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Hong Kongˇ¦s traditional clothing such as changshan maqua and qipao, the old Tsim Sha Tsui train station, the original Central Market, Zhongshan University in Guangzhou, the memorable rickshaws, the original Tingzai Porridge served at Liwan Lake, Shenzhen Railway Station and Airport, the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station, Macauˇ¦s garment factories, traditional teahouses, pedicabs ˇKˇK
A series of photos on living and city life in Guangdong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau will be on display to showcase the development and changes of daily life in the Greater Pearl River Delta (GPRD) region over the past century.
Jointly presented by the Sun Yat-sen Library of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Library, Hong Kong Public Libraries and Macao Central Library, the ˇ§Memories of the Past: Joint Exhibition of Old Photosˇ¨ will be held from tomorrow (December 9) to December 16 at the Exhibition Gallery of the Hong Kong Central Library.
Speaking at the opening ceremony today (December 8), the Assistant Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Lee Yuk-man, said that due to the geographical proximity, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen had a lot in common in culture customs and folkloric traditions and that the first meeting on Cultural Co-operation in 2002 laid down the foundation to enhance the cultural collaboration and development in the GPRD region.
Mr Lee said the joint exhibition, which showcased the daily life, humanities, folkloric traditions, social changes and the city life in the GPRD region in the past century, also witnessed the co-operation of three cities in cultural activities.
Themed ˇ§Memories of the Pastˇ¨, the exhibition features clothing, food, accommodation, transportation as well as city development to review the history of the three cities and the life of people in Guangdong, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau over the last century. It also enhances peopleˇ¦s knowledge on culture and heritage in the GPRD region.
Guangzhou has changed rapidly over the period of time. The Sun Yat-sen Library of Guangdong Province selected a series of photos to show the development of the city in the last century focusing on the physical scenes of the city, economic development, education, social life and customs.
Photo highlights include the Pearl River in the 1950s, the water works and power stations, the bank in the Qing Dynasty (1886), schools and studentsˇ¦ activities, kindergartens in the 1920s, the mobile libraries, rickshaws and buses in 1920s, ladiesˇ¦ fashion in Qing Dynasty, postal service, street scenes, cinemas, ˇ§Flower Shipˇ¨ Cabin, old Xiguan grand house, old people, food and beverages in Guangzhou.
A new city established with special mission, Shenzhen was one of the first Special Economic Zones. The Shenzhen Library reveals its history and life with a selection of photos focusing on the last 30 years of Chinaˇ¦s Reform and Opening-up. From the old and new photos, visitors can recall its formation and gradual construction.
Highlights include the scenery of Shenzhen in the past, the traditional Hakka folk dwelling, the Shenzhen Railway Station, the Peopleˇ¦s Hospital, the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station, the stock market and traditional festivals.
Located at the southern tip of the Guangdong Province, the customs and habits of Hong Kong people are basically inherited from the Guangdong culture. Since the British settlement in the mid-19th Century, the local Chinese way of living and lifestyle have become more Westernised as influenced by foreign settlers. The Hong Kong Public Libraries has selected a number of old photos covering the themes of living for display to bring back the nostalgic memories of the old days, as a witness to the development and changes of daily lives of local people, and highlight the unique culture of East meeting West and heritage of Hong Kong over the past 100 years.
Photos on display include the old streets of Hong Kong, traditional costumes, old teahouses and restaurants, old and new markets, the first public housing estate, the first large-scale integrated private housing estate, the memorable Star Ferry, the old train station in Tsim Sha Tsui and the Kai Tak Airport in Kowloon City.
On the west shore of the Pearl River and abutting Guangdong Province is Macau. For hundreds of years, Macau has served as a meeting point for Chinese and Portuguese cultures. In the course of cultural interaction, it has acquired a rich historical and cultural legacy.
The Macao Central Library has selected numerous photos on clothing, food, accommodation and transportation for display. Among them are special photos on Macauˇ¦s industry like garment making, oil extraction and oyster sauce production. It also features photos of tailor shops, pedicabs and buses.
The exhibition will be held at other public libraries in Hong Kong as a roving exhibition after its display at the Hong Kong Central Library. It is also held concurrently at the Shenzhen Library from December 2-31, the Macao Central Library from December 9 to January 8, 2009, and the Sun Yat-sen Library of Guangdong Province from December 23 to January 23, 2009.
Ends/Monday, December 8, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:49
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