Modern Chinese Literature Collection

Eileen Chang holds an eminent position in the Chinese literary world. In November 2024, Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) had the honor of receiving a generous donation from Dr Roland Soong, the administrator of the late Eileen Chang’s estate, and his sister, Mrs Elaine Soong Kingman. This donation includes a collection of valuable manuscripts, personal items, and correspondence between Eileen Chang and her close friends, Stephen Soong and Mae Fong Soong (the parents of the Soong siblings), among others. These materials provide insight into Eileen Chang’s creative journey and the influence of the Soong couple on her work and personal development. This donation ensures that these invaluable documents and genuine items will be permanently housed at HKMU, enriching the literary community and researchers, and promoting the study of modern Chinese literature and digital humanities innovation.

To preserve and pass on these precious documents and items, and to promote related research, HKMU’s School of Arts and Social Sciences, in collaboration with the University Library, has established a research team and curated the “Eileen Chang Special Collection” and the “Stephen Soong and Mae Fong Soong Special Collection”. Through digital humanities research, they are building an archival records and digital images repository. Plans are also underway for a public exhibition, allowing the public to gain a multifaceted understanding of the literary contributions and achievements of Eileen Chang and the Soong couple, and to highlight Hong Kong’s significant role in the development of Chinese literature worldwide.