CUHK
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To raise the literacy level and cultural awareness of students, the Chinese Language Teaching Development Centre of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature (Chinese Department), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) organised the first ‘Literary CUHK’ last autumn. After nearly a year’s effort in inviting and judging entries, the awards were recently announced and given to 22 students. Prof. Poon Wai-yin, Pro-Vice-Chancellor; Prof. Leung Yuen-sang, Dean of the Faculty of Arts; and Prof. Ho Che-wah, Chairman of the Chinese Department, CUHK officiated at the award presentation ceremony. 

‘We hope that all students can put more effort into creative writing and capture every moment in their own generation through words,’ said Prof. Poon Wai-yin at the ceremony. This is also the goal for organising ‘Literary CUHK’: to promote the importance of literature on campus in more and different ways, and attract more students to participate in these activities. Winners of this year’s competition come from different faculties including Arts, Business, Engineering, Science and Medicine. It is believed that the power of literature is transcending and influential among faculties. 

The award-winning essays drew on the variety of features around and about CUHK, including Echinacea and the lovely cats at the New Asia College, birds flying outside the University Library, Koi fish swimming in the pond at the Institute of Chinese Studies, the beautiful sea view near the halls, various ghost stories that relate to Chung Chi College, the carpet of fog in the morning during spring time, the frosted glass placed on the door of the professors’ office rooms and much more. Humanity and values found expression in the students’ pieces, which is a precious and valuable experience for both writers and readers.

 ‘University Chinese’ is a compulsory course for all undergraduate students at CUHK, proposed and designed by the Chinese Department. To motivate students’ interest in learning Chinese, the department has organised teaching material for students by combining the unique historical background and environmental features of CUHK. This includes a collection of selected literary works about CUHK, known as 《中大‧山水‧人文》, edited and published by Oxford University Press in 2012. Some school literary and heritage walks were also organised for the Chinese course. These activities encourage students to feel the power of literature. Since 2015, the Chinese Language Teaching Development Centre of the Chinese Department has been planning the ‘Literary CUHK’ for all students in order to arouse their interest in creative writing in Chinese and enhance their observation and expressive skills through writing competition. It is good to see that students’ works draw much from those of famous writers, which demonstrates the great power of literature.