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Historical documents show that commenced in the Northern Song Dynasty, Han Chinese migrated south from the Central Plains to what is now the New Territories of Hong Kong. These early settlers pioneered the region’s development and brought along lots of traditional rural customs from their original places of abode into Hong Kong, the details of which are still preserved in local archives today.

Since opening in 2001, the Hong Kong Central Library has focused on organising and preserving local historical documents through its Hong Kong Village Life Collection. The collection covers ancient books and documents in literature, philology, medicine, correspondence, feng shui and fortune-telling. A major highlight is the Yung Sze-chiu Collection, which is particularly comprehensive and provides essential primary sources for studying the economic, social, and cultural fabric of early rural life of Hong Kong.

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Central Library in 2026, we are hosting a special lecture to showcase rare items from the Yung Sze-chiu Collection. We are honored to welcome Dr. Patrick H. HASE, a renowned local historian and author of Villages and Market Towns in Hong Kong. Dr. HASE will use these unique collections to share stories from the past, guiding the audience on a journey to explore the traditional rural life of early Hong Kong.