Newsletter No. 47

No.47 October 1993 CUHK Newsletter In modem terms, 博 (Bo) means to broaden; 文 (wen) means all kinds of knowledge and learning in various writings and seen in nature and human affairs; 約 ( y ue ) is to exercise control and restraint; and 禮(li) refers to order and rites of propriety in individual homes and in society. 'Bo wen' is therefore to broaden one's intellectual horizon, and 'yue li' is to keep within the bounds of propriety. The phrase is taken from the Confucian Analects (論語), one of the Four Books that expound the basic tenets and precepts of Confucianism. Confucius (551-479 BC) was recorded to have said: The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right.' (James Legge's translation of the Four Books) The motto was proposed by the Chinese Department of New Asia College in 1964, and in choosing it as its motto, the University is laying equal emphasis on the intellectual and moral aspects of education. Chun g Chi Coleg e Emble m As an institution that follows the education tradition of pre-1949 Christian universities in mainland China, Chung Chi College has an emblem with strong religious overtones. It features a cross on a lotus with auspicious clouds on both sides. The cross represents the teachings of Christ while the lotus symbolizes Buddhist philosophy. The clouds, according to some, denote the presence of the Holy Spirit. Taken together, the emblem signifies Western religious teaching meeting with philosophies of the East 一 an encounter that has the blessing of the Holy Spirit. It was designed by an economics student of Chung Chi College back in 1952-53 and has been adopted as the college emblem since 1954. The original emblem was rectangular in shape, with the college name written in the upper comers and the college motto at the bottom. After the establishment of the University, it took its present shape of a shield. The name of the college in Chinese means 'to honour (崇） Christ (基)'. The college motto consists of four characters 止 於 至 善 , which means 'to rest in the highest excellence'. The phrase is taken from the Book of the Great Learning (大學), one of the Four Books which begins with: 'What the Great Learning teaches is to illustrate illustrious virtue, to renovate the people, and to rest in the highest excellence.' (James Legge 's translation of the Four Books) Hence the mission of Chung Chi College is to provide students with an education that has regard to both Christian and Chinese virtues, and that would not rest in anything short of the highest excellence. New Asi a Coleg e Emble m Circular in shape, the New Asia College emblem shows two figures surrounded by the college name in both English and Chinese, and separated by the college motto 誠明 in the middle of the circle. The figure on the left with a dove in his hands represents Confucius, and the one on the right represents Lao Tzu, an older contemporary of Confucius who founded the school of thought known as Taoism. The design is said to have been inspired by the story of Confucius going to Lao Tzu with a dove as a present and asking to be instructed by him in the rites. The meeting of the two sages was recorded in Shi Chi (Records of the Historian 史記), the first general history of China written in the first century BC. The emblem is highly symbolic of New Asia College's educational ideal of promoting and promulgating traditional Chinese culture. It was the work of a student who took part in New Asia College's emblem design competition held in its early years. 5