western coast of Kau Sai Island where accessibility by land is extremely poor. The design itself is badly weathered, especially on its lower half. However, a zoomorphic motif is still visible when examined closely and carefully. The worked surface is approximately 2m above the highest water mark, which is a rather low position compared to similar rock carvings.

 

Rock Inscription at Joss House Bay, Sai Kung. The inscription carved on the rock is dated as the cyclical year jiaxu of the Xianchun reign during the Southern Song Dynasty (i.e. the year 1274) and is the oldest dated inscription known in Hong Kong. It records a visit by a salt administration officer and his friend and gives the history of two temples at the north and south of Fat Tong Mun.

 

Rock Carving at Lung Ha WanDiscovered in 1978 by a group of hikers, the Lung Ha Wan Rock Carving is located on a vertical face of a badly weathered boulder facing east. The design shows geometric patterns, some may resemble stylised animals or bird forms. There is though another school of thought suggesting that it is purely the work of nature. While this academic discussion still continues, the rock carving, or pattern, has been protected under the Antiquities & Monuments Ordinance. This would allow the opportunity for it to be further studied.

Outlying Island

 

Shek Pik Rock Carving. Most of the ancient rock carvings in the territory overlook the sea, but Shek Pik Rock Carving is about 300m from the coastline. However, it is believed that in the past, the sea inlet might have extended up to this point. The design shows geometric patterns composed of spiral squares and circles which closely resemble those on Bronze Age artefacts. It is thus quite safe to deduce that they were carved by early inhabitants of this area in the local Bronze Age some 3,000 years ago. 

 

Rock Carving at Po Toi Island.There had long been a local legend among the fisherfolk of the existence of several rock carvings on Po Toi Island. Finally, groups of carvings were found at the southern part of Po Toi in the 1960's. They are of different motifs and separated by a rock fracture 70cm wide. One group on the left consists of lines resembling stylized animal and fish patterns, while the other on the right is composed of spirals in an inter-locking arrangement.

RA@ Bishop's House

The Bishop's House (會督府, 主教府) is located at 1 Lower Albert Road, Central. It is the residence and office of the Archbishop of Hong Kong.

It was originally designed as a school for Chinese students and for many years housed St Paul's College. The house's origins can be dated from 1843, when Vincent Stanton was appointed Colonial Chaplain of Hong Kong. The building was completed in 1848. When the new Diocese of Victoria was created, Stanton handed over the college property to the newly appointed bishop, George Smith.

The Bishop's House is an imposing building, both in design and proportions. The interior of the building has been completed renovated and modernized as late as 1967–1968. It has been listed as a Grade I historic building.

For Architectural style, it adopts simply and elegant design, built into a granite cornerstone. There is a bunker-style three-story octagonal tower and Western-style buildings in Hong Kong early; it’s longer than a long history of Government House.

In 2009, the Anglican Church announced that it will spend around 800 million to preserve Central buildings, here are some historic buildings will be retained and rehabilitation is following:

Bishop's House: Built in 1848, it’s a historic building now. It was built into the granite cornerstone, two-story and three-story side behind a bunker-style octagonal tower. It is The Former Bishop and St. Paul's College premises originally. It may retain for Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (Anglican Church) Archbishop's and will be equipped with museums, the new window-type of air-conditioners and stairs was removed in recent years and it set up facilities for the disabled person to make them conveniently.

St. Paul's Church: Built in 1911, is proposed for a historic building and adopt Gothic style. At the top of the tower has a long and pointed, as early as the Chinese Central Christian Church designed. At the upper is a chapel, lower for St. Paul's College classrooms. In World War II, churches were expropriated for the Japanese military police for training school and it’s fully opened after renovation.

Source:

http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E6%9C%83%E7%9D%A3%E5%BA%9C

http://www.bishophouse.com/

ERI@TSUI SING LAU PAGODA IN PING SHAN

Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda is located in the north of Sheung Cheung Wai.It is the only ancient pagoda in Hong Kong built by Tang Yin Tung of the 7th generation more than 600 years ago. It was declared a monument on 14 December 2001.

