Media

HKU appoints world-renowned Sinologist Professor Jao Tsung-I
Inaugural University Laureate

10 Jan 2014

 

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Professor Lap-Chee Tsui presented the title of University Laureate to world-renowned distinguished Sinologist Professor Jao Tsung-I at the University Laureate Presentation Ceremony today (January 10, Friday).

The University Laureate, established in 2013, is the highest academic honour that the University can bestow. The appointment recognises academics who have made extraordinary scholarly contributions to the academic world, whose work is regarded as paradigm changing, definitive or canonical in their discipline, who have strived to serve and bring positive changes to society, and who have received international acclaim. The HKU Senate earlier resolved to appoint Professor Jao as the inaugural University Laureate.

HKU Chair of Education Professor Cheng Kai-ming, who delivered the citation at the ceremony, said the appointment of Professor Jao Tsung-I represented not only a celebration of the achievements of a prominent academic, but also a reinvigoration and reinterpretation of the university motto Sapientia et Virtus , which literally mirrors the Chinese mingde gewu (明德格物).

“Through his meticulous and rigorous research, such as his application of western and scientific methods to ancient Chinese materials, Professor Jao has enriched and expanded the concept of research. In seeking the true meaning of scientific understanding, and in interpreting and explaining the objective world, he exemplifies the essence of gewu(格物). His virtuous character, integrity and generous disposition illuminate the human virtue: Professor Jao is an outstanding scholar who embodies the essence of mingde(明德),” said Professor Cheng, adding that Professor Jao is an exceptional scholar whose intellectual profundity and academic repertoire extend far beyond the confines of any honour bestowed upon him.

Professor Jao’s lifelong passion for art and culture has found expression in over a thousand publications, as well as in his poetry, calligraphy and paintings. More than eight decades of relentless academic pursuit have led him to transform and pioneer studies in many disciplines. His research is broad and diverse, covering history, archaeology, literature, culture, education, religion and art. He is also an acclaimed expert in finer specialist areas including the study of Confucian Classics, Buddhist scripts, oracle bone inscriptions, historiography, epigraphy, folklore, historical musicology, linguistics, comparative cultural studies, translation and history of fine arts. His pioneering research on Dunhuang materials has firmly established Dunhuang studies as a major discipline in modern sinology.

“His spirit will ever illuminate the academic community at the University of Hong Kong.” Professor Cheng said.

The President of the China Institute of Culture Professor Xu Jialu was the officiating guest at the ceremony. He took the opportunity to congratulate Professor Jao and thank him for his contributions to academia in China and the world.

Professor Xu said: “What we are celebrating today are not just Professor Jao’s achievements. We are in fact expecting a great Chinese cultural renaissance prophesied through the appearance of such a great scholar as Professor Jao.  His life-long academic endeavours have proved to be inspiring to all contemporary and rising Chinese academics on what a scholar and a human should be.”

Professor Lee Chack Fan, Director of Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole, delivered a vote of thanks on behalf of Professor Jao.

Professor Jao has been in association with HKU for more than sixty years. He taught at the University of Hong Kong from 1952 to 1968, where he started his study of Dunhuang. The Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole was established in 2003 with a generous donation by Professor Jao of his collection of over 40,000 books (including rare and antique volumes) and about 200 of his artworks.

For photos of the ceremony, please visit http://www4.hku.hk/photos/index.php/for_media_only/gallery  .

For the citation and speeches, please visit: http://hku.hk/others/Ulaureate.html

Biography of Professor Jao Tsung-I

Professor Jao Tsung-I is a world renowned Chinese sinologist who has dedicated nearly eight decades of his life to scholarly research, art and education.

He is well recognized for his versatile scholarship, which can be classified into 13 fields or categories, namely Ancient Chinese History, Oracle Bones, Bamboo & Silk Scripts, Confucian Classics, Confucian Rituals, Religions, Chu Ci (The Songs of the South, a grand anthology of Chinese verse dating back to 4th century BC), Regional History, Sino-Foreign Cultural Relationships, Dunhuang Studies, Bibliographic Research, Chinese Classical Literature and Art History.

In his prolific scholarly life, he has published over 80 books and around 900 papers. He also excels in poetic writing, calligraphy, Guqin (an ancient Chinese musical instrument) playing and Chinese painting, with publication of over 10 poetic collections and dozens of artistic catalogues.

Aided by his proficiency in traditional Chinese literary texts as well as in several other languages, and by his profound understanding of the importance of historical facts and the scientific approach of textual criticism, Professor Jao has been constantly contributing new findings and insights to various fields of sinology research. Many of his studies have led to acclaim and profound impact in the international academic community. His scholarly contributions to sinology and to Chinese civilization studies are widely regarded as extraordinary.

Professor Jao has served in the Chinese Department at the University of Hong Kong as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Professor, and today remains its Honorary Professor. He served as the first Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Chinese Studies at the National University of Singapore.  He has held a Visiting Professorship at Yale University, and a Research Professorship at the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, Taipei. At the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he has been Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, and remains an Emeritus Professor, while also serving as Wai Lun Chair Professor of the Institute of Chinese Studies and the Department of Fine Arts. He has taught in the École pratique des hautes etudes at the École française d'Extrême-Orient as a visiting professor and lectured at Kyoto University. He has served as Chair Professor of the Faculty of Arts as well as Director of the Department of Chinese Literature and History, Postgraduate School of the University of East Asia, Macau.

With decades of pioneering and highly productive research in Dunhuang and Turfan studies, Professor Jao contributed greatly both to the advocacy of scholarly research and to cultural conservation as well. He is the founder of The Hong Kong Center for Dunhuang and Turfan Studies and The Journal of the Dunhuang and Turfan Studies, which has been widely praised by international academia.  Professor Jao has been awarded a Special Prize for Contributions to the Protection of Dunhuang Relics by Gansu Provincial Government and National Bureau of Relics, China.

Professor Jao has donated his collection of over 40,000 books (including rare and antique volumes) and about 200 of his artworks to the University of Hong Kong, and the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole was therefore established to promote his assiduous spirit of scholarly pursuit.

Professor Jao has received honorary doctorates from a number of world-renowned universities and is an Honorary Graduate of the University of Hong Kong. He is an elected Academician of the École Française d'Extrême-Orient in France, Officier de L’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France, and is the first Asian sinologist to be named an Associate Foreign Member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, Institut de France. He is also an Academician of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences.

He has been awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal, the Life Achievement Award of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Chinese National Academy of Arts, and is an elected Fellow of the China Central Research Institute of Culture and History, the only Fellow from Hong Kong.

The University Laureate

Over the past century, the University has committed itself to creating knowledge, providing education, and serving society. Today, HKU is internationally recognized as a research-led comprehensive university, with frontier research endeavours and scholarly achievements that have won it worldwide acclaim.

The University Laureate title was established in 2013 as a purely academic award to recognise, celebrate and encourage extraordinary, world-class scholarship by individuals who have been in association, or have committed to be associated, with the University.

The University Laureate is the highest academic honour that the University can bestow. The appointment recognises academics who have made extraordinary scholarly contributions to the academic world, whose work is regarded as paradigm changing, definitive or canonical in their discipline, who have strived to serve and bring positive changes to society, and, who have received international acclaim.

For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk ; Ms Melanie Wan (Senior Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk ; or Ms Rhea Leung (Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2857 8555 email: rhea.leung@hku.hk .