Bulletin Number One 1982

Mr. Wang Teh-chao Dr. Tarn Sai Wing Obituaries M r Wang Teh-chao In the fall o f 1968, I was accepted by the History Department o f New Asia College, The Chinese University o f Hong Kong. One o f the compulsory courses o f the Department was General History o f the West. The teacher in charge was the late Mr. Wang Teh-chao. Some o f my fellow students found Mr. Wang's Jiangsu-Zhejiang Pu-tong-hua d ifficu lt to compre hend. However, his clear and analytical presentation had impressed us immensely. Though the class was large, he often tried to maintain personal contact w ith us by inviting us individually to his office for a chat. He paid special attention to our term papers. I could still recall vividly the occasion when he took me to the library and helped me look for reference books after I had chosen an out-of-the-way topic for my paper. His care for his students had left an indelible mark on their minds. Mr. Wang had a wide range o f academic interests, covering both Western and Chinese history, w ith modern Chinese history, historical method and historical relations between China and the western world as his specialties. He has translated several important works on European history and history o f Chinese arts. His research on late Qing intellectual history and the thought o f Dr. Sun Yat-sen has been well accepted by historians all over the world. In his student days, Mr. Wang participated in several patriotic student movements. During the Sino- Japanese War, he put aside his studies and plunged into cultural activities in support o f the war efforts, both on the front and in the rear. These experiences had a lasting effect on his attitude towards work and life. Before his retirement in 1977, Mr. Wang was involved in rather heavy administrative duties. However, his enthusiasm for his students was in no way affected. A fter his retirement, he spent most o f his time rearranging his teaching and research materials. In a short period o f three years, he compiled two books on the Qing examination system and the intellectual development o f late Qing. While he was continuing w ith his work, he was suddenly taken away by a stroke. Having devoted fo rty years o f his life to teaching, Mr. Wang w ill be remembered for his thoughtfulness and concern for students. His work in comparative history and modern Chinese studies, too, w ill have a lasting influence on the discipline. - S.T. Kwok D r. Tam Sai Wing It is w ith deep regret that we record the death on 4th July, 1982 o f Dr. Tam Sai Wing, Lecturer in Geography. Dr. Tam graduated from the University o f Hong Kong in 1966 w ith the degree o f B.A. and the degree o f M.A. in 1971. He was then awarded a Common wealth Scholarship to further his studies at The McGill University, where he obtained the Ph.D. degree in 1975. He joined The Chinese University in 1976 and has won the deep affection and respect o f his students and colleagues, not only as a teacher and scholar, but also as a friend. His remarkable contribu tion to teaching was strongly complemented by his unstinting sacrifice o f his own energies in student welfare. The services rendered by him as Coordinator o f Geography at Chung Chi College and Warden o f Ying Lin Tang have particularly endeared him to his students. Besides being a dedicated teacher, Dr. Tam is well known o f course as a distinguished research scholar. He has published numerous research papers in professional journals on problems o f land develop ment and soil erosion in Barbados, slope hydrological and landslide processes, and the landform and geology o f Sai Kung Peninsula. In spite o f his chronic illness, which was dis covered some two years ago, he carried a fu ll teaching and research load. He was so dedicated that even in the month preceding his death, he was still actively preparing lecture material for the coming academic year. Dr. Tam 's untimely death at the age o f 38 is a sad blow to his family and his many friends, students and colleagues. Our sympathy goes to his wife, Anna, and to his five-year old daughter. - Department o f Geography 12