Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) Library, the School of Arts and Social Sciences (A&SS) and the Tin Ka Ping Centre of Chinese Culture (TKPCCC), and co-organised by the Hong Kong Library Association (HKLA) and the Hong Kong Archives Society (HKAS), the public lecture titled “Destined by Letters: The Preservation and Legacy of Eileen Chang, Stephen Soong and Mae Fong Soong's Manuscripts and Relics” was successfully held on 28 June. A selection of precious manuscripts and personal items from the three literary figures were exhibited at the event, which attracted approximately 100 attendees. The talk was part of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's “Cultural July” programme.

In his welcome address, Prof. Charles Kwong Che-leung, Vice President (Administration and Corporate Development) of HKMU, said that it was a great honour for the University to receive the generous donation of manuscripts and personal belongings of Eileen Chang, Stephen Soong and Mae Fong Soong from Dr Roland Soong and Mrs Elaine Soong Kingman. “The University has treated this invaluable cultural legacy, which holds immense significance for the global Chinese literary community, with the utmost sincerity and professionalism, committing itself to its preservation, heritage, research and promotion,” he said.

Dr Ku Kam-ming, President of HKLA, remarked that the collection held tremendous literary value and had drawn widespread attention within the library sector. He affirmed that the HKMU Library possesses both the expertise and passion to manage this rare and important archive.

Ms Melanie Li, President of HKAS, noted that the collection offers insights into the creative journeys of the authors and reflects the development of Hong Kong's Chinese literary circles and society at large. She commended HKMU for successfully organising a series of talks and exhibitions in a short timeframe and expressed confidence in the University's ability to make the collection accessible to scholars worldwide.

Mr Tang Ho-bill, Associate Librarian of the HKMU Library, discussed the background of the donation and the follow-up work carried out by the dedicated research team and task force. He elaborated on the meticulous standards applied to storage design, conservation protocols, digitisation processes, and the cataloguing of the collections using professional library systems. Mr Tang also highlighted how the HKMU Library leveraged radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to effectively manage the donated items and utilised artificial intelligence-based text-analysis tools to support related digital humanities research.

The moderator, Dr Rebecca Leung Mo-ling, Associate Dean (Administration and Development) of A&SS and Director of TKPCCC, emphasised that the increasing availability of manuscripts and correspondence from Eileen Chang, Stephen Soong and Mae Fong Soong provided valuable primary sources for modern literary research. She highlighted the long-term significance of the donation in shaping future directions in the field.

In his closing remarks, Mr Owen Tam Man-lik, University Librarian of HKMU, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to HKLA and HKAS for their strong support. He said that the HKMU Library is actively preparing for the launch of the Museum of Modern Chinese Literature by the end of 2025, adding that the Library team will continue to promote the spirit of literature, culture and knowledge and ensure that this precious cultural resource benefits a wide audience.