Calendar 2015–16

The emblem of the University is the mythical Chinese bird feng ( 鳳 ) which has been regarded as the Bird of the South since the Han dynasty. It is a symbol of nobility, beauty, loyalty and majesty. The University colours are purple and gold, representing devotion and loyalty, and perseverance and resolution, respectively. The motto of the University is ‘ 博文約禮 ’ or ‘Through learning and temperance to virtue’. These words of Confucius have long been considered a principal precept of his teaching. It is recorded in the Analects of Confucius that the Master says, ‘The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right.’ (Legge’s version of the Four Books ) In choosing ‘ 博文約禮 ’ as its motto, the University is laying equal emphasis on the intellectual and moral aspects of education.