The origin of the pagoda can be traced to the Indian stupa (3rd century BC). The stupa, a dome shaped monument, was used in India as a commemorative monument associated with storing sacred relics. The stupa emerged as a distinctive style of Indian architecture and was adopted in Southeast and East Asia,where it became prominent as a Buddhist monument used for enshrining sacred relics.In East Asia, the architecture of Chinese towers and Chinese pavilions blended into pagoda architecture, eventually also spreading to Southeast Asia. The pagoda's original purpose was to house relics and sacred writings.This purpose was popularized due to the efforts of Buddhist missionaries, pilgrims, rulers, and ordinary devotees to seek out, distribute, and extol Buddhist relics.

Therefore, Pagodas are traditionally Buddhist structures even some are built to improve the fung shui of a particular locality. According to the Tang clan, the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda was originally situated at the mouth of a river facing Deep Bay and was intended as a fung shui structure designed to ward off evil spirits from the north and to prevent flooding. Its auspicious location, in alignment with Castle Peak, would ensure success for clan members in the imperial civil service examinations. In fact, the Tang clan produced numerous scholars and officials in dynastic China.

The Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda is a three-storey green-brick structure with  hexagonal shaped for about 13 metres in height. A statue of Fui Shing (Champion Star), believed to be a deity who controls success and failure in examinations, is housed on the upper floor. Auspicious titles are inscribed on each floor, including: "Over the Milky Way" on the top floor, "Pagoda of Gathering Stars" on the middle floor and "Light Shines Straight Onto the Dippers and the Enclosures" on the ground floor.



There are some base information of Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda:

Address 

Ping Shan, Yuen Long.
Tel

2721 2326
Opening Hours
Tang Ancestral Hall (9am-1pm & 2pm-5pm;close on the first three days of Chinese New Year)
Tsui Shing Lau (9am-1pm & 2pm-5pm; close on Tuesdays, the first day of January, the first three days of Chinese New Year and the day following Christmas Day)
Transport

Take LRT to Ping Shan stop, walk towards Ping Ha Road for about 10 minutes; 

or take bus Nos. 53, 276 or minibus Nos. 33, 34, 35 in Yuen Long Town Centre, get off at Ping Ha Road; 

or take West Rail and get off at Tin Shui Wai Station.

SOURCES

http://vhe.lcsd.gov.hk/vhe/FEBS?pageAction=INTRO&bsid=49&langNo=1
http://www.amo.gov.hk/en/trails_pingshan1.php?tid=1
http://www.pingshan.com/ct-JuXingLou.html
http://plumbot.com/Pagoda.html

C @ Duddell Street Steps and Gas Lamps

Today what I introduce the key heritage in Hon Kong is Duddell Street Steps and Gas Lamps. It is in Central.

Now let me tell you the background of the Duddell Street Stone Steps.The steps were named after George Duddell, an auctioneer and ultimately a significant property owner in the area around the present Duddell Street in mid-19th century. Serial maps of old Hong Kong indicate that the Stone Steps existed as early as 1875. In 1883 the Stone Steps were reconstructed at a cost of HK$1,750.

The four gas lamps mounted on the top and foot of the granite steps are the only surviving functional gas street lamps in Hong Kong. The lamp posts, described as two-light Rochester models, were made by Suggs and Co.

The records of the Hong kong and China Gas Co. showed that the lamps were re-lit after World War II on 29 February 1948. Of the more than two thousand gas lamos which once lit Hong Kong's Streets, over a dozen were still being used in the early 1950s.


Sources:
http://www.amo.gov.hk/en/monuments_08.php
http://www.hyd.gov.hk/eng/public/publications/newsletter/2009/Issue3/E309A03.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duddell_Street

HL@ Wong Tai Sin Temple

Wong Tai Sin Temple is one of the most famous shrines in Hong Kong. It is dedicated to Wong Tai Sin, or the Great Immortal Wong. The 18,000 m² Taoist temple is famed for the many prayers answered: "What you request is what you get" (有求必應) via a practice called Kau Cim. The temple is located on the southern side of Lion Rock in the north of Kowloon.

Annually, from January 1 to 15, the temple receives numerous visitors, such as those whose prayers were answered returning to thank the immortal. Wong Tai Sin's birthday on the 23rd day of the 8th lunar month, and the Chinese New Year holidays are the busiest times for the temple.
On the Chinese New Year's Eve, thousands of worshippers wait outside the temple before midnight and rush in to the main altar to offer Wong Tai Sin their glowing incense sticks when the year comes. As the tradition goes, the earlier they offer the incense, the better luck they will have that year.

