Emblem of Hong Kong

The Emblem of Hong Kong, or the Regional Emblem of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is the emblem which represents Hong Kong. It came into use on 1 July 1997, after from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China.

The emblem features the same design elements as the regional Flag of Hong Kong in a circular setting. The outer white ring is shown with the caption of the official name of the territory in Traditional Chinese and the English short form, "Hong Kong".

Colonial Coat of Arms

The arms had been in use in colonial Hong Kong since it was granted on 21 January, 1959 and later adopted on the in July of that year. The use of the arms ended in 1997 where it was replaced by the regional emblem. The Coat of Arms feature a shield with two sections: the bears two traditional Chinese junks facing each other. Inside the or is a gold-coloured naval crown. The 'embattled' design separates the chief from the rest of the shield. The features a lion holding a pearl. The shield is held up by two supporters, a lion and a Chinese dragon. The shield and supporters stand on the compartment, which consists of a heraldic island bearing the motto "HONG KONG".

The two junks symbolise the importance of trade within the colony. The naval crown symbolises Hong Kong's links with the and the Merchant Navy, and the battlements commemorate the Battle of Hong Kong during World War II. The pearl held by the lion wearing the imperial crown in the crest personifies the romanticised phrase "Pearl of the Orient" referring to Hong Kong. The lion and dragon supporters show the British and Chinese aspects of Hong Kong. The island symbolises the beginning of the colony as an island and represents the maritime and hilly geography of Hong Kong. Some Hong Kong nationalists consider the design as an insult: the pearl originally in the left forelimb of the dragon is now given to the lion .

The crest alone had featured on the of Hong Kong coinage before the introduction of the Bauhinia design in preparation for the in 1997.

Colonial Badge

The colonial seal badge was in use since 1843 in one version or another until it was replaced by the coat of arms granted in 1959. Throughout several revisions, the idea of the remained. It depicted three Chinese merchants and a pile of cargo on a wharf on the left in the foreground. In the background there was a square-rigged ship and a Chinese junk in the harbour backed by conical hills.

External references

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Diu (Cantonese)

Diu is a common profanity in Cantonese. It can be regarded as the Cantonese equivalent of the English fuck. In , it is equivalent to the English "dick". The character, in , is also used by young people in Taiwan to mean "cool" .

In classic Chinese

''Diu'' is a word in the Chinese language. It appears frequently in the text of the classic novel ''Water Margin'', and is written as . It is used as an emphatic adjective with a function similar to the English "fucking", "bloody" or "god damned". For example,

''Water Margin'', Chp. 29

''Diu'' means primarily the penis. It is written as 屌 when used in this sense, but usually as 鳥 when used as an emphatic adjective. For example,

''Romance of the West Chamber'' , Act 5, Scene 3

has its female equivalent in the traditional Chinese written language. In the , the word, meaning penis, is sometimes written as . For example,

''Jiu Fengchen'' , Act 1

In Hong Kong and Macau

The written form is mainly seen in Hong Kong, for example, on graffiti. In Cantonese, it is used as a transitive verb meaning to copulate. In a manner similar to the word fuck, it is also used to express dismay, disgrace, disapproval and so on. For example, someone may shout "diu nei!" at somebody when he or she finds that other person annoying.

"Diu nei loe moe!" or "Diu nei loe mei" , a euphemism, is a highly offensive profanity in Cantonese when directed against a specific person instead of used as a general exclamation. In Cantonese, the meaning "''I'' fuck your mother" is implied, as opposed to English, in which the phrase "motherfucker" is an imperative.

The form is absent in the Big-5 character set on computers. The Government of Hong Kong has extended Unicode and the Big-5 character set with the Hong Kong Supplementary Character Set , which includes Chinese characters only used in Cantonese, including the Five Great Profanities. The government explained that the reason for these characters being included is to allow for the Hong Kong Police to record criminal suspects' statements. Consequently, these characters are now also in Unicode.

In English, "damn" gives birth to its euphemism "darn"; similarly in Cantonese, especially Hong Kong Cantonese, ''diu'' has ''yiu'' and ''Tiu'' "siu" as its euphemisms.

Ding Hai Effect

The Ding Hai Effect , Adam Cheng Effect, Chiu Koon Effect , or Qiuguan Effect is a peculiar stock phenomenon that affects Hong Kong stock markets.

Phenomenon

It is observed that whenever the Hong Kong actor Adam Cheng stars in a new television show, there is a sudden and unexplained drop in the market. This is still a popular topic amongst stock brokers, years after the drama series ''Greed of Man'' was broadcasted in Hong Kong in October 1992. The effect is named after Ding Hai, the main character of the show, played by Adam Cheng.

