Mr. SHUM Chi Ming was invited by the MACPH to deliver a lecture entitled “Tun Fu Ritual and Fung Shui Objection in the New Territories: Study of a Fung Shui Court Case of an Indigenous Inhabitant versus the Government” on 11 January 2025. Drawing on his experience as a former Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, the speaker explored how Fung Shui influenced the government’s development of rural area in the New Territories and the evolution of the Tun Fu ritual.
Using the judicial case of the Tai Lam Chung Radar Station as an example, the speaker pointed out that villagers resorted to concerns of Fung Shui as the rationale against government land development project. The controversies primarily revolved around whether the Fung Shui beliefs are covered by Article 40 of the Basic Law as part of the traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants of the “New Territories”. The speaker subsequently cited and studied extensive archival materials, indicating that the Hong Kong government does not regard Fung Shui beliefs as being covered by the Basic Law as part of the lawful traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants of the “New Territories”. Rather, the government considers subsidies on the Tun Fu ritual merely as “ex-gratia allowances.”
Additionally, the speaker also introduced forms and concepts of Tun Fu rituals, including the concepts of “Chi Fu” and “Nuan Fu.” This lecture not only provided background on the controversies surrounding land development and Fung Shui beliefs in the New Territories but also highlighted the challenges faced by the government in addressing the lawful traditional rights and interests of New Territories residents.
Date: | 15 February 2025 (Saturday) |
Time: | 2:30pm-4:00 pm |
Venue: | LT4, Yasumoto International Academic Park, CUHK (YIA LT4) |
Topic: | A Hundred Years of Fung Cheong Shun Co. and the History of School Uniforms in Hong Kong |
Speaker: | Mr. FONG Tin Chuen (10/GS/MACPH) |
Date: | 1 March 2025 (Saturday) |
Time: | 2:30pm-4:00 pm |
Venue: | LT4, Yasumoto International Academic Park, CUHK (YIA LT4) |
Topic: | The History of Mong Kok |
Speaker: | Mr. YUNG Wing Sum (11/GS/MACPH) |
All lectures will be conducted in Cantonese.
Organizers: Department of History; M.A. Programme in Comparative and Public History; The Alumni Association of Master of Arts in Comparative and Public History
Enquiry: 3943 8659
For teachers and students who have information to share with the Department, please email your articles in both Chinese and English to chanfiona@cuhk.edu.hk by 4:00pm every Monday.