Roof Tile Sherd

Item number Edz1033 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

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Description

Triangular sherd containing one finished edge. Glaze is dark green; floral decoration in relief is present.

History Of Use

This sherd is a fragment of a roof tile found on a pile of waste materials resulting from damage incurred during the construction of the Tsuen Wan line of the Hong Kong MTR, or subway. This passed close to Tsuen Wan’s major temple, dedicated to Tien Hou, the Queen of Heaven or Sea Goddess, and the sherds are from the roof tiles of the temple. For about 200 years the temple was the ritual focus for the native Hakka people of the 21 villages of Tsuen Wan, as well as the place from which they governed themselves at the local level. It has remained so to this day, although the native people are now far outnumbered by immigrants from China who also worship there. Although Tsuen Wan is now a city of more than 800,000 people, its original people still have special rights that are expressed through rituals held in the temple.

Cultural Context

religion

Narrative

As these broken tiles were to be discarded, it seemed worthwhile to collect them as examples of this ware and also the value of the materials that this formerly very poor community had used in building and renovating their major temple.