History

In the 1990s, TVB aired the classic drama ''The Greed of Man'', which featured some of the most popular actors and actresses of the time. The drama centred heavily around the stock market, and the schemes and plots of those who struck it rich in the market.

Cheng, who played Ding Hai in the drama, made an immense fortune with his four sons by selling short derivatives and stocks during a bear market. Many people went broke, but the Ding family became richer and richer until an eventual defeat by the family's nemesis.

Occurrences

Initially, the Ding Hai Effect occurred whenever the TVB drama series ''Greed of Man'' or its remake, ''Divine Retribution'' , made by Asia Television Ltd was broadcast. Later, it was also observed that the effect occurs whenever a new drama show that Cheng stars in was aired.

1990s

* October 1992: The drama series ''Greed of Man'' made its debut on TVB. During the time it was broadcast, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index dropped 598 points in 4 days, causing billions in stock losses.

* November 1994: ''Instinct'' made its debut on TVB. The Heng Sang Index fell more than 2,000 points.

* September 1996: ''Once Upon a Time in Shanghai'' premiered on TVB. The Hang Seng Index fell 300 points.

* June 1997: ''Cold Blood Warm Heart'' made its debut on TVB. The Hang Seng Index accumulated 735 points in losses.

* December 1997: ''Legend of Yung Ching'' premiered. At this time, the Asian Financial Crisis began, and the Heng Seng Index fell 5,324 points, ending below the 10,000 mark.

* June 1999, ''Lord of Imprisonment'' premiered, causing the Heng Seng Index to decline 1,176 points

2000s

* September 2000: A loose re-make of ''The Greed of Man'', ''Divine Retribution'' , aired on . Due to the Tech stock bubble at the time, the Hang Seng Index fell an accumulated 1,715 points, with other stock markets around the world falling as a result also.

*Summer 2003: ''Greed of Man'' re-aired on TVB's US satellite channel, TVB-USA. Corporate Corruption scandals stemming from financial troubles at Enron caused much stock market instability in the US and other global markets.

*October 2003: ''The Driving Power'' made its debut. At first, it appeared the spell was broken, with the Heng Seng Index rising more than 100 points on the day of the premiere. However, the market soon fell, eventually falling 51 points.

* March 2004: ''Blade Heart'' premiered in Hong Kong, causing the Hang Seng Index to fall 550 points over 3 days due to high oil prices and instabilities in the Middle East.

* October 2004: ''The Conqueror's Story'' premiered in Hong Kong, causing a 198-point drop in the Heng Seng Index on the day of the premiere

* March 2005: ''The Prince's Shadow'' premiered, and local uncertainties surrounding the resignation of Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa caused wild fluctuations in the market.

* April 2006: ''Bar Bender'' premiered in Hong Kong, causing wild drops in US and Hong Kong stock markets. {[fact

* July 2006: ''The Prince's Shadow'' aired on TVB-USA, and markets fell dramatically due to the .

* February-March 2007: ''The Prince's Shadow'' was rebroadcast in Hong Kong, and a Chinese stock market crisis caused Hong Kong and global markets to drop significantly.

* May 2007: Investigative programme ''Mystery'' premiered, with Cheng as the host. The Heng Seng Index fell 700 points.

* July 2007: ''Return Home'' premiered in Hong Kong, and the caused the market to fall 1,165 points in Hong Kong; US and Canadian stock markets also dropped significantly in July and August.

* August 2007: ''Bar Benders'' premiered on TVB-USA, and the caused extreme drops in global markets. The market is still in a volatile state when the series finale aired on 10 September 2007. It is interesting to note that ''The Greed of Man'' was rerun at roughly the same time on TVB-USA.

* October-November 2007: ''The Conqueror's Story'' premiered in Singapore, global markets dropped significantly for weeks.

Exception

The only time that the Ding Hai Effect did not occur was in late 2006, when a cultural and educational programme about the Forbidden City hosted by Cheng was aired in the US and did not cause a stock market crisis.

Conclusion

The Ding Hai Effect has led to Adam Cheng attracting much press attention. Now, whenever a new show starring Adam Cheng is about to be broadcast, some stockbrokers and investors in Hong Kong become wary, even anticipating a drop in the market.

While some investors have argued that the effect is no more than a series of coincidences and amounts to nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy, the show's peculiar effect on the stock market is regarded by some as more than coincidence. It was also confirmed that Crédit Lyonnais wrote a report on this matter.

This strange phenomenon also created a career trough for Adam Cheng in Hong Kong during the 1990s, for the two over-the-air television stations in Hong Kong avoided using Cheng for its dramas, partly because they did not want to bear responsibility for a stock market crash.

Culture of Hong Kong

The culture of Hong Kong can best be described as a foundation that began with China, and then leaned West for much of the 20th century under constructive . Despite the 1997 with the , Hong Kong continues to hold an identity of its own.