The act of "Kau Cim" at Wong Tai Sin.

Most of the visitors come to the temple in search for a spiritual answer via a practice called Kau Cim. They light incense sticks, kneel before the main altar, make a wish, and shake a bamboo cylinder containing fortune sticks until a stick falls out. This stick is exchanged for a piece of paper bearing the same number, and then the soothsayer will interpret the fortune on the paper for the worshiper. Often the same piece of fortune is taken to multiple booths for verification purposes. Some booths offer palm reading service.
Recently, Taoist weddings have been performed here.

The temple is open from 7:00am to 5:30pm throughout the year, and runs overnight in the Lunar New Year Eve. It is currently administrated by Sik Sik Yuen, a Taoist organization in Hong Kong.

Here is movie which is about the one of the activities were held in last year.



More detalis!

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wong_Tai_Sin_Temple
http://www.siksikyuen.org.hk/public/contents/category?lang=iso-8859-1&cid=724

RA@ Nam Koo Terrace

Have you ever heard Nam Koo Terrace (南固臺)? It is one of famous heritage in Hong Kong. As Halloween is coming soon, will you try to experience and to explore this strange and terrible place in there?Do you want to know more now?

Nam Koo Terrace (南固臺) is a Grade I Historic Building. It's located at No. 55 Ship Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, popularly known as "The Wan Chai Haunted House". The building is currently owned by Hopewell Holdings, a large property development company based in Hong Kong.

The two-storey red brick building was built in c.1915-1921 and owned by a wealthy Shanghai merchant family by the name of To (杜).

Nam Koo Terrace continued to remain under the ownership of the To family until 1988, when the property was sold to YUBA Co. Ltd.

Hopewell Holdings took over ownership of the building in 1993, which was initially acquired to be demolished in order to make way for their Mega Tower hotel project (Hopewell Centre II). However, the site has stood vacant since then; despite the fact that the company's development proposal gained Government approval in 1994. While Hopewell Holdings remains the current proprietor of Nam Koo Terrace; recent public announcements indicate that their intentions have now shifted to the preservation, rather than the demolition, of this historical site.

For architecture, it is a site of significant cultural and architectural heritage stemming from Hong Kong's Colonial Era. The building was designed as a European-style house in the 1910s when large private lots on the hillside below Kennedy Road were sold for real estate development.

Beside, it is also a two-storey mansion, incorporating strong elements of both Eastern and Western architectural styles. As one of the more prominent villas in the Wan Chai District, Nam Koo Terrace covers over two hundred square meters of land. It is also referred to as the "red house" because the majority of the building's external wall is constructed from red bricks. Today, the building exists in a ruined state due to the effects of corrosion suffered during the Japanese invasion and ineffective preservation.

As well as embracing the Colonial Eclectic style, Nam Koo Terrace also adopts Classical Revival and Italian Renaissance architectural features combined with traditional Chinese decorations and motifs. The red bricked outer wall of the building is considered to be one of the major features of its architectural construction. Besides the red brickwork; rusticated quoins, moulded cornices, and voussoired arches over the windows add to the uniqueness of the structure's architecture.

Since Nam Koo Terrace has unoccupied for a long time as there are  many haunted rumors. In 2003, there are eight peoples of youth went to abandoned ship Street South to go on an adventure, allegedly, one of the girls was running around and barking, and change the male voice with mighty, should be sent four officers to subdue her finally.

"Nam Koo Terrace" has become a famous place to shooting for horrorible film nowaday, TV series "Finale in Blood (大鬧廣昌隆)" is one of them. Are you feel interested?

Source:
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%8D%97%E5%9B%BA%E8%87%BA
http://www.arch.cuhk.edu.hk/server2/resch/livearch/projects-wanchai_roadshow.html
http://www.arch.cuhk.edu.hk/server2/resch/livearch/projects-wanchai_roadshow.html

KW@Hong Kong Heritage - HAW PAR虎豹別墅

Haw Par Mansion 虎豹別墅

ABOUT HAW PAR MANSION

Address:                   No.15A Tai Hang Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Site Area:                 About 2,030m²

Gross Floor Area:       About 1850m²

No. of Storeys:          4

Year of construction: 1933-1935

Land use zoning:        "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Residential Development with    

                                Historical Site Preserved In-situ" on Approved Causeway Bay 

                                Outline Zoning Plan No. S/H6/14

History

The Haw Par Mansion together with its private garden was built by Aw Boon Haw, who was known as "The King of Tiger Balm". The Mansion was the Aw's family mansion and was restricted to private use, while the Tiger Balm Garden constructed adjoining the mansion was used to be open to the public for enjoyment.

