دانلود کتاب Wan Chai District: Its Relics and Legends (灣仔區古蹟與掌故)

For a city so consumed with the up-to-minute present, Wan Chai's intense interest in its past and desire to keep in close touch with its roots is certainly the exception rather than the rule.

While most other districts have short memories, we choose to remember. Maybe that's because there are so many fine memories and pleasant reminders. Indeed, Wan Chai is probably the best place in town to ponder the majestic presence of the past and the tried-and-true wisdom of the age-old tradition. Architecturally speaking, Wan Chai is endowed with some of the most varied and historically interesting structures in Hong Kong. Such monuments include the L-shaped Wan Chai Post Office at the junction of Wan Chai Gap Road and Queen's Road East built between 1912 and 1913, Wan Chai Police Station, Wan Chai Market, the one-hall Hung
Shing Temple, Pak Tai Temple and tl1e famous Tiger Balm Garden, to name but a few.

In addition to the physical environment, there's a certain nostalgic touch about the way of life in Wan Chai where you can see the tradition lingers and some flourishes. The Fire Dragon Dance, a major feature of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Tai Hang, for example, is an established practice dated as far back as 1880.

That's why "Wan Chai District - Its Relics & Legends" should be an essential reading for anyone who wants to know Wan Chai for not just what it had been, but also what it is. The publication complete with precious photos taken from the archive, takes an intimate look at the rich and colourful history of Wan Chai. It is an eloquent testimony to the status of Wan Chai as the great melting pot of the past and tl1e present, as well as the resilience of the tractition. It is also a farther manifestation of our respect for our own history, which has helped to foster a strong sense of belonging and community spirit among our residents.

在這日新月異的都市中，灣仔人士亦鍾情於懷舊尋根，確有其獨特之處。

縱觀其他各區，他們只有短暫的回憶，但我們卻大發思古之幽情。也許，這是因爲我們擁有無數美好的回憶和令人欣喜的懷念。誠然，若要緬懷富麗堂皇的歷史餘萃， 見識那些經歲月考驗而成眞理的傳統智慧， 大概灣仔就是最理想不過的地方了。在建築方面來說， 灣仔包羅了一些極具香港歷史價值的建築物，而且種類繁多， 包括那位於灣仔峽道和皇后大道東交界，建於一九一二至一九一三年間的「L」型郵政局、灣仔警署、灣仔街市、洪聖古廟、北帝廟和虎豹別墅等，隨便列出， 均已是膾炙人口的佳處。

除地理環境外，還可從區內居民富有傳統色彩的生活方式，探究往日風情，其中有些更跟隨時代而發展，例如大坑居民慶祝中秋節的主要項目「舞火龍」，便可遠追溯至一八八零年。所以，任何人如要認識灣仔今昔， "灣仔區古跡與掌故＂ 便是他們必備的讀物。全書附有由政府檔案處提供的珍貴照片，讓讀者能深切領略灣仔區那豐富而多采多姿的歷史，並且還將這區古今共冶一爐的特色，以及那歷久不衰的傳統，生動活潑地表現出來。再者， 本書更可顒示我們對灣仔歷史的敬意。就是這份敬意， 催發了居民的歸屬感和發揚我們的社區精神。