All Events
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- Events at Hong Kong Central Library
- Hong Kong Library Festival
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Talks / Workshops
- Subject Talk Series on History and Culture of Hong Kong
- Lecture Series on Chinese Classics and Their Contemporary Resonances
- Philosophy Talk
- Subject Talks on Cosmopolitan Hong Kong
- Subject Talk Series on Life & Death Education
- “Charity and Society” Subject Talks
- Other Talks / Workshops
- “Overcoming Hardships – Charitable Organisations and Hong Kong Social Development” Subject Talks
- “Keeping up with the Times: Mapping the Development of Hong Kong’s Healthcare Services through the Archives” Subject Talks
- “Centred on People: Specialist Healthcare Services and Everyday Life” Subject Talks
- “Integrating Past with Present: The Journey of Tung Wah’s Intangible Heritage through Time” Subject Talks
- IT Activities
- Storytelling for Children
- Exhibitions
- Hot Topics
Subject Talk Series on Hong Kong Memory (2021/22)
Past Activities
About Lighthouses of Hong Kong
Date & Time: | Available for viewing from 18 March 2022 7:00 p.m. |
Description: | In the mid-1850s, construction of lighthouses in Hong Kong adjacent waters was first proposed to guide vessels to their destination ports or to serve as a warning signal of shipping hazards, such as rocks and reefs. Initially, all the proposed sites for the lighthouses were located within China’s territorial waters, and the proposals were turned down by Mainland China. As the maritime transport had been busy, and there was keen support from the business sector, the Hong Kong government built Cape D’Aguilar Lighthouse and Green Island Lighthouse in 1875, and Cape Collinson Lighthouse was constructed one year later. Gap Rock Island Lighthouse and Waglan Island Lighthouse, the latter of which was built by the Imperial Maritime Customs, were completed in 1892 and 1893 respectively to facilitate vessels’ entry to Hong Kong from the south and the northeast. In 1905, the new Green Island Lighthouse was constructed to accommodate the light apparatus of Cape D’Aguilar Lighthouse. In 1912, Tang Lung Chau Lighthouse was put into service. A team under the Department of Real Estate and Construction of The University of Hong Kong has studied the lighthouses in Hong Kong over the past few years. This talk covers the following: • the origin, design, construction and maintenance of lighthouses; • the roles of lighthouses in the past and present; • past and present environmental circumstances; • the work and life of lighthouse keepers as well as cultural heritage; and • future feasible uses of lighthouses. |
Stories of Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage
Date: | 2021/11/27 (Saturday) |
Time: | 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
Venue: | City Hall Public Library (Extension Activities Room) |
Description: | Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) originates from everyday life and is transmitted from generation to generation. ICH items include various social practices, representations, knowledge, skills as well as the objects, instruments and other things associated therewith. ICH elements can also be identified in clothing, food, accommodation and travel. As ICH has a dynamic and living nature, its substance and form evolve in response to environmental changes over time, so as to provide members of a community with a sense of identity and continuity. This talk gives a brief account of the significance of ICH transmission, and shares with participants the work of promoting and safeguarding ICH in Hong Kong as well as its development. |
The Interesting “Herbal Tea” Culture of Hong Kong
Date: | 2021/10/23 (Saturday) |
Time: | 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
Venue: | Kowloon Public Library (Extension Activities Room) |
Description: | The term “ herbal tea” (“leung cha”), literally meaning “cooling tea”, can be found in ancient documents, and cases of drinking herbal tea mentioned therein bear a strong resemblance to the drinking of herbal tea today. Why is it that herbal tea, which is closely related to Chinese medicine, is referred to as “tea” instead of “medicine”? We can tell the similarities and differences between the two in their names and purposes. Situated in the south, Hong Kong is under the influence of the herbal tea culture of the South China region. From the traditional brands of herbal tea in Guangzhou to the herbal tea culture of post-war Hong Kong, there were stories of joys and sorrows in the history of herbal tea for us to savour. Herbal tea has been depicted in a lot of literary works and films of Hong Kong, which provide precious information on the herbal tea culture of Hong Kong. |
The Hakka Unicorn Dance in Hang Hau in Sai Kung
Date: | 2021/9/25 (Saturday) |
Time: | 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
Venue: | Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre, G/F) |
Description: | As the Hakka people believe that the Chinese unicorn, the qilin, is an auspicious animal that can ward off evil and bring good luck, unicorn dance is a key element in festive celebrations and religious ceremonies. Unicorn dance is performed by two dancers against percussion music, and etiquette is the essence of dancers’ postures and movements. Some unicorn dance teams have their own sequence of movements and music features. Comprised of villagers, unicorn dance teams serve the rural communities and perform the function of promoting social cohesion. In this talk, participants will learn about the traditions of Hakka unicorn dance in Hang Hau, Sai Kung. |