C O N T E X T 1 4 5 : J U LY 2 0 1 6 19 aesthetic character of Chinese renaissance architecture, in particular, appealed to Christian institutions. Distinguished examples (all of which are graded historic buildings) include the Tao Fung Shan Christian Centre (1930), Holy Spirit Seminary (1931), Chinese Methodist Church (1932, demolished in 1994), HolyTrinity Church (1937, now Holy Trinity Cathedral) and St Mary’s Church (1937). The nationalistic ideology of Chinese renaissance architecture appealed to the elite class of the local Chinese population, who saw the style as a means of asserting their ethnic identity in the British colony. The result is a small number of significant examples, including HoTung Gardens (1927, demolished in 2013), Haw Par Mansion (1935, a Grade 1 historic building), former residence of General Ting-Kai Tral (1936, now the Morrison Building, a declared monument) and King Yin Lei (1937, a declared monument). However, Chinese renaissance architecture had a relatively low profile in Hong Kong. First, for public and institutional buildings there was a strong preference among government agencies and institutions for western styles. Second, for residential buildings the palatial aspect of Chinese renaissance architecture had limited appeal to the large majority of local Chinese. After the secondworldwar therewas even less interest in Chinese renaissance architecture in a rapidly modernising Hong Kong. At the same time, some of the main proponents of the movement from mainland China moved to the British colony. In adjusting to the new political reality, they too abandoned Chinese renaissance architecture and adopted the language of modernism. Chinese renaissance architecture reflected the quest of China’s first-generation, western-trained architects for a fitting architectural identity for the new China. As St Mary’s Church (1937) in Hong Kong, a Grade 1 historic building (Photo: Ho-Yin Lee) The Chinese Methodist Church (1932) in Hong Kong, demolished in 1994 (Photo: Ho-Yin Lee)
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