Newsletter No. 309

中大通訊 CUHK Newsletter 聯合學人論漢族之非洲起源 UC Distinguished Visiting Scholar on African Origin of Chinese outstanding contributions to academic and cultural advancement, socio-economic progress, the promotion of the well-being of the people, and the development of the University. Prof. Dale W. Jorgenson, Samuel W. Morris University Professor at Harvard University, and a director of The Chinese University of Hong Kong Foundation, Inc. (USA); The Most Reverend Dr. Peter Kwong Kong-kit, the Archbishop Emeritus of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui; andMr. Alex K. Yasumoto, an eminent entrepreneur and philanthropist were each awarded the degree of Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa . Dr. the Honourable Tung Chee-hwa, GBM, the Vice- Chairman of the Political Consultative Conference of the People’s Republic of China, and the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; was conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa . Their citations were written and delivered by Prof. David Parker, Prof. Samuel H. Cheung, and Prof. Laurence Wong Kwok-pun. In his address, Dr. the Honourable Tung Chee-hwa called on the graduates to seize the moment and rise to the call of the country in a time of great development. In the afternoon, the four constituent Colleges held graduation ceremonies for their students. The guests of honour were Mr. Stanley H.C. Hui, chief executive officer, Hong Kong International Airport (Chung Chi); Dr . Henry H.L. Hu, President of Hong Kong Shue Yan University (New Asia), Mr. Andrew Wong Ho-yuen, Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service (United), and Mrs. Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Technology) (Shaw). The Master’s degree graduation ceremony was held in five sessions at Sir Run Run Shaw Hall on 7 and 8 December. It was presided over by Prof. Wong Wing- shing, Dean of Graduate School. The guests of honour were Dr. Peter Kwong Kong-kit, Archbishop Emeritus of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui; Dr. Ho Tzu-leung, director of S.H. Ho Foundation Ltd. and director of Bethlehem Management Ltd.; Mr. Alan Wong Chi-kong, Commissioner for Transport; Dr. Anthony Neoh, vice- chairman of the Executive Committee of the School of Law, CUHK, and Dr. Patrick Wang, chairman and CEO of Johnson Electric Group. (續 Continued ) 鄺廣傑榮休大主教 (右) 獲曾蔭權博士頒授榮譽社會科學 博士學位 The Most Reverend Dr. Peter Kwong Kong-kit (right) was conferred the degree of Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa , by Dr. Donald Tsang 中 國科學院昆明動物研究所所長張亞平院士 在11月20日於中大邵逸夫堂演講,講題為 「從DNA看中國人的起源與演化歷史」,指出有 強力證據支持中國人源自非洲,而非源於本土。 張亞平院士為聯合書院2007 – 08年度「到訪傑出學 人」,他在講座上指出,現代分子遺傳學,特別 是DNA序列的大量資料,並不支援中國人的本土 起源學說。目前發現的所有中國人群父系遺傳的 Y染色體DNA及母系遺傳的線粒體DNA,其祖先 都可追溯到非洲,因此推斷我們的祖先可能是在六 萬多年前先到達中國南方,再擴散到北方。 張院士是生化多樣性及分子進化的專家,先後於復 旦大學及中國科學院昆明動物研究所取得生物學學 士及博士學位,其後更遠赴美國聖地牙哥瀕危動物 繁殖中心分子遺傳實驗室作研究,成就超卓。張氏 1995年返回中國,2003年獲選為中國科學院院士, 2005年更獲推選為昆明動物研究所所長。他對瀕臨 絕種動物的基因結構和多樣性,以及家畜的起源研 究有方,碩果豐盈,令他在2002年成為首位獲頒生 物多樣性領導大獎的亞洲學者。 張院士在11月訪港期間,於中大主持了兩個講座, 另一講座題目為「亞洲人的線粒體群體基因組研 究」。 P rof. Zhang Yaping, a cademician and director, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a public lecture on ‘The origin and evolution history of Chinese: insight from DNA’ at Sir Run Run Shaw Hall on 20 November. He shared with the audience the evidence in support of the African-origin of modern Chinese. In his lecture, Prof. Zhang, United College Distinguished Visiting Scholar 2007–08, pointed out that current molecular genetic evidence, especially DNAsequence data, does not support an in situ origin of modern Chinese. All the identified Y-chromosome and mitochondrial alleles in current Chinese populations could trace their roots to African lineages, which provide solid evidence in support of the African origin of modern Chinese. The ancestors of modern Chinese probably first arrived in the southern part of China around 60,000 years ago and moved northwards. Prof. Zhang is an expert in biodiversity and molecular evolution. He gained his Bachelor’s degree from Fudan University and received his Doctoral degree at the Kunming Institute of Zoology. He studied the molecular evolution and hereditary diversity of animals in the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species in San Diego from 1992 to 1994 and returned to China in 1995. In 2003, Prof. Zhang was elected a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and was further elected the director of the Kunming Institute of Zoology in 2005. The fruitful outcomes of Prof. Zhang’s research on the genomics and diversity of endangered species as well as the origin and diversity of domestic animals have made him the first Asian scholar to receive the Biodiversity Leadership Award in 2002. During his visit to the College in November, he delivered two public lectures. The other one was titled ‘Mitochondrial Population Genomics of Asians’. 張亞平院士講解中國人來自非洲的學說及證據 Prof. Zhang Yaping shared the evidence in support of the African origin of modern Chinese

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