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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)’s Department of Chinese Language and Literature held the awards ceremony for the Ninth Literary CUHK Essay Competition recently. The entries were selected from more than 6,000 assignments submitted in the University Chinese I and II courses. With additional articles from an Open Group, nearly 400 submissions entered the competition’s second review. After six months of adjudication, a total of 24 essays received awards.

Guests invited to officiate the ceremony and present awards included Professor Wong Nim-yan, Associate Dean of Arts and Associate Head of Chung Chi College; Professor Ko Wing-hung, University Dean of Students; Professor Enders Ng Kwok-wai, Acting Dean of Medicine; Professor Lin Zhixiu, Director of the School of Chinese Medicine; Professor Kenneth Cheung Kam-siu, Dean of Students of New Asia College; Ms Yolinda Wong Chui-yan, College Secretary of Wu Yee Sun College; Professor Cui Wendong, Assistant Professor of Department of Chinese Language and Literature; and Professor Nicholas Louis Chan, Vice-Chair of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature).

Contestants were encouraged to capture scenic beauty both on and beyond the campus while expressing their personal feelings and reflections. Dr Cheung Yuen-man, Writer and Language Instructor in the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Professor Emily Chau Tsz-yan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chinese at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong; and Professor Cui Wendong served as final adjudicators for the competition.

The award-winning works covered a wide range of topics, including using the metaphor of a tiger to represent a father to express the complex emotions between parents and children; exploring education concerning death in China; and reflecting on life through encounters with nothingness. The essays demonstrate exceptional skill in conveying emotions, vividly depicting landscapes, and offering insightful critiques, showcasing the literary talents of CUHK students.

In her speech at the awards ceremony, Professor Wong Nim-yan stressed that Literary CUHK has provided opportunities for students and alumni from different faculties to shine and has recognised their creativity. She encouraged students to continue writing and to participate in the competition.

Professor Chan noted in his speech that the competition aims to enhance students’ interest in Chinese writing, cultivate their observation and expression skills, and promote a literary atmosphere on campus. He added that he believes people can engage in deep reflection and perceive the world more subtly through writing, enriching their lives with literature.

In the sharing session, Professor Cui Wendong encouraged everyone to reflect on their own emotions and struggles through metaphor or a distanced perspective. By viewing personal experiences from a distance, this writing approach helps create works that resonate more deeply with readers.

Additionally, the ceremony also featured the Awardees’ Recitation Session, during which five students took the stage to recite selected portions of their entries, offering the audience another way to appreciate the excellence of their work.

To motivate students’ interest in learning the Chinese language, the Department has edited and published teaching materials for students combining the unique historical background and environmental features of CUHK. This includes a collection of selected literary works about CUHK, known as CUHK, Landscape and Humanities (《中大．山水．人文》). It has also organised the Literary CUHK Essay Competition for all students and alumni every year since 2015 to arouse their interest in Chinese writing and to enhance their observation and expressive skills. This year’s winning entries will be displayed at the New Asia College Ch’ien Mu Library from 24 February to 7 March 2025. All are welcome to visit.

More Information on Literary CUHK is available at the Learning Chinese Outside Classroom webpage at https://www.chltcac.cuhk.edu.hk/culitrecentnews.