THE territory's second heritage trail may be delayed or have fewer attractions if villagers continue to object to the project. Some elderly residents in Kam Tin, the settlement of the Tang, the earliest and the most important clan, are opposed to their historical buildings being restored because they think they will lose their property. The Tang families are worried that doing so will anger their ancestors who wished to have their properties passed on from generation to generation. But the Antiquities Advisory Board, which is responsible for advising on any matters relating to antiquities and proposed monuments, said that it does not want to acquire any property from the villagers. David Lung Ping-yee, the board's chairman, said there were misunderstandings between the board and the villagers. Dr Lung said: 'We just want to help the residents better restore and maintain their historical buildings so that they can pass on their buildings from generation to generation. 'It's a pity to see those historical buildings, like ancestral halls and temples, decay because of lack of proper maintenance. In many cases a villager can still own his building but he has to open it for visitors.' The Tang clan began occupying the fertile valleys of Kam Tin in the 11th century during the Song dynasty and later branched out to other areas, including Fanling and Yuen Long. Dr Lung said he wanted to set up the trail in Kam Tin in two years, which would be the second trail following the one in Ping Shan. But negotiation with villagers would be the biggest difficulty. The suggestion has won the support of some of the younger villagers who are planning to set up a committee to persuade their neighbours to offer the Government their buildings. Kam Tin District Board member Patrick Tang Pui-hon said he hoped the committee would be set up by next year. 'The committee will be the first of its kind initiated and organised by villagers. It will be a middleman between the Government and the old villagers who reject the project,' said Mr Tang. A study hall in Shui Tau village, the Yi Tai Shu Yuen, which was restored by the Antiquities Advisory Board and reopened early this month, will become part of the trail. Nearby ancestral halls, Cheung Chun Yuen and Loy Shing Tong, have just been declared monuments and will also be restored and linked up to the trail. Benny Tang Ying-wah, who owns Cheung Chun Yuen, said his ancestral hall has over 100 years of history and the ances-tral plaques and three kwan to (a Chinese weapon) kept in the hall were of historical value.