People in the culture

Most Hong Kong ethnic Chinese people naturally lean toward eastern culture, because demographically they are the majority. Many, though, have adopted western ways with substantial numbers still adhering to Chinese traditions. On various social aspects, the bottom-line Chinese values of ''"family solidarity"'', ''"courtesy"'' and ''""'' carry significant weight in the culture. Heavy influence is derived from culture from the neighbouring province of Guangdong. There are also substantial communities of Hakka, , and Shanghainese people. On the contrary, people have long been referred to by their origin in China.. Overall the background of Hong Kong Chinese born after 1965 can be classified as westernized, since they have been influenced by western cultural symbols

Sports

With limited land resource available, Hong Kong continues to offer recreational and competitive sports. Locally sports in Hong Kong is described as "Club Life". Internationally, Hong Kong have participated in Olympic Games, and numerous other Asian Games events. Major multipurpose venues like Hong Kong Coliseum are found. Others include regular citizen facilities like .

Martial Art

Martial arts in Hong Kong is accepted as a form of entertainment or exercise. is one of the most popular, especially among the elderly. There are groups of people practicing the motion in every park at dawn. Many forms of martial arts were also passed down from different generations of Chinese ancestry. Styles like , and are some of the more recognized. The atmosphere is also distinct as people practice outdoor in next to ultra modern .

Leisure

When not at work, Hongkongers devote much time to leisure. Mahjong is a popular social activity, and family and friends may play for hours at festivals and on public holidays in homes and mahjong parlours. The image of elderly men playing Chinese chess in public parks, surrounded by watching crowds, is common. Other board games such as Chinese checkers are also enjoyed by people of all ages. Among teenagers, shopping, eating out, karaoke and video games are common, with Japan being a major source of digital entertainmment for cultural and proximity reasons; there are also popular local inventions such as Little Fighter Online.

In the past, Hong Kong had some of the most up-to-date games available outside of Japan. Negative associations were drawn between and . Nowadays, soaring popularity of home video game consoles have somewhat diminished arcade culture.

Outdoor activities such as hiking, barbecues and watersports are also popular due to the local geography.

Gambling

Gambling is popular in Chinese culture and Hong Kong is no different. Gambling is legal only at three established and licensed institutions approved and supervised by the government of Hong Kong: horse racing , the Mark Six lottery, and recently, football .

Games like mahjong and many types of card games can be played for fun or with money at stake, with many mahjong parlours available. Movies such as the 1980s God of Gamblers have given a rather glamorous image to gambling in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Hong Kong Jockey Club provides a major avenue for horse racing and gambling to locals, mostly the middle-aged. The club was established in 1844 by the , with the first racecourse being built in Happy Valley. The club closed for a few years during World War II due to the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. In 1975, lottery Mark Six was introduced. And in 2002, the club offered wagerings for soccer world championship games including the and the .

Cultural Gallery

Coffin home

Coffin home is a temporary coffin depository. Part of the coffins are of overseas Chinese who wanted to be buried in their home villages in China. The other are of those unaffordable for funeral or unable to find relatives. The coffins are later transferred to their destinations or buried locally.

Cantonese profanity

The five most common vulgar words in Cantonese profanity are '''' , ''gau'' , ''lan'' , ''tsat'' and ''hai'' , where the first literally means ''fuck'', while the rest are sexual organs of either gender. They are sometimes collectively known as the "outstanding five in Cantonese" . These five words are generally offensive and they give rise to a variety of euphemisms. Other curse phrases, such as ''puk gai'' and ''ham gaa caan'' , are also common.

Vulgar words

''Diu''

''Diu'' , literally means ''fuck'', is a common profanity in Cantonese. The word ''diu'' was originally a noun meaning the penis, but it was later used as a verb. Although it is considered to be a vulgar word in Cantonese, it is used by young people in Taiwan to mean "cool" and in this context it is not censored on TV broadcasts and still generally used today.

In a manner similar to the English word ''fuck'', ''diu'' is also used to express dismay, disgrace, and disapproval in Cantonese. For example, someone may shout "''diu nei''!" at somebody when she finds the other person annoying. A common usage is the highly offensive phrase "''Diu lei loh moh''!" that literally means "fuck your mother."

The word ''diu'' is generally considered to be offensive and in its place a variety of euphemisms exist, including ''tsiu'' , ''yiu'' and ''tiu'' .

''Gau''

''Gau'' is a common vulgar word in Cantonese that literally means penis. For instance, the Cantonese phrase '''' that means "makes no sense" was cut to ''mo lei tau'' to avoid the sound ''gau''.

''Lan''

In Cantonese ''lan'' is another vulgar word that means penis. But in recent decades the character is generally considered to be equivalent to the vulgar word . A common usage is the phrase ''lan yeung'' which maybe translated into English as "Dickface".

