A Vibrant Showcase of Traditional Culture and Creative Brilliance

 

 Co-organised by the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), the Jao Tsung-I Academy of Sinology at the Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), and the University of Macau, A Legacy Across Lingnan: Jao Tsung-I in the Greater Bay Area Student Competition invites full-time secondary and tertiary students from Hong Kong and Macau to participate. Through this competition, students gain insight into the life of Jao Tsung-I, a preeminent scholar in Chinese studies, and are inspired to explore traditional Chinese culture, fostering greater cultural awareness and a deeper appreciation of the Lingnan region. The competition features two categories: Article / Dissertation Submissions and Creative Artistic Works. The Award Ceremony is being held today (30 November) at the Dr Hari Harilela Lecture Theatre, Shaw Campus, Hong Kong Baptist University, to honour teachers and students, present prizes, and celebrate their remarkable achievements. 

The competition commenced in March, and to complement the event, the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole (HKU) opened its doors to the public for the first time. Visitors had the opportunity to admire Professor Jao Tsung-I’s donated paintings, calligraphy, and other artefacts related to him, as well as to view rare treasures from his personal collection that had never been publicly displayed before. Additionally, in May, the competition organised an exchange and field trip for Hong Kong students to the University of Macau and the Jao Tsung-I Academy (Macau), helping them prepare for the The Story of Jao Tsung-I Student competition.

The competition attracted around 70 entries from Hong Kong and Macau, involving a total of 130 teachers and students. The submissions showcased a wide range of formats, including essays, music videos, calligraphy,paintings, digital illustrations, historical scripts, novels, and handicrafts. Participants came from nine secondary schools and five universities, comprising local schools, international schools, and special education schools. Notably, entries from special education schools excelled in the Creative Artistic Works category, achieving exceptional results. 

The total value of scholarships awarded in the competition surpassed HK$250,000, generously sponsored by the Jao Studies Foundation and Mr Alberto Lei. To further encourage participation, certificates of commendation were presented to the teachers and schools of the winning students. Experts in Jao Studies from Hong Kong and Macau served as judges for the competition, and their comments on the winning entries in each category are available in the appendix: A Legacy Across Lingnan: Jao Tsung-I in the Greater Bay Area Student Competition Awards Ceremony Judges’ Comments.

Professor Lee Chack Fan, Director of the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole said: “I am truly pleased to see that more than ten schools from Hong Kong and Macau, involving over 130 teachers and students, took part in this competition. The entries, which included novels, plays, traditional calligraphy and paintings, digital illustrations, documentaries, clay sculptures, handicrafts, and audio-visual works, were impressively diverse and distinctive. They explored Professor Jao’s remarkable contributions across various regions of the Greater Bay Area from multiple perspectives, while also showcasing the boundless creativity and imagination of young students—a brilliant demonstration of the seamless integration of traditional culture and innovation.” 

“Of particular note is the champion entry in the dissertation category, which focused on Professor Jao’s poetry collection Changzhou Ji. The choice of topic was thoughtful and demonstrated keen insight, successfully identifying key features of Professor Jao’s poetics—a truly commendable achievement. Once again, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the award-winning students and encourage them to continue striving for excellence, reaching new heights, and achieving exceptional success in the future.”

Professor Chen Zhi, Director, the Jao Tsung-I Academy of Sinology of Hong Kong Baptist University stated: “Professor Jao Tsung-I’s academic legacy in the Greater Bay Area not only preserves profound cultural memories but also fosters a vibrant cultural spirit rooted in continuous growth and bold innovation. This competition has clearly showcased the younger generation’s deep cultural awareness of Chinese traditional civilisation, as they have successfully transformed these invaluable cultural resources into creative expressions that resonate within a contemporary context.”

Mr Alberto Lei, Chief Benefactor and Director of Friends of Jao Tsung-i Petite Ecole praised the participants: “”A Legacy Across Lingnan: Jao Tsung-I in the Greater Bay Area”, jointly organised by three universities in Hong Kong and Macau, brought together over 100 teachers and students from the two regions. This meaningful initiative not only offered young students valuable opportunities to deepen their understanding of traditional Chinese culture but also strengthened educational and cultural exchange within the Greater Bay Area.”

“It is highly commendable that the participating students delved into and appreciated Professor Jao Tsung-I’s academic and artistic legacy, while harnessing their creativity and imagination to showcase the unique characteristics and cultural richness of the region. I sincerely hope these students will continue to engage with and preserve traditional culture in the years to come, achieving even greater accomplishments.” 

Mr Paul Pang, Dean of Students, University of Macau said: “University of Macau, in collaboration with two universities in Hong Kong, co-organised this student competition to meet the educational need of nurturing young students’ understanding of traditional Chinese culture, while also providing a valuable platform to strengthen educational, cultural, and artistic exchanges within the Greater Bay Area.” 

“The enthusiastic participation of students from Macau is particularly praiseworthy, as they demonstrated a proactive attitude in exploring and appreciating Professor Jao’s academic and artistic legacy in the region. Their submission of a wide range of essays and creative artistic works thoroughly impressed and delighted the judging panel. I encourage these students to continue preserving and promoting traditional culture, and I look forward to seeing them achieve even greater successes in the future.”

Dr Lesley Lau, Director of Sun Museum and Judge of Creative Artistic Works category said: “I am truly pleased to see the impressive diversity in the entries submitted for the Creative Arts category. By exploring Professor Jao’s footprints in the Greater Bay Area, students have creatively used the language of art to express their own interpretations of Professor Jao, while also highlighting the unique characteristics and rich cultural essence of the region.” 

