Newsletter No. 409

10 No. 409, 19.12.2012 Mr. Leung Ying-wai Charles Chairman, CUHK 50th Anniversary Celebration Organizing Committee What were the most unforgettable moments of your undergraduate years at New Asia College? There were three things. First, the College was very small. When I graduated in 1973, the first batch of graduates in marketing consisted of only 10 persons. We were a closely-knit group taught by Prof. K.C. Mun, whom I still see several times a year. I was a member of the Folk Song Society of New Asia College. We often played the guitar and sang on the lawn in front of the Pavilion at the Farm Road campus. Songs like Puff the Magic Dragon , Blowing in the Wind , you know. Those by the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel were of course also a must. In those pre-karaoke days, a wooden acoustic guitar was the only instrument we had. But the feeling was cozy. Those were also the days when patriotism prevailed. I took part in a number of social activities, including the campaign to make Chinese an official language. I still remember the raised-fist logo printed on my T-shirt. I also participated in the demonstration in 1972 to protest against Japan’s attempt to stake its claim over the Diaoyutai Islands. In those days, demonstrators didn’t get escorted by the police. The only thing they got was baton beating. How does what you’ve learned in the past impact on your career and life? I was a marketing student, so accounting was a compulsory course. I founded two companies in 1978. In 1982, I managed to make my first company public all by myself. In 1992, the other one also went public, and I did all the accounting work involved. I didn’t have parents’ fortune or connections to rely on. So I had to be careful with every step when running my business. Marketing is a very useful tool for promoting your business. Many businesses fail because of over-trading. Accounting comes in handy when preventing that from happening. Spiritually, I was greatly inspired by the lyrics of the New Asia College Anthem—‘Nothing left, in my hands; Journey’s long, never ends…. Let’s march over life, let’s sing when we’re tired.’ Life has ups and downs. With these encouraging words to cheer you on, you would grit your teeth and get on with your work despite hardship and difficulties. As a successful entrepreneur, do you see maximization of profit as the sole yardstick of success? In a capitalist society, it’s natural for businessmen to maximize their profits. But in addition to it, they should have the interest of society in mind. Didn’t the Confucian entrepreneur Zigong also use the money he earned to benefit society? I think that’s the right thing to do and I must thank my wife for sharing the same view. In 2004 I established the ‘We Love Hong Kong’ association to promote moral education and liberal education for teenagers, with the hope of making a positive impact on this chaotic society. Every day I write articles on contemporary issues and morals for primary and secondary school children. Why did you agree to take up the chairmanship of the 50th Anniversary Celebration Organizing Committee? It has been half a century since the establishment of CUHK. The University’s growth was a long and winding road and its achievements are all hard-earned. I’m proud of my alma mater. Out of a sense of mission and a sense of duty, and my deep affection for the University, I felt obliged to acquiesce when I received the invitation from Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung. I’m honoured to be able to do my