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"of the Chinese language, and we want that school not only to teach Chinese to those who are not Chinese by race but who are going to spend their working lives in China, but also to investigate that most pressing problem, how Chinese can be most effectively and ex- peditiously taught to those to whom it is not a mother tongue. In other words, we want our Chinese Faculty to include a Chinese language school and, situated as Hong Kong is at the gate of the Pacific, we decline to admit that we are merely building a fantastic air castle when, as we peer into the future, we see this school of the Hong Kong University standing as a monument to British statesmanship, a monument whose fame has spread through- out the civilised world. After all, what we want to do is now being attempted nowhere. What is in store for the island of Hong Kong lies on the lap of the gods who do not reveal their secrets, but so long as Hong Kong is the port of the Pacific, so long will there be a school of higher learning and research. It may seem impertinent to sug- gest that this University will outlive the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, but such at least is my conviction, if not my hope."
I now give an extract from a speech made at the Annual
Congregation in 1929 by His Excellency Sir Cecil Clementi,
K.C.M.G., Chancellor of the University:-
"I cannot but ask myself, "what is the special contrib- ution which this University should make to Hong Kong, to China, to the world?", and I beg you to bear with me while I endeavour in the fewest words possible to answer these 'obstinate questionings.'
At the outset let me remind you that the Colony of Hong Kong is the principal meeting-ground of the British and Chinese civilizations. Here, therefore, better than any- where else on the face of the earth, the Chinese may learn those lessons which Great Britain can teach them and Britishers may study things Chinese. Now, if two foreign peoples are to understand one another, they must begin by learning each other's languages, reading each other's literature and history, and familiarizing themselves with each other's manners and customs.. So I venture to sugg- est that the most important contribution which the Hong Kong Unversity can make to this Colony is to afford Britishers the opportunity of associating with Chinese