The award ceremony for the sixth “Literacy CUHK” essay competition was held on 12 November by the Chinese Language Teaching Development Centre (CLTDC) of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). 500 entries were submitted over close to six months, with 24 winning essays ultimately selected.
 
Professor Max Xiaobing TANG, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Professor Sze Wing TANG, Chair of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature officiated at the ceremony. Prizes were presented by Mr. Leo Fai Hung MA, Head of New Asia College Library and United College Library and Mr. Ka Hing NGAN, a columnist and Chinese secondary school teacher. Professor Xitao FAN, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor Samuel Yeung Shan WONG, Associate Dean (Education) of the Faculty of Medicine and Dr. Frankie Kwan Kit WONG, Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of the Faculty of Social Science also joined the ceremony to congratulate the winners.
 
Contestants are encouraged to illustrate appealing campus scenes and tell the CUHK story. The winning entries cover a wide spectrum of themes including how a bowknot inspires the discussion of interpersonal relationships, a piece utilising a simple glass of soybean milk to comment on the proliferation of artificial food, and taking Lam Tsuen River to demonstrate the tension between beauty and ugliness. The award-winning works demonstrate the humanistic spirit of CUHK with good expression of personal thoughts on life and society, and criticism with reason and compassion.
 
Professor Max TANG quoted the 13th century Persian poet Rumi ‘The wound is the place where the light enters you.’ Setbacks and tempering can often inspire people to think more and listen to their inner voices and the award-winning works of this year can truly reflect that. Experiencing uncertainties and anxieties in the midst of the ongoing global pandemic, the winning submissions are rich in content, each with a unique standpoint and perception.
 
Professor Sze Wing TANG noted in his speech, “The limits of language mean the limits of the world. Words bring us not only a graceful writing style but also a colourful world. I hope everyone can give full play to the power of language by finding his or her phrases and record life with language while bearing the weight of life with literature.”
 
To motivate students’ interest in learning the Chinese language, the Department has edited and published teaching materials 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” (CUHK, Landscape, Humanities). The CLTDC has organised “Literary CUHK” for all students and alumni every year since 2015 to arouse their interest in creative writing in Chinese and to enhance their observation and expressive skills through the writing competition. It is believed that the power of literature will pass through the ages and shine uniquely in the young generation.
 
More Information on “Literacy CUHK” is available at the Learning Chinese Outside Classroom webpage at https://www.chltcac.cuhk.edu.hk/culitrecentnews.
 
CPR Press Release: 
https://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/en/press/cuhk-holds-the-sixth-literary-cuhk-essay-competition-award-ceremony/
 
The Faculty of Arts Press Release:
https://www.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/web/news-and-events/cuhk-holds-sixth-literary-cuhk-essay-competition-award-ceremony