CUHK
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The University Library System of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is proud to present the exhibition “A Hanlin Scholar’s Legacy: Handwritten Letters to Lai Chi-hsi from Distinguished Contemporaries” from 27 October to 30 November in the Exhibition Hall of the University Library.

Lai Chi-hsi (1865 – 1937), an imperial scholar in the Qing Dynasty, resided in Hong Kong after the 1911 Revolution. In the early twentieth century, he established the Chinese Department at The University of Hong Kong. He was also a founder of the Hok Hoi Library and the Tsung Tsin Association.

The authors of the letters include those who, after the 1911 Revolution, continued to follow Puyi, the last Emperor of China, and those who returned to their hometown having been dismissed from the Forbidden City. Some authors chose Hong Kong and Macau as their temporary dwelling places.

Over 70 ink brush handwritten letters from the Qing Dynasty to early Republican China will be on display. These letters feature a wide range of content from simple expressions of regard to serious discussion of the political situation. In admiring the beauty of each individual’s brush strokes, it is hoped that visitors will appreciate the art of Chinese calligraphy and will be enriched in their knowledge of early twentieth century Chinese culture. The exhibition will be open to the public with details as follows: