Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2002

Ci tation Dr. Lui Che W o o A r r i v i ng in Ho ng Kong by air, whether as a first-time visitor or as a h ome - c om i ng citizen, one c annot h e lp b u t be impressed by the magnificence of the International Airport at Chek Lap Kok. Leaving the airport and proceeding to the splendid Tsing Ma Bridge that spans the emerald sea, one's breath is further taken away by the immense developments of tower blocks that line the wa y to town. These sights inspire awe and elicit praise, for H o n g K o n g is i n d e ed a great me t r o p o l is mu c h frequented by the captains of commerce and industry. However, as Hong Kong continues to fascinate, few have given mu ch thought to how the splendours have come about, and who are the unsung heroes that have laboured hard for this cause, quietly and behind the scenes. Dr. L ui Che Woo, the renowned ‘King of the Quarry', is one of these remarkable personages whose devotion to Ho ng K o n g is man i f e s t ed t h r o u gh o u t s t a n d i ng achievements a nd substantial contributions to the c ommu n i t y. Dr. L u i 's K. Wah Gr oup was one of the builders of the H o ng Ko ng International Airport, and the principal supplier of tar to the Tsing Ma Bridge. The concrete products of the K. Wah Group have been extensively used in public- and private-sector building projects over the years, providing a f i rm foundation to the tower blocks that stand in every corner of Kow l o on and Ho ng Kong. Dr. L u i Che Woo is an o u t s t a n d i ng entrepreneur and a p h i l a n t h r o p i s t of note. H i s f a m i l y o r i g i n a t ed i n X i n h u i , Guangdong, and his grandfather, having spent years in the United States, moved to Ho ng Kong and bought properties here. Dr. Lui's father was a garment manufacturer and took his son, then aged four, to Ho ng Kong. Che Woo completed primary school here and then entered a grammar school, but his studies were interrupted by the Second World War and the Japanese occupation. A teenager at the time, L ui Che Woo learnt how to survive and indeed thrive i n the face of adversity. Despite a raging wa r, r ampant famine and w i de devastation, he made good use of his exceptional talent and an acute business sense to exploit opportunities. Thus began a distinguished career in commerce. In his wartime achievements one may also see the beginnings of that remarkable commercial 4 6 Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 2002