bit for the University in this milestone moment. Could you tell us something about how the anniversary celebrations are oriented? The achievements of CUHK today are based on the efforts and contributions of its founding fathers and generations of CUHK members. That’s why we came up with the slogan ‘Embrace our Culture. Empower our Future’, which means that we should inherit the spirit of the pioneers while striving to develop a brighter future. The 50th anniversary is a fitting occasion for all staff, students and alumni to recollect the trials and tribulations this University has gone through, and for us to bring its achievements in full view of everyone in the community. We should also revive the teachings and ideals of the academics who have gone before us, and perpetuate the humanistic traditions they have established. At the same time we should serve society with our caring spirit and professionalism, thus rejuvenating the University and turning a new page for its development. Anniversary celebrations will start in January and will last until December 2013. Since the celebrations belong to all members of the CUHK community, the participation of staff, students and alumni from planning to implementation has been stressed. In addition to cultural and academic activities organized by the Colleges and Faculties, there will be celebratory events initiated by students and alumni. Which event is most representative of such an idea? The unprecedented ‘CU50 • Care’ programme, which will be officially launched at the 50th anniversary kick-off ceremony on 27 January 2013. Participants of the programme will include members of the CUHK community and friends. They’ll pledge to offer voluntary service to 50 service programmes or undertake 50 hours of volunteer service in 2013 as a token of commitment to society and the University. Let’s think of it this way: CUHK has 150,000 alumni, some 20,000 students and more than 6,000 staff members. How great will the impact be if we can bring together their strength? 請掃描QR碼閱讀全文版 Scan the QR code for the full version 梁英偉先生 五十周年校慶 籌備委員會主席 在新亞書院唸書，甚麼最難忘? 值得一提的有三。當時書院規模小，我在 1973年畢業，是第一屆市場學的學生，全 班只約十人，感情很好，我與當年的老師 閩建蜀教授到現在還每年見幾次面。 我是新亞民歌團成員，我們常在農圃道圓 亭草地彈唱─ Puff the Magic Dragon , Blowing in the Wind 等的，當然也少不了 Beatles，Simon and Garfunkel。那是還 沒有卡拉OK的年代，有一把木結他伴奏， 感覺蠻溫馨的。 在那火紅年代，我參與不少社會運動─ 由大專生發起的中文合法化運動；我還記 得T恤上那舉起的拳頭。還有1972年的保 衞釣魚台運動；當年示威，警察那會為你 開路，拿警棍驅趕倒有。 昔日所學，怎樣影響你的事業與人生? 唸市場學，會計學是必修的，這些知識對日後營商大有幫助。我 在1978年成立了兩家公司，1982年更一手一腳籌劃第一家公司 上市，1992年亦將餘下一家上了市，當中涉及的會計部署都由我 負責。我做生意非靠父蔭，必須步步為營。如何發展推廣一盤生 意，營銷學非常有用。很多生意失敗的原因是超額經營，如何控 制避免，會計學又派上用途了。在思想層面，新亞校歌對我啟發 很大─「手空空，無一物；路遙遙，無止境。……艱險我奮進， 困乏我多情。」人生有起有落，在困難的日子，有這些訓勉支撐， 不打緊，咬緊牙關，勤力一點，辛苦一點，為理想打拼下去吧！ 往往這樣又渡過了難關。 身為長袖善舞的商人，賺取最大利益是否你的不二價值？ 在資本主義社會裏，商人當然會盡量賺取利益，但除此之外， 也得照顧社會的利益。儒商子貢不也把賺來的錢回饋社會 嗎？我覺得營商者當如是，最難得太太對我這看法也認同。在 2004年，我成立了我愛香港協會，致力推動青少年的品德和通 識教育，希望為這紛亂的社會加入正能量。我每天都親筆為中 小學生撰寫時事分析和品德教育的文章呢。 為何俯允出任中大五十周年校慶籌備委員會主席? 中大草創至今半世紀，一路走來，維艱維辛，成就得來不易，我 為母校深感自豪。基於使命感和責任感，以及對母校的深厚感 情，接到沈校長的邀請，實感責無旁貸，所以一口答應。我很榮 幸能在這重要里程碑為母校盡一分力。 可否介紹一下校慶活動的構思? 今日的中大建基於創校先賢以及歷代中大人的努力與付出，所 以金禧校慶的口號是「傳承．開創」，意指傳承先賢及前輩創校 的精神，同時開創更光輝的將來。我們希望校慶能凝聚所有師 生校友，回顧母校如何從艱苦歲月中一步一足印地茁壯成長，與 社會各界分享我們的成就，並傳承先師教誨、傳統和理想，發揚 以人為本的人文精神，將關愛及專業精神由大學傳送至社會各 階層，服務社區，由此為大學注入新的活力，開創新的一頁 校慶活動將由2013年1月起動，延續全年至12月底。校慶是屬 於大家的，因此，由構思到推行，都非常注重師生校友的積極參 與。除各書院、學院的學術文化活動，還有由學生及校友自發舉 辦的慶祝活動。 最能代表這份精神的將是哪項活動？ 那將是史無前例的「中大五十．關懷」計劃。這個計劃將在2013年 1月27日校慶啟動典禮上誓師，參與者包括中大人及友好，他們 將承諾於2013年為社會義務工作五十次或五十小時，作為對社 會、對中大的獻禮。試想，中大有十五萬名校友、兩萬多名學生 及六千多名教職員，若能結合這些人的力量，影響力將會是何其 巨大！ Photos of Mr. Leung Ying-wai Charles in this issue are by Keith Hiro