STORY: Story of Hong Kong's coastal defense
DATELINE: Sept. 4, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:35
LOCATION: HONG KONG, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the coastal defense
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Cantonese): NATALIE LEUNG, Assistant curator I of Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Cantonese): NATALIE LEUNG, Assistant curator I of Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Cantonese): FRANCO YEUNG, Assistant curator II of Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Cantonese): NATALIE LEUNG, Assistant curator I of Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
6. various of the coastal defense

STORYLINE:

Located at a former military point in Hong Kong, a fort-turned-museum tells the history of Hong Kong's coastal defense.

The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence was converted from the Lyemun Fort built in 1887 on a headland overlooking Lyemun Pass. Along the winding mountain path near the museum, there were pillboxes and artillery shells around.

After World War II, Lyemun Fort was no longer strategically important. In view of its historical significance and unique architectural features, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government turned it into a museum and opened it to the public in 2000.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Cantonese): NATALIE LEUNG, Assistant curator I of Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
"The museum has a unique geographical location. We can overlook Devil's Hill and Lyemun Channel. In fact, the museum is on the site of a former military point."

After a major revamp, the museum reopened in 2022, with a new permanent exhibition featuring a wide range of collections.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Cantonese): NATALIE LEUNG, Assistant curator I of Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
"The museum is military themed, and we hope to build a military history museum through our relationship with the mountains, the sea and military sites to give visitors a chance to remember and reflect. Our six subjects cover a lot of contents from the Ming Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, such as the military arrangements and military presence."

Franco Yeung, assistant curator II of the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, said that Hong Kong's maritime defense service could be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, when Hong Kong had set up a military town around Tuen Mun to guard the waterway trade and commerce of the Pearl River estuary.

Entering the 21st century, Hong Kong's coastal defense and military history has opened a new chapter.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Cantonese): FRANCO YEUNG, Assistant curator II of Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
"This is a 1:350 Liaoning ship model on display. When China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning was arriving in Hong Kong in 2017, the officers on board lined up to form 'Hello Hong Kong' in Chinese characters. The Hong Kong residents had the chance to visit the ship and interact with the officers on the following two days."

Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence is the only military museum in the territory. Leung said that since it reopened in 2022, the museum has provided more content relating to the history of the Japanese attack on Hong Kong, the Battle of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong-Kowloon Independence Brigade of the East River Column to deepen public awareness of this chapter of Hong Kong's history.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Cantonese): NATALIE LEUNG, Assistant curator I of Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
"Since it reopened, the museum has provided more content relating to the history of the Japanese attack on Hong Kong. We use new multimedia, such as the three-dimensional map, to record the ruins of the anti-Japanese guerrillas, hoping that the audience can know more about this period of history, remember the compatriots who sacrificed in defending the country, understand the blood connection between Hong Kong and the country, and enhance the sense of belonging and identity."

On Dec. 8, 1941, the Japanese army attacked Hong Kong. After 18 days of confrontation, Hong Kong fell and entered the days of darkness during the "three years and eight months" of Japanese occupation. Hong Kong people contributed to the war of resistance against Japanese aggression in various ways, with some of them supporting behind the enemy lines, and some going to the front lines.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hong Kong, China.
(XHTV)