CUHK
News Centre

The Chinese University of Hong Kong records with deep sadness the passing of Professor Hu Shiu-ying on 22 May 2012, at the Prince of Wales Hospital, at the age of 102. 

The funeral service for Professor Hu will be held on Friday, 15 June 2012 at 11:30 am, in the Universal Hall, G/F, Universal Funeral Parlour, Hunghom.  The vigil service will take place the night before, on 14 June 2012, at 8:00 pm.  In lieu of flowers, please make cash donation, payable to “The Chinese University of Hong Kong”, to support the establishment of the proposed “Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium”.

In memory of Professor Hu, a website at www.cuhk.edu.hk/cpr/hushiuying has been set up for students, staff as well as the public to express their heartfelt condolence and pay tribute to Professor Hu.  The website also details the life achievements of Professor Hu with links to various international publications written by renowned experts of the botanic field, so that the legacy of Professor Hu could live on. 

Professor Hu is a botanist of great international renown.  She is recognized all over the world as a leading authority on hollies, daylilies, paulownias, daisies and orchids.  Over the years, Professor Hu produced over 160 academic treatises and collected over 30,000 specimens.  She was affectionately known to her colleagues as a walking botanical dictionary. 

In order to recognize Professor Hu’s contributions to botanical research both locally and internationally and to further strengthen the role of the herbarium established by Professor Hu, the School of Life Sciences proposes to name it the “Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium”, after Professor Hu. 

The Herbarium in the School of Life Sciences is a major asset to the University. The herbarium is registered in the Index Herbariorum, a global directory of public herbaria managed by New York Botanical Garden in collaboration with the International Association of Plant Taxonomists. Its collection contains about 38,000 plant specimens, mostly collected and archived by Professor Hu. 

The proposed “Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium” will continue Professor Hu’s efforts in documenting plant biodiversity and exploring its economic uses.  The University is now raising an endowment fund of HK$15 million, which will be used in the research, education and public programmes. 

In 1968, Professor Hu took up a Senior Lectureship in Biology at Chung Chi College.  In subsequent years she was appointed an Honorary Professor of Chinese Medicine, an Honorary Senior Research Fellow of the School of Life Sciences, and a Senior College Tutor of Chung Chi College of the Chinese University. Professor Hu’s contribution to botany and research of Chinese medicine was profound.  She instigated the research project on trilex with the University’s School of Chinese Medicine.  The project has reached its fruition stage with an herbal tea product being produced and marketed, to the benefit of the community.  Professor Hu is also a much beloved teacher and she will be long remembered by the members of the University. 

A memorial service for Professor Hu is tentatively scheduled in October 2012, and will take place at the Chapel of Chung Chi College. Further details will be announced as soon as they are finalized.