The word ''hai'' can also mean total failure as in the phrase ''hai saai'' . The Chinese character means "to expose to the sun", but in Cantonese it is also used as a verbal particle to stress the action. To further stress the failure, sometimes the phrase ''hai gau saai'' is used . Since this phrase is highly offensive , a euphemism or ''xiehouyu'', a kind of Chinese "proverb", is sometimes used. As in a normal ''xiehouyu'', it consists of two elements: the former segment presents a scenario while the latter provides the rationale thereof. One would often only state the first part, expecting the listener to know the second. The first part is "a man and a woman having a sunbath " . Since the penis and vagina are both exposed to the sun, the second part is ''hai gau saai'' ── a pun for total failure. Since the phrase does not involve any sexual organs or reference to sex, some argue that it should not be considered as profanity. Nevertheless, "PK" is often used as an euphemism for the phrase. The written form can be seen on graffiti in Hong Kong and other places in Guangdong, China.

''Ham gaa caan''

''Ham gaa caan'' is another common curse phrase in Cantonese that literally means "may your whole family be dead". In the , it is prohibited to "use any threatening, abusive, obscene or offensive language...." However, despite the explicit prohibition of various laws, the exact definition of "obscene language" is not given in the ordinance.

Bauhinia blakeana

Bauhinia blakeana is an evergreen tree, in the genus ''Bauhinia'', with large thick leaves and striking purplish red flowers. The fragrant, orchid-like flowers are usually 10-15 cm across, and bloom from early November to the end of March. This unique flower is special of Hong Kong's ecosystem. It is referred to as bauhinia in non-scientific literature though this is the name of the genus. It is sometimes called Hong Kong orchid tree .

The ''Bauhinia'' double-lobed leaf is similar in shape to a heart, or a butterfly. A typical leaf is 7-10 cm long and 10-13 cm broad, with a deep cleft dividing the apex. Local people call the leaf ''chungmingyip'' , and regard it as a symbol of cleverness. Some people use the leaves to make bookmarks in the hope that it will assist them to study well.

It is usually sterile , suggesting a origin, probably between ''Bauhinia variegata'' and ''Bauhinia purpurea'', though this is still a matter of debate. Propagation is by cuttings and air-layering, and the tree prefers a sheltered sunny position with good soil.

History

It is named after Sir Henry Blake who was the from 1898 to 1903. An enthusiastic botanist, he discovered it in 1880 near the ruins of a house on the shore of Hong Kong Island near Pok Fu Lam. The first scientific description of the Hong Kong orchid tree was published in 1908 by S. T. Dunn, superintendent of the Botanical and Forestry Department, who assigned it to the genus ''Bauhinia'' and named it after Sir Henry Blake.

Usage as an emblem

''Bauhinia blakeana'' was adopted as the of Hong Kong by the Urban Council in 1965. Since 1997 it has become the floral emblem for the City of Hong Kong and appears on and ; its Chinese name has also been frequently shortened as 紫荊 , although 紫荊 refers to another genus called Cercis. A statue of the plant has been erected in Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong.

Although the flowers are bright pinkish purple in colour, they are depicted in white on the Flag of Hong Kong.

The plant of Hong Kong was introduced to Taiwan in 1967. In 1984 it was chosen to be the city flower of , in southwestern Taiwan.

Gallery

Weapons of the Gods (role-playing game)

Weapons of the Gods is a wuxia role-playing game based in an ancient Chinese setting. Created by Brad Elliott and Rebecca Borgstrom, ''Weapons of the Gods'' is published by Eos Press and is a license from the Hong Kong manhua by Wong Yuk Long of the . The first supplement for the game, ''The Weapons of the Gods Companion'', was due out in Winter 2006 but was delayed and ultimately released in December 2007.

Structure

The rulebook is split into five sections, according to the five Chinese elements. The first ‘Wood’ section is the basics of the game and essential rules and character creation; the second ‘Fire’ section details the combat aspects of the game; the third ‘Earth’ section gives the setting , the fourth ‘Metal’ section gives all of the martial arts and secret arts rules, and the fifth ‘Water’ section is the gamesmaster chapter that gives quick campaign generation systems, how to build the magical weapons of the gods, and a brief overview of the characters from the comics.

Setting

''Weapons of the Gods'' is set in an ancient fantasy history version of China where all the martial arts movies are set. ''Weapons of the Gods'' is a cinematic martial arts fantasy role-playing game, where kung fu heroes with fantastic weapon skills do deeds of virtue out of Chinese history and myth. The Weapons of the Gods book has a huge chapter devoted to a thematic and cultural presentation of ancient China as interpreted through a lens of its own myths and folktales, including an extensive section on how the culture works, including concepts such as filial piety and even covering attitudes concerning courtship and sexuality.

