Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2000

Prof. Leung Yuen-sang of the Department of History will be undertaking research into the 'Modes o f Christian Universities in Asia'. Chung Chi College, Baptist University, an dLingnan University are the extensions o fthe tradition of the 13 Christian universities in mainland China, yet each bears it s own unique characteristics. Prof. Leung's project will try t o identify the similarities and differences among Christian universities in Asia, with the aim o f understanding the role Christianity plays in the development o feducation in the region. Efforts at Preserving Ta o i s t Traditions Prof. Lai Chi-tim of the Department of Religion is fascinated b y Taoism, a religion born and raised on Chinese soil. However as Chinese people ten d to mix the creeds and rituals of Taoism, Buddhism, and other folk religions, their inter-relationships are complex. That is why mos t Chinese peopl e cannot p ut their finger on one religion they are affiliated with. Th e ceremony chiao, for instance, includes both Buddhist and Taoist elements. I t incorporates Taoist rituals, t h e Buddhist concept o f hell, an d ma ny other folk taboos and customs. Teachers at t he d e p a r t m e n t h a v e studied the history o fHo n g Kong's main Taoist temples such as Ching Chung Koon, Yuen Yuen Institute, an d FungYing Sin Koon, all o fwhich have been in existence since t h e1920s. Th ey f i n d t h at t h e s e temples are in one wa y o ranother related to t he 'Complete Perfection ' or Ch'uan- chen Sect, wh o s e lineage ca n be traced back to Southern China. Prof. La iChi-tim himself h a sbeen c o n c e n t r a t i ng o n t h e d e v e l o pme n t o f Taoist scripture chanters and rituals for the dead. He has built a h u g e collection o f Taoist scriptures, or k'o'i, and has recorded different ceremonies on video for the sake of scrutinizing the structure, meanings, a n d d e v e l o pm e nt of t he c e r emo n i e s . According t o him, the early inhabitants of Ho ng Kong were boat people, and local chanters were hired t o perform rituals at Prof . Lai Chi-tim 'Chi a o', or renewal rites CHINES E UNIVERSIT Y BULLETI N Autumn . Winter 2000 20