Dr LAM Chuen-pan, Chinese Language Centre

The Hong Kong Government, Lingnan Literati, and Culture in the Landscape Construction of Song Wong Toi (1898–1916). Conference on “Cultural Memories of Song Emperor’s Terrace”. Jointly organized by Research Programme for Lingnan Culture, Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK, and Research Centre for Classical Chinese Poetics, CUHK & Co-organized by Department of Chinese and History, CityUHK, Hong Kong, 28-29 May 2025.

Abstract
Song Wong Toi, a key cultural landmark in Hong Kong, underwent significant reinterpretation between 1898 and 1916, shaped by both colonial authorities and late Qing loyalists. The 1898 Song Wong Toi Preservation Ordinance reflected the colonial government's aim to promote cultural heritage and foster Chinese identification with colonial rule, though its impact was limited by historical ambiguities and urban development. In 1915, merchant Li Ruiqin enhanced the site with stone embankments and archways, enriching its visual and cultural presence. Concurrently, scholar Chen Botao redefined the site’s meaning through historical research, linking it to the late Song political order and Lingnan loyalist spirit. His organization of birthday rituals for Zhao Qiuxiao and poetry gatherings transformed Song Wong Toi into a site of collective memory and loyalist identity. The evolving meanings of Song Wong Toi illustrate how material space, cultural capital, and memory intersect in the construction of cultural landscapes and identity formation.