System

''Weapons of the Gods'' uses a custom-designed ruleset called the "Wuxia Action System". The player rolls the number of specified dice equal to the character's skill. The player then looks for matching dice. For each match, the player multiplies the number of matches by a specified amount and adds the value of the dice.

The Wuxia Action System is also notable for the concept of the ''River'', a small stock of dice that can be saved from any sets of matches for later use; this models the aspect of wuxia stories in which a badly battered combatant can summon a hidden reserve of strength later in the battle, even when badly wounded.

Yau Ma Tei Police Station

Yau Ma Tei Police Station is a police station in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Its current buildings at the junction of Public Square Street and Canton Road was erected in 1925 after relocation from the junction of Public Square Street and Shanghai Street.

The colonial building is classified as "Grade III Historic Building" . Nevertheless, part of the structure is under threat from the proposed 4 lane Central Kowloon Route. The staff quarters, constructed in the 1960s, is not listed.

In the wake of growing conservationist sentiment following the demolition of the Star Ferry Pier in , lawmakers are threatening to block funding of the project.

Architecture Characteristic

There is a traditional portico on both sides of Canton Road and Public Square Street;it is the highlight of the police station building.

Wanchai Tower

Wanchai Tower , located in 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, is home to the and government offices. Its neighbouring buildings include Immigration Tower, Revenue Tower and Shui On Centre.

Victoria Peak Garden

Victoria Peak Garden is a Chinese style garden, managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It was once an alternate home for the Governor of Hong Kong. The residence, Mountain Lodge, has been demolished, but the park remains as an attraction at the Peak.

It is a vantage point which captures an over 300 m high angle shot of the magnificent view of the Victoria Harbour and an exotic night scene of Hong Kong. The original landscape remains in the garden. Unlike most of the public parks in Hong Kong, dogs and other pet animals are allowed in the garden.

Future development

The Hong Kong government announced on 25 September 2005 that the site will be redeveloped along with the rest of the Peak area.

The ample open space, vast amount of grassy lawn and stream course at the site will be preserved. To bring out the heritage elements, the garden will be enhanced with Victorian style features including gazebos, benches, sun-dials and colourful flowers. Artifacts from the Victorian era, such as stone pillars and carvings, will be displayed to enrich the visitors' experience.

The new pavilion will comprise four pergolas at the corners and Victorian colonnades to link up the pergolas. This will offer ample shade and a resting place for the public. The existing kiosk and toilet will also be reconstructed to boost the garden's Victorian ambience.

The $142.6 million tourist district improvement project, scheduled to finish around the end of 2007, will help create three new tourism nodes - Mount Austin Playground, Gate Lodge and Peak Garden, on the Peak.

This will help relieve over-crowdedness at the commercial core area, lengthen visitors' stay and bring potential benefits to the city's economy, with the projected number of visitors to the prime tourist spot going up from 4.5 million last year to 5 million in 2007.

Tsim Sha Tsui Fire Station

Tsim Sha Tsui Fire Station is a fire station in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The station stands at the Canton Road, adjacent to China Hong Kong City. The front door of the station was stylished with old style fire alarm lights and guarded by a pair of lion statutes. The site was once a Royal Navy torpedo .

Shenzhen Guesthouse Hotel

Shenzhen Guesthouse Hotel is a three star hotel in Shenzhen, China and one of the conference halls housed the Provisional Legislative Council of Hong Kong from January 1996 to June 1997.

The main structure of the hotel is a winged 11 storey tower and located on 15 Xin Yuan Road in the Lu Hu District of Shenzhen.

Old Central Government Offices

The old Central Government Office was home to many of Hong Kong Government's departments from 1847 to 1954. Built in 1847 as the Secretriat Building, it was also home to the territory's from the 1930s to 1954.

The two-storey colonial building was demolished in 1954 to make way for the new Central Government Offices.

Mountain Lodge

Mountain Lodge was once the alternate summer residence of the Governor of Hong Kong since 1900. It was located on Victoria Peak on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The commanding view gave the then-Governor a view of the entire colony.

The lodge was first designed in 1892 by Francis Cooper, the Director of Public Works, but when Sir Henry Arthur Blake became Governor, he did not like the proposal and appointed Palmer & Turner for another design. It was constructed in the style of Scottish lodges. The building was described by the media as the most imposing and handsome architecture on the peak.

This lodge was seldom used and by the 1920s it had become heavily deteriorated.

The building no longer exists as it was demolished in 1946. The Gate Lodge and the granite foundations remain, however.

The whole site was opened as a park to the public. The existing pavilion of the Garden was built upon the masonry platform of the former Mountain Lodge.

