Antiquities Advisory Board and Antiquities and Monuments Office

The LCSD's Antiquities and Monuments Office continued to preserve Hong Kong's heritage and promote public awareness of it through exhibitions, guided tours, publications and community involvement projects.

    The Antiquities Advisory Board has 21 appointed members. It advises the Government on sites and structures that merit protection by being declared monuments and any other matters related to antiquities and monuments.

    On November 15, two more temples were declared monuments: the Tin Hau Temple in Lung Yeuk Tau, Fanling, and the Hung Shing Temple on Kau Sai Chau, Sai Kung. The Tin Hau Temple is a traditional two-hall building; the Hung Shing Temple is a two hall, three-bay structure built before 1889.

    During the year, the office undertook restoration and repair work at various historical buildings, including the Hau Mei Fung Ancestral Hall in Sheung Shui, the Yeung Hau Temple in Ping Shan, the Pak Mong Watch Tower and its Gate House on Lantau Island and the Man Mo Temple in Tai Po.

    The office continued to contribute to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) made for development projects, and conducted field investigations and studies as part of the Heritage Impact Assessment. For example, terrestrial and marine archaeological investigations were conducted for the Shenzhen Western Corridor EIA studies to offer data on the project area's heritage, and the findings serve as a basis for planning mitigation measures with the government departments concerned.

    To save the archaeological heritage from destruction by impending road construction, a rescue excavation was launched in Sha Ha in Sai Kung between October 2001 and September 2002 by a joint team from the archaeological institutes of Shaanxi, Hebei, Henan, Guangzhou in Guangdong and the AMO. Important discoveries — including artefacts and archaeological features of the Neolithic Period, Bronze Age, Tang–Song and Ming–Qing dynasties — were made.

    Rescue excavations were also carried out in Wan Tuk and Mong Tung Hang in the Hong Kong Disneyland project area at Penny's Bay, Lantau Island, in order to facilitate implementation of the approved EIA report and relevant conditions in the Environmental Permit. Archaeological investigations and rescue excavations were arranged before work began on village house developments in areas such as Tuen Mun, Sai Kung, Lamma Island and Cheung Chau. An exhibition entitled Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Tuen Mun was staged at the Exhibition Gallery, Tuen Mun Town Hall, from January to April. A thematic workshop, Discover the Past, was held at the same time. The Hong Kong Heritage Awards (2001) was completed successfully, and the award presentation ceremony was held in August. A travelling exhibition on the Heritage Awards was organised at various town halls and libraries from September to December.

Lord Wilson Heritage Trust

The Lord Wilson Heritage Trust was established in 1992, following the enactment of an ordinance bearing the same name. It aims to promote the preservation and conservation of Hong Kong's heritage.

    During the year, apart from sponsoring $0.52 million for three heritage-related activities and research projects, the trust granted $483,558 to the Summer Youth Programme Committee for organising heritage-related activities in the 18 districts. Participation in these activities helps young people to develop an interest in preserving Hong Kong's heritage.