The first lecture of the 25 projects included in the “Macao Cultural Lecture Series – The Best of Macao”, hosted by the Chinese Cultural Exchange Association and supported by the Macao Foundation, was recently held at Sacred Heart Canossian College (Chinese Section). Professor Wang Zhong, associate dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at City University of Macau (CityU), executive director of the Cross-Strait Cultural Research and Exchange Center, and director of the Chinese Cultural Exchange Association, was invited as the speaker. He shared the life story, academic achievements and inspiration of Wang Zhaoyong, a historical figure who was selected in “The Best of activities in 2024. Six hundred teachers and students attended the lecture, including Sister Law Yuen Ming, ; executive directors of the Chinese Cultural Exchange Association Lei Man Kun and Lam Chin Chi; secretary Lam Sio Ha, among other guests.
Associate Wang Zhong delivered a lecture entitled “Wang Zhaoyong’s Academic life”, offering a clear and insightful overview from four perspectives. He began by outlining Wang Zhaoyong’s life trajectory: born into a scholarly family, he learned from his uncle Wang Quan (one of the “Three Masters of Guangdong”) and the scholar in Chinese Classics Studies Chen Li from Qing Dynasty; later, he attended Xuehai, the highest institution of learning in the Lingnan region, where he made friends with and learned from his peers Zhang Qigan, Chen Qingsheng and Chen Botao; subsequently, he served as an official in various parts of Guangdong, traveling throughout Lingnan and accumulated rich administrative experience and cultural insights. After the Xinhai Revolution in 1911, Wang Zhaoyong chose to seek refuge in Macao, visiting twelve times and residing there intermittently for nearly 14 years, before passing away in Macao in 1939.
In terms of academic research and literary writing, Associate Dean Wang highlighted Wang Zhaoyong’s achievements in historical textual research, epigraphy and genealogy compilation. Regarding literary writing, Wang Zhaoyong’s poem collection, with its 74 poems and detailed annotations, vividly records Macao’s historical sites, changes, and the unique blend of Chinese and Western customs a century ago, earning it the reputation as a “treasure of Macao’s literary treasury”.
The third part of the lecture focused on the life spirit of Wang Zhaoyong. Associate Dean Wang pointed out that amidst the great changes of the times, Wang Zhaoyong consistently upheld his beliefs in traditional culture. At the same time, he distanced himself from his brother Wang Jingwei, who had betrayed the country, in the face of national righteousness, and emphasized under colonial rule that “Macao is Chinese territory”. His later work, The Journey Through Qiguan, written for refugees during the War of Resistance, shifted from personal lament to the suffering of the nation, demonstrating a strong patriotism and concern for the people.
Finally, Associate Dean Wang offered four expectations to the students: First, to read extensively and cherish the golden years of their studies; second, to travel widely and enhance their knowledge with their journeys; third, to learn from teachers and friends and make good use of the resources around them; and fourth, to maintain integrity and patriotism, standing tall and acting uprightly in the face of major issues of right and wrong. He encouraged the students to live up to their youth and strive for a bright future.
CityU has long been committed to serving the community and promoting academic exchange. This lecture also reflected the social responsibility of our faculty member by hosting a lecture at the secondary school and sharing humanistic spirit. Associate Dean Wang expressed his hope for more opportunities to exchange ideas with local teachers and students in the future and jointly explore the profound historical and cultural heritage of Macao.
Source: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