Three identical marking stones for the Lodge were rediscovered in 1978; since then, one of them has been placed at the northeast corner of the former lodge grounds. One of the three ''GOVERNORS RESIDENCE'' stones has been erected in a flowerbed close to the , Mid-levels since 1980.

Archaeological find

On 10 January, during the Peak improvement project that starts in January 2007, pieces of wall, roof tiles and several in situ granite steps beneath the ground were found during pre-construction checks. Antiquities officers confirmed it is the location of the former governors' summer residence.

The full archaeological investigation will take about two months by The Antiquities & Monuments Office. Officers will conduct field investigations and test pits, and undertake a detailed recording and in-depth research on the structures discovered in the pits.

The office will submit its findings to the Government and the Antiquities Advisory Board to assess the heritage value of the site and the structures uncovered, as well as appropriate conservation approaches.

List of fire stations in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Command

West Division

*Kennedy Town Fire Station
*Aberdeen Fire Station
*Chung Hom Kok Fire Station
*Ap Lei Chau Fire Station
*Pok Fu Lam Fire Station
*Sandy Bay Fire Station

Central Division

*Sheung Wan Fire Station
*Central Fire Station
*Kong Wan Fire Station
*Victoria Peak Fire Station
*Wan Chai Fire Station
*Kotewall Fire Station

East Division

*North Point Fire Station
*Shau Kei Wan Fire Station
*Chai Wan Fire Station
*Sai Wan Ho Fire Station
*Tung Lo Wan Fire Station
*Braemar Hill Fire Station

Marine and Offshore Islands Division

*Discovery Bay Fire Station
*Tai O Fire Station
*Mui Wo Fire Station
*Cheung Sha Fire Station
*Lamma Fire Station
*Cheung Chau Fire Station
*Peng Chau Fire Station

Kowloon Command

West Division

*Mong Kok Fire Station
*Cheung Sha Wan Fire Station
*Lai Chi Kok Fire Station
*Shek Kip Mei Fire Station

South Division

*Tsim Sha Tsui Fire Station
*Hung Hom Fire Station
*Tsim Tung Fire Station
*Yau Ma Tei Fire Station

East Division

*Kwun Tong Fire Station
*Yau Tong Fire Station
*Kowloon Bay Fire Station
*Lam Tin Fire Station
*Po Lam Fire Station
*Tai Chik Sha Fire Station

Central Division

*Ma Tau Chung Fire Station
*Wong Tai Sin Fire Station
*Ngau Chi Wan Fire Station
*Shun Lee Fire Station

New Territories Command

South West Division

*Tsing Yi Fire Station
*Tsing Yi South Fire Station
*Tung Chung Fire Station
*Chep Lap Kok Fire Station
*Ma Wan Fire Station
*Penny’s Bay Fire Station

South Division

*Kwai Chung Fire Station
*Tseun Wan Fire Station
*Lai King Fire Station
*Lai Muk Shue Fire Station
*Sham Tseng Fire Station
*Tai Lam Chung Fire Station

West Division

*Tuen Mun Fire Station
*Castle Peak Bay Fire Station
*Tin Shui Wai Fire Station
*Pillar Point Fire Station
*Yuen Long Fire Station
*Mai Po Fire Station
*Fu Tei Fire Station
*Lau Fau Shan Fire Station

East Division

*Sha Tin Fire Station
*Siu Lek Yuen Fire Station
*Tin Sum Fire Station
*Ma On Shan Fire Station
*Sai Kung Fire Station

North Division

*Sheung Shui Fire Station
*Fanling Fire Station
*Pat Heung Fire Station
*Tai Po Fire Station
*Tai Po East Fire Station
*Sha Tau Kok Fire Station
*Ta Kwu Ling Fire Station

Legislative Council Building

The Legislative Council Building of Hong Kong, also called the Former Supreme Court Building , was the home of the former until 1985, when it was renamed and became home to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. It is located in Hong Kong, along the eastern side of Statue Square, directly west of Chater Garden.

The Supreme Court of Hong Kong was moved to the after 1985 and remained there until 1997. It is now housed in the High Court Building.

The building was designed by Sir Aston Webb, the British architect responsible for the eastern facade of Buckingham Palace and the Cromwell Road frontage of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

It was built on reclaimed land, and opened on January 15, 1912. The two-storey granite building is in style supported by columns. It is surmounted by a blind-folded statue of Justice, represented by the Greek goddess Themis. This statue is a replica of the one erected on the of London.

In 1978, this building was severely affected by the construction of MTR; therefore, it had to undergo some restoration afterwards.

The Exterior of the Old Supreme Court is one of the 80 declared monuments of Hong Kong.

For a time in the 1980s, the Supreme Court was moved to the Former French Mission Building, which was then used by the .