The Tiger Balm Garden has been demolished. The Mansion together with its private garden has been preserved and passed to Government since 2001.

SOURCES:http://www.hkdatabase.com/component/option,com_openwiki/Itemid,2/id,虎豹別墅/

http://www.hkdatabase.com/component/option,com_openwiki/Itemid,2/id,%E8%99%8E%E8%B1%B9%E5%88%A5%E5%A2%85/do,export_xhtml/

http://b.tvb.com/hongkongtopic/2010/10/18/%E6%B4%BB%E5%8C%96%E8%99%8E%E8%B1%B9%E5%88%A5%E5%A2%85/

C@The Hong Kong Observatory

What I want to introduce today is Hong Kong Observatory .Hong Kong Observatory known as the Royal Observatory Hong Kong  before 1997, is a department of the Hong Kong Government. The Observatory forecasts weather and issues warnings on weather-related hazards.



The Observatory was established in 1883 by the 9th Governor of Hong Kong George Bowen. Early operations included meteorological and magnetic observations.The Hong Kong Observatory was built in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Peninsula in 1883. Observatory Road in Tsim Sha Tsui is so named based on this landmark. The Observatory is now surrounded by skyscrapers as a result of rapid urbanisation. However, it remains unrelocated.

 1883 Building
This building, built in 1883, is a rectangular two-storey plastered brick structure; it is characterised by arched windows and long verandas. It now houses the office of the directorate and to serve as a centre of administration of the Observatory.

The Friends of the Observatory, an interest group set up in 1996 to help the Observatory to promote Hong Kong Observatory and its services to the public, provide science extension activities in relation to the works of the Observatory and foster communication between the Observatory and the public, now has more than 7,000 individual and family members in total.
Voluntary docents from this interest group lead a "HKO Guided Tour" to let the public who applied for visit in advance to visit the headquarter of the Observatory, and learn about the history, environment and meteorological science applied by the Observatory.


Address: 134A Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

 Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Observatory
www.weather.gov.hk/contente.htm
www.heritage.gov.hk/en/index.htm

ERI@CHEUNG SHAN MONASTERY IN FANLING

Cheung Shan Monastery is located at Miu Keng in Ping Che, it was formerly called Cheung Sang Nunnery, and was probably first constructed in 1789 as a joint effort of six villages in Ta Kwu Ling area, namely Loi Tung, Man Uk Pin, and the alliance of Ping Yuen Hap Heung which consisted of Ping Yeung, Nga Yui Ha, Wo Keng Shan and Ping Che. The Buddha, Kwun Yum and Tei Chong Wong (a Bodhisattva) were all worshipped in the temple.

The existing two - hall structure was believed to have been fully rebuilt in the 7th year of Tongzhi reign (1868), as recorded in a wooden plaque inside the temple. The temple was declared a monument in 1998.

There are some basic information about the monastery below:
______________________________________________________________________

Building Type	Temple
_______________________________________________________________________
Name	Cheung Shan Nunnery
_______________________________________________________________________
Address	Wo Ken Shan Road Ping Che   North District , East New Territories
_______________________________________________________________________
Family/Clan
Entrance Type	Recessed Entrance
_______________________________________________________________________
Building Type of Entrance	Main Hall
_______________________________________________________________________
Building Size	Width: 13795(mm) Depth: 14400(mm) No of bays: 3
_______________________________________________________________________
Main Axis	No. of Halls : 2 No. of Courtyards : 1 Courtyard : 1. With Side Buildings, Left Chambers,  Right Chambers
_______________________________________________________________________
Government Map Reference Info	Scale:   1:1000 3 - NW - 24 - B Scale:   1:5000 3 - NW - D
_______________________________________________________________________
Year of Construction	1789 (Exact) Qing dynasty 54th year of Qianlong reign (Exact)
_______________________________________________________________________
Present Use	temple

______________________________________________________________________

Since Miu Keng was a halfway point of the route to Shenzhen via Sha Tau Kok in the past, the temple was once a resting place to provide services, including free tea to wayfarers.

