The palace of Pak Tai: a study of the historyand architecture of Pak Tai Temple in Wan Chai

Abstract

“The historic environment is part of everyday life. It is accessible to everyone. It is around us every time we travel to work, drive to the supermarket or go to school. Studying it, being able to read and interpret it, enriches people’s lives as much as literature, music, or history. Access creates interest, interest stimulates understanding, understanding brings enjoyment, enjoyment leads to commitment. All contribute to the quality of life.”

Alison Hems

(Blockley 2006: 5)

What Alison said above is really the author’s passion to study the Architectural Conservation Programme (ACP) and the aspiration for writing this dissertation. The Pak Tai Temple in Wan Chai is a heritage place in urban area where it is accessible to every one. However, many people live in Wan Chai do not know the Temple. As a novice of architectural conservation, the author attempts to explore the tangibles as well as intangibles on a fundamental basis to collect all available data and information for this research. As far as possible, the author collects the primary information from the temple keeper, the local residents, worshippers and other stakeholders. At the same time, the author searches archival documents from public library websites as well as historic records from the Hong Kong Public Records Office.

The author hopes that this dissertation would not be an inventory record of the Pak Tai Temple on architecture. He wants it to be a collection of real life stories about the activities occurred in the Temple and its neighbouring community. It is the stories about the people and the changing social life here composite the heritage of the Temple. Of course, the essential tangible items for heritage conservation have been recorded in details.

The author regrets that he is not a graduate of architecture, so this dissertation will not provide too much technical information.