Previous homes of the Legislative Council

Before 1985, the Legco met at three other locations:

* Former French Mission Building 1843-1846
* Caine Road 1846-?
* Government House, Hong Kong 1855; used ballroom after 1891
* Old Central Government Offices - 1930s until 1954
* Central Government Offices 1957-1985


Prior to the handover in 1997, the Provisional Legislative Council was executing work to setup the post handover legislature. It met in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, China from 1996 to 1997 at the Shenzhen Guesthouse Hotel.

Government House, Hong Kong

The Government House , located on Government Hill in the of Hong Kong Island, is the official residence of the of Hong Kong. The building was constructed in 1855, but was significantly remodelled during , resulting in the current hybrid Japanese- form.

Government House was the official residence of the from 1855 to 1997, which the city was under . 25 Governors of Hong Kong, out of total 28, used this building as official residence.

History

Government House was designed by Charles St George Cleverly. Construction started in 1851, eight years after Hong Kong was declared a British colony, and took four years to complete. The first governor to live there was Sir John Bowring, the 4th governor of the territory. The last one was the last governor, Chris Patten.

In 1891, an annex was added to the house for social functions . During the during World War II , it was occupied by the Japanese Military Governor. The form of the building changed to a hybrid Japanese / NeoClassical image by Seichi Fujimura in 1944, primarily through the addition of a tower and roof elements.

Government House also housed the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1855 to the 1930s. The Council used the Ballroom from 1891 onward.

After the to the People's Republic of China in 1997, the House became a Ceremonial Reception for ceremonies , formal banquets. Tung Chee Hwa, the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong did not reside in Government House.

Donald Tsang, the second and current Chief Executive moved into Government House in January 2006, following extensive renovations. The Standard criticized that the renovation cost was estimated at HK$14.5 million, including a sum of HK$300,000 allocated to a new fish pond designed to accommodate Tsang's collection of koi.

Major features

The main entrance of the House faces south towards Victoria Peak. Down on the northern side is the Central Government Offices, where most Government Secretariat offices are situated.

Government House has a front lawn and a back garden. Eminent among the plants in the garden are the numerous azaleas that come to full bloom in . Inside, the Ballroom, the Drawing Room, the Dining Room and the Conference Room are frequently used for receiving guests at official functions.

Open Days

The Garden of Government House is open six times a year to the public. At least one will be arranged in spring to enable members of the public to share the delight in viewing the full bloom of the azaleas. Visitors are usually allowed to pass by the Drawing Room, Dining Room and Ballroom where key official functions are held.

The Open Days are generally arranged during the weekends. Dates are announced through press releases. No admission fee is charged.

Booking

The Ballroom of Government House is reserved on three Fridays in a month for bookings by charitable, non-profit or public organisations to host events that benefit the community. The nature of the event under application must be well-matched with the identity of Government House as an important historical monument of Hong Kong and with its status as a dignified location for the Hong Kong Government to hold official functions.

Other official residences

In 1900, Mountain Lodge, on Victoria Peak, was built as an alternate summer home for the Governor, a role it retained until 1934. The building survived until 1946, but today only the Gate Lodge and Victoria Peak Garden remain. One of three "GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE" marking stones of the former Mountain Lodge was erected in the small flower bed in front of the entrance of the Government House in 1980.

From 1934, Fanling Lodge, in the New Territories, was used as a summer residence for the Governor. It has retained this role, and is now the alternate residence of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. The lodge is occupied mainly on weekends and holidays.

Urban legend

According to an urban legend, the nearby Bank of China Tower was deliberately designed to shape like a blade so as to reflect bad feng shui to the Government House and its British administration. It is believed that willow trees were planted in the Government House Garden to block the ensuing bad luck.

That notwithstanding, a number of feng shui masters have expressed that the feng shui for Government House, which is surrounded by skyscrapers, is far from optimal. It is worth noting that the Government House was built before any major urban developments, especially those after World War II.

However, some feng shui experts have expressed the opposite, citing that the position of the Government House makes for an optimal place for decision-making, and that its exact position brings wealth and power for all of its residents.

According to New York Times, the supposedly bad feng-shui was precisely the reason Tung Chee Hwa refused to live or work in Government House upon becoming Chief Executive. Ironically, during his terms as Chief Executive, he was still heavily criticised by Hongkongers, and his popularity fell well below 40% by the time of his resignation.

The Standard believed Tung's reason to stay away from the mansion was political: a subtle effort to reduce the age-old British legacy over Hong Kong. Other sources mention that "it was the warning about spying devices that scared him away".

Gate Lodge

Gate Lodge is a small house located at Mount Austin Road on Victoria Peak. Located on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong, it was built between 1900 and 1902.

It is a part of the former complex known as Mountain Lodge. The main Mountain Lodge was home to the then Governor of Hong Kong, but it no longer exists as it was demolished in 1946. The Gate Lodge remains, but it is not used as an official residence.