This monastery is "old" that there are many antiques with over a hundred year history, even the banyan outside the monastery is also a hundred ancient tree.

You can also visit http://vhe.lcsd.gov.hk/vhe/FEPDA?pageAction=VT&langNo=2&bsid=6 to have a virtual tour of Cheung Shan Monastery.


REOURCES:
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Monument/en/monuments_66.php
http://www.bighongkong.com/bhkphoto/cheungshanmonaster/

http://vhe.lcsd.gov.hk/vhe/FEPDA?pageAction=VT&langNo=2&bsid=6
http://hktais.lcsd.gov.hk/hktais/VBldGeneralInfo1Action.do?pageName=build_pda&method=view&complexCode=pch1m2&localename=US&bldName=pch1m2

K@Fung Ying Seen Koon in Fanling

The other tourist attraction and also Hong Kong heritage in New Territories is Fung Ying Seen Koon (FYSK) in Fanling.

FYSK is a place of Taoism established in 1929. It closes to Fanling MTR Station. The design of the building is traditional Chinese feeling. The equipment they used was simple and crude. The main color scheme is brown, orange and red. It is easily to catch the eyes.

The beautiful scene in FYSK is very suitable for photography. It is also a quite and relax place for visitors to walk around.

Besides sightseeing in the Temple, to try its vegetarian food is also a good activity in FYSK. Its vegetarian food is very popular for local Hong Kong people and also tourists. No extra oil has been added into the food. The service is good and staffs are so nice. It is a good place for people to relax and have a vegetarian lunch.

Because it is very close to Fanling MTR station, the transportation is very convenience and tourists can easily go to the next attraction immediately. It is recommended for your next try.

Sources:

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/attractions/nt-fungyingseenkoon.html

http://www.fysk.org/view.php

HL@ Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

Have you guys seen the TV programme last night?

The TV programme had introduced the 'Hong Kong Museums of Medical Sciences' (HKMMS) which was located in a renovated 3-storey Edwardian style building, at 2 Caine Lane at the Mid-levels, Hong Kong Island.

 This buidling was established in 1906 and called "Bacteriological Institute" previously. Later, it was called "Pathological Institute" after The World War II.

The Museum occupies 10,000 square feet, comprising 11 Exhibition Galleries, 1 Gallery for Tai Ping Shan View, 1 Library and 1 Lecture Room, each presents in a variety of ways to arouse interests and to help members of the community know more about health and diseases, including past conquests, current developments and future challenge of special relevance to Hong Kong. It also explores the interface between Chinese and Western medicine and encourage research in this area. It intends to serve both as an educational venue and to restore and conserve medical objects of historical value. As such, it is the first of its kind amongst medical museums in the world!

About their objectives, they want to exhibit and educate the public about Hong Kong's medical history as well as to preserve historical medical materials relating to the local development of medicine. Occasionally, special activities are held by the museum to inform the public about medical information and news. Publications and leaflets are also distributed to the public occasionally so as to help arouse the interest of the public in the medical history of Hong Kong and increase their knowledge and understanding of health and diseases. This museum is special and meaningful since it is the first of its kind among all the medical museums in the world.

This is the Herbalist Shop of HKMMS which included Chinese herbal medicines and the

traditional Chinese medical practitioner's equipment.

The design of this room is in accordance with the traditional style and concept of a Chinese herbalist shop. We can recognize many herbs from the Chinese herb shop and some them we might have actually taken before.

  

How to get there?

The museum closes on Mondays but is open to the public from 10:00a.m to 5:00p.m from Tuesday to Saturday. On Sundays and public holidays, it starts at 1:00p.m. and closes at 5:00p.m. The admission fee is HK$10.00 for adults and $5 for the disabled people, full-time students and the elderly aged 60 or above. 

  

Click it to see the MAP!

By "Central - Mid-Levels Escalators"

Use the "Central - Mid-Levels Escalators" (after 10:30am) from Central to Caine Road, and walk westwards for around 10 minutes till you reach Ladder Street. Descend Ladder Street and turn left after the first flight of steps into Caine Lane. The Museum is down Caine Lane, on your right. [Dynamic Route (Central Market - Museum)]

The video will let you know more about Hong Kong Museums of Medical Sciences.
Check it out!

Source: 

http://www.hkmms.org.hk/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Museum_of_Medical_Sciences

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/tc/attractions/museum-medical-sciences.html