“To the award winners, I would like to share Professor Jao’s principles for life, ‘Retaining a persistent will uneroded by aeons; maintaining a placid mind even in the midst of a stream’. I encourage them to maintain a positive attitude toward life and to continue embracing diverse paths of development in the future.”

Officiating Guests of A Legacy Across Lingnan: Jao Tsung-I in the Greater Bay Area Student Competition Award Ceremony 

Prof. Lee Chack Fan GBM, Director of the Jao Tsung-i Petite École, The University of Hong Kong 

Mr Paul Pang, Dean of Students, University of Macau 

Professor Martin Wong, Provost, Hong Kong Baptist University 

Dr Albert Chau, Vice-President (Teaching and Learning), Hong Kong Baptist University 

Ms Angeline Yiu, Permanent President, Jao Studies Foundation 

Dr Simon Suen BBS JP, Founding President, Friends of Jao Tsung-i Petite Ecole 

Mr Alberto Lei, President, Friends of Jao Tsung-i Petite Ecole Limited 

Prof. Chen Zhi, Director of Hong Kong Baptist University Jao Tsung-I Academy of Sinology 

Mrs Ip Yeung See-ming Christine, Chief Executive Officer Greater China, United Overseas Bank 

Dr Chloe Suen, Chairman, Simon Suen Foundation 

Dr Cai Jin, Chief Executive Officer, Sing Tao News Corporation 

Mr Hui Sung Piu, Director, Friends of Jao Tsung-i Petite Ecole 

Mr Jackson Tse Kam Pang, Director, Friends of Jao Tsung-i Petite Ecole 

Dr Winnie Ko Pui-shuen BBS JP, Director, Friends of Jao Tsung-i Petite Ecole 

Mr Tong Yue, Director, Friends of Jao Tsung-i Petite Ecole 

Mrs. Mary Suen MH, Honorary Director, Mr Simon Suen and Mrs Mary Suen Sino-Humanitas Institute, Hong Kong Baptist University 

Prof. Zhang Hongsheng, Director of the Mr Simon Suen and Mrs Mary Suen Sino-Humanitas Institute, Hong Kong Baptist University 

Dr Peter Wong, Vice Chairman of the Management Committee of the Jao Tsung-I Academy

Guests and Judges of A Legacy Across Lingnan: Jao Tsung-I in the Greater Bay Area Student Competition Award Ceremony 

Dr Lau Fung Ha Lesley, Director of the Sun Museum, Hong Kong 

Professor Wong Man Kong, Director, Academy of Chinese, History, Religion and Philosophy, Hong Kong Baptist University 

Dr Adam Schwartz, Associate Director, Jao Tsung-I Academy of Sinology, Hong Kong Baptist University 

Dr Sarah Ng, Lecturer of School of Humanities, The University of Hong Kong 

Dr Law Lok Yin, Assistant Professor, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Hong Kong Metropolitan University 

Dr Yiu Shek-on John, Deputy Director of the Jao Tsung-I Petite École, The University of Hong Kong 

Dr Tang Wai Hung Thomas, Honorary Deputy Director of the Jao Tsung-i Petite École, The University of Hong Kong 

Ms Michelle Cheong, Deputy Chairman, The Jao Link 

Dr. Leon Lam, Honorary Advisor, The Jao Link

Dissertation Submissions, Lower Age-Group, First Prize,  Wong Hoi Chak (South Island School) 

Dissertation Submissions, Lower Age-Group, Second Prize, Liang Wai Ian (Hou Kong Middle School)

Dissertation Submissions, Lower Age-Group, Third Prize, He Kun Tat (Hou Kong Middle School)

Dissertation Submissions, Lower Age-Group, Outstanding Achievement Award 

Dissertation Submissions, Middle Age-Group, First Prize,  Ma Hei Man, Ma Kwan Yin (CCC Ming Kei College) 

Dissertation Submissions, Middle Age-Group, Outstanding Achievement Award 

Dissertation Submissions, Higher Age-Group, First Prize, Zhang Zi Xuan (Hong Kong Baptist University) 

Dissertation Submissions, Higher Age-Group, Second Prize, Guo Qian Meng (Hong Kong Baptist University) 

Dissertation Submissions, Higher Age-Group, Outstanding Achievement Award,  Luo Zhiwei (Hong Kong Metropolitan University) 

Creative Artistic Works, Lower Age-Group, First Prize,  Fong Yan Lam (St. Paul's Co-Educational College) 

Creative Artistic Works, Lower Age-Group, Second Prize, Wong Ching Yan (Diocesan Girls' School) 

Creative Artistic Works, Lower Age-Group, Third Prize, Chan Lok Ching (Hong Chi Lions Morninghill School)

Creative Artistic Works, Lower Age-Group, Outstanding Achievement Award 

Creative Artistic Works, Middle Age-Group, First Prize, Deng Chi Kio (Hou Kong Middle School)

Creative Artistic Works, Middle Age-Group, Third Prize, Leong Chon Ian & Wu Yushi (Hou Kong Middle School)

Creative Artistic Works, Middle Age-Group, Outstanding Achievement Award 

Creative Artistic Works, Higher Age-Group, First Prize, Zheng Angqi (Hong Kong Metropolitan University) 

Creative Artistic Works, Higher Age-Group, Second Prize, Zhang Wen Tao (University of Macau)

Creative Artistic Works, Higher Age-Group, Outstanding Achievement Award, Bilal Muhammad (City University of Hong Kong)

Best Participating School: Hou Kong Middle School (Macau)

The Most Dedicated Teacher: Cheong Lok Chang

Congratulations on all yours outstanding achievement! All the awardees truly deserve this recognition.