February 18, 2011

Next week Professor Theodore Huters will come to our Centre to deliver the talk ‘On the Legibility of Expression: Rethinking the Transformation of Modern Chinese Prose.’ Professor Huters is the Chief Editor of Renditions and Professor Emeritus of Chinese at UCLA.

Professor Huters is currently studying the linguistic basis of reform in the period between 1895 and 1920, and will share recent findings with us, as his summary shows: ‘While there has been a good deal of revisionist scholarship on the New Culture Movement of the late 1910s in recent years, the key assumption that the linguistic reform that was a major part of the movement was both desirable and necessary has hardly been questioned. My paper re-opens the debate over this linguistic transformation, beginning with Yan Fu and Zhang Taiyan’s concerns about writing expressed in the late Qing. It poses questions about the cost in intellectual autonomy and initiative of the radical simplification of prose expression demanded by early 20th century reformers. It also looks into how the advent of the new portmanteau concept of wenxue affected views of writing in the late Qing and early Republican period.’

All interested are welcome to attend the lecture which will be held at the Chinese Civilisation Centre on Thursday 24 February 2011, 2:30-3:30 pm. Please register by email: ciha@cityu.edu.hk

Written by: Audrey

February 11, 2011

If you have not yet had a chance to admire the calligraphy works by Zhang Sen, you had better schedule your visit because the next exhibition is already on its way. The exhibition Enchanting Styles of the Scholar’s Script will show calligraphy works by Dr Sze Chi Ching and the opening ceremony will be held on Tuesday 22 February 2011.

Dr Sze whose ancestral home is in Fujian Province, came to Hong Kong in the late 1950s. He studied in the Chinese Department of United College and Ching Wah College of Traditional Chinese. Dr Sze first devoted himself to educational work before turning his energy to the business sector. As a successful business man, Dr Sze has been sponsoring many educational and cultural projects and he has held many advisory posts in the government.

Dr Sze has also devoted time to writing poetry and books on calligraphy. His own calligraphy has been exhibited throughout China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and after many years of study Dr Sze has developed his unique style. The exhibition runs from 22 February to 23 March 2011, at the CityU Gallery, which is open daily from 10am to 7 pm. More details can be found on the website of the CCIV.

Written by: Audrey