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Prof. Yu Kwang Chung, Professor Emeritus of Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, Former Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan; and a former professor at the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will visit New Asia College in late February 2015.  During his stay, he will deliver three public lectures under the 28th Ch’ien Mu Lecture in History and Culture and to celebrate the 65^th anniversary of New Asia College.  The lectures will be conducted in Mandarin.  Limited seats are available.  For reservation, please call 3943-7601. 

Professor Yu is a prolific writer who has excelled in different literary genres, especially resourceful in poetry and prose.  He was a Reader in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at CUHK from 1974 to 1985. Since then, he has continued to contribute his time and effort generously to the academic development of the University. He was conferred the degree of Doctor of Literature, honoris causa, by CUHK in 2003. 

Details of the three public lectures by Professor Yu are as follows: 

1st Lecture: Gong Zi-zhen and Shelley 

Professor Yu will introduce two famous poets – Gong Zi-zhen from China and Shelley from England – both were born in 1792.  He will discuss the similarities and differences between their works from the perspective of their background, political attitudes, poetry genre and style. 

Moderator:  Prof. Henry N.C. Wong, Head of New Asia College,
                   CUHK
Date:           27 February 2015 (Friday)
Time:          11:30 a.m.
Venue:        Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, CUHK 

2nd Lecture: A Comparative Study of Chinese and Western Pastoral Poetry 

Both in Chinese and Western classical poetry, the pastoral is a major genre.  Both trace back to mythological, even religious backgrounds, but develop with different personae and scenes. On the whole, the Chinese pastoral features a hermit as its main figure and his literati friends, his servants, woodcutters, and fishermen as supporting ones. The Western pastoral features a shepherd or shepherdess as its main roles and all those lovely nymphs, fauns, and centaurs as supporting roles. 

Moderator:  Prof. Jin Sheng Hwa Serena, Emeritus Professor of
                   Translation, CUHK
Date:          1 March 2015 (Sunday)
Time:          6:00 p.m.
Venue:        Hong Kong Central Library (G/F Lecture Theatre) 

3rd Lecture: Poetry Recital, with a Brief Introduction to the Art of Poetry Reading

Professor Yu will deliver a short speech on poetry reading, and give a demonstration with a few poets in Hong Kong.

Date:      6 March 2015 (Friday)
Time:      4:00 p.m.
Venue:    Lecture Theatre 5, Lee Shau Kee Building, CUHK