Gate Lodge is in Renaissance style. It was declared as in 1995.

The Gate Lodge originally served as living quarters for the keeper of Mountain Lodge. It is now preserved in Victoria Peak Garden and used as a site office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

Future development

In order to put the building to meaningful use and leverage its historical legacy, Senior Government Architect Raymond Fung said it will be used as a public gallery.

"What we are going to do is to open this gate door, so that you can enter this 100-square-feet space inside where we will put pictures and descriptions about the history of Victoria City and also Hong Kong in general, therefore giving information of our history to visitors."

Former Kowloon British School

The building of Former Kowloon British School is located 136, , Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

History

It is the oldest surviving school building which is constructed for foreigners' children living in Hong Kong. In 1900, Mr. Ho Tung donated $15,000 to the Government to set up a school in Kowloon. The building was officially opened by the Governor, on 19 April 1902.

The school was officially opened as a primary school for some 60 pupils but it was converted to be a secondary school for some 300 students in the mid 1930s.

The building is a typical structure, but was modified to adapt to local climatic conditions by adding wide verandas, high ceilings and pitched roofs.

The Family Welfare Asscoiation and Tsim Sha Tsui Kaifong Asscoiation had used the building after the Second World War. It now houses the Antiquities and Monuments Office after restoration.

It is "" since 19 July 1991.

Former French Mission Building

The Former French Mission Building is a . It is located at 1, Battery Path, . It currently houses the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong.

The present three-storey building was built in 1917 on the foundation of a previous structure. It is constructed in granite and red bricks in style.

The first Governor of Hong Kong, resided there from 1843 to 1846. His successor, John Francis Davis also lived there for a while, before moving to Caine Road.
The building likely served as one of the earlier homes of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.

The building then had several owners, and was acquired by the French Mission in 1915. They renovated it and added a chapel in the north-west corner, topped by a cupola. It was finally sold back to the Hong Kong Government in 1953.

It was used successively by the , the , the , and the Government Information Services. It is now used as the Court of Final Appeal.

Fanling Lodge

Fanling Lodge is located in Kam Tsin of the New Territories in Hong Kong, near Fanling and Kwu Tung. The two storey home is located in a wooded lot within the Hong Kong Golf Club off Castle Peak Road Kwu Tung. A private access road leads to a cul-de-sac.

It has served as a summer residence for the then Governor of Hong Kong since 1934 after the Mountain Lodge was abandoned as the alternate residence.

It remained as an official government residence after the handover in 1997 and is the alternate residence of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. The lodge is occupied mainly on weekends and holidays by the CE.

Minor renovations were made in 2005. A helicopter pad is located on the lawn of the home and allows the CE to travel to the lodge from the main Hong Kong residence.

Central Government Offices

The Central Government Offices houses the most major offices of the Hong Kong Government. Located in the in Hong Kong. It occupies the lower level of Government Hill.

History

Completed in 1957 by the then colonial government, it replaced a two-storey colonial complex from the 1930s, old was demolished in 1954).

Legislative Council

Until 1985, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong met here.

Government Offices

The building is actually a complex of three wings with a total of of offices: Main Wing , East Wing and West Wing. The most familiar wing is the Main Wing, housing offices of the and site of most major protest against the Hong Kong Government . In order to keep protesters who have not applied from entering the complex, a serie of fences was erected in 1998 after the of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China in 1997.

Plans are under way to replace the current buildings with a new office at the and scheduled to be completed by 2010. Apart from government offices, the Tamar site will also house the Legislative Council and provide not less than 22,000 square metres of open space for public enjoyment. The cost for developing the entire Tamar site is estimated at HKD5.2 billion.

Central Government Complex, Tamar

Central Government Complex, Tamar will be the new location for the offices of the Central Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Located at the Tamar site, the complex will house the Office of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and the Central Government Offices.

The complex consists of three blocks:

Central Government Complex Office Block

This block is made up of two towers and forms a glass arch. The 27 storey east tower will be home to:

* Chief Secretary for Administration
* Financial Secretary
* Transport and Housing Bureau
* Food and Health Bureau
* Commerce and Economic Development Bureau
* Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau
* Development Bureau

The 23 storey west tower will be home to:

* Secretary of Security
* Secretary of Civil Service
* Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
* Secretary of Home Affairs
* Secretary of Education

Central Government Complex Low Block

This 4 storey block will house the Office of the Chief Executive of and the Executive Council. The ExCo will have their chambers located here.

Central Government Complex Legco Block
This block will consist of the 4 storey Legislative Council Chambers and 10 storey office tower

This winning design was from the Gammon-Hip Hing group and scheduled to be completed in 2010.

Construction is due to begin in mid-February for completion in 2011. It will engage more than 3,000 workers.