Did you know that the little hill beside the North Gate bus stop has a name? It is called the Fung Shui Ridge! Do you know what its name, "Fung Shui", means? Fung Shui (風水) is the traditional Chinese practice of arranging buildings and spaces. Even thousands of years ago, people understood the importance of the environment on their lives, and sought to improve their living spaces. On a small scale, moving some furniture away from the door or not putting your dining table directly across the toilet is easily doable. But constructing whole mountains to block out cold winds is impossible outside fables. The solution, then, is to simply build around and according to nature. And from these beliefs and actions came Fung Shui, as both a field of study and a way of life. A stranger to Fung Shui may dismiss it as mystical and unscientific.

In a remarkable team effort, the University Archives recently completed installation of a memorial corner dedicated to our late founding president, Prof. Chia-Wei Woo. Did you know that it was Prof. Woo’s vision back in 1990 to establish a university archive for preserving historically significant materials relating to our university? This memorial corner could not showcase such valuable materials without his foresight and commitment to safeguarding our university's history. Within a week of announcing Prof. Woo's passing, our dedicated team collaborated to plan, design, prepare, and assemble a small display at the Library G/F Gallery to honor his memory. Our first step involved selecting items that best reflect Prof. Woo’s connection with the university and his visionary values. Among the treasures selected are three important letters from 1985 and 1987 that mark his appointment as founding president and the university’s founding years.

I was sad to hear the news. He will be missed. I want to share a couple of anecdotes – two of my encounters with him in the early days of the University. I was a very junior staff and only ever knew the President casually, but he knew who I was and always had a smile or a nod. In the early 1990s, HKUST had a dinner party.  I don't recall the event - perhaps a staff association function. After dinner, the mahjong tables were set up and somehow I ended up in a foursome with my boss and the President. I warned them I had barely learned how to play and would be slow - but they needed a fourth and there I was. It was enjoyable, especially as we were only playing for points, and low ones at that. There was much talk, and fun, and tea.

If you have ever been to one of the congregation ceremonies at HKUST, you might be wondering ─ what is that long stick the procession leader is carrying? A staff of some sort, perhaps, but what is it for? Despite its unconventional appearance, this is the University’s ceremonial mace. Most universities have a ceremonial mace displayed on formal occasions like congregations, and HKUST is no exception. Ours is unique in two ways. It is longer than traditional ceremonial maces, measuring over 1.5 meters and weighing in at over 15 kg (35 pounds) ─ as heavy as a small child! And it sports a sleek and modern design that features our university’s emblem, much unlike the ornate designs used by monarchies or other older universities.     Left: A close highlight of the HKUST mace, HKUST Library Right: Chancellor’s mace, figure of Louis XIV, of Saint-Louis at the Palais du Tau, G. Garitan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons   Where did maces come from? Why do they appear in university ceremonies?

Do you know there was a commemorative stamp of HKUST in 1989? I did not, until I saw it today in the Library! The stamp was presented in a first day cover of a set called "Hong Kong Building for the Future," issued on October 5th, 1989. Colored in gold and featuring the academic building, it portrays a budding campus aspiring to be a world-class university. Our University Archives curates a collection of artefacts to preserve the history of the university. Some of them are now being shown on the Library 1/F. Besides the first day cover, another exhibit I find fascinating is the original sketches of the graduation gowns. Thanks to archives colleagues who organize the display, we get to see these interesting items that inspire us to reflect on the growth of HKUST. By the way, "Hong Kong Building for the Future" was a set of 6 stamps. The other five were Cultural Centre, Eastern Harbour Crossing, Bank of China, Convention and Exhibition Centre, and Light Rail Transit.