Newsletter No. 346

No. 346, 4.11.2009 NEWS & EVENTS (接上頁 Continued ) Professor Tang stressed that the study of Hong Kong history should not be confined to local findings. For a balanced picture, it was important to weave the different threads of East Asian history. He has conducted other field archaeological projects in Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Japan and Russia. He discovered that jade sling rings, dating back to 7,000 or 8,000 years ago, found in North-east China, the Russian coastline and the Hokuriku region of Japan were very similar in craftsmanship. This finding could shed light on the relations of different regions in ancient times. It also provided a new perspective to the belief that Japan was in isolation during the New Stone Age. Huaitu Club to Promote Archaeology To promote archaeology, Professor Tang teaches the subject and organizes Huaitu Club which welcomes master graduates of history interested in archaeology. Led by Professor Tang, they will have the opportunities to excavate archaeological sites and learn through practice. Members are also required to serve as voluntary docents at archaeological exhibition galleries in CUHK and promote archaeology to secondary school students. Professor Tang’s unrelenting efforts at promoting archaeology in this tiny city have earned him global recognition. He was named corresponding member of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut in February 2009. He was the 12th scholar on mainland China to win this accolade in the last 60 years and the first from Hong Kong and Macau. Founded in 1829, the institute is one of the oldest archaeological research agencies in the world and its corresponding membership is a well-recognized honour in the field. 千古軼事地底尋 Buried Stories 烈日當空，汗流浹背，考古學家在這樣環境下奮力揮鋤， 再逐分逐寸爬梳，每片出土文物都血汗交織。它們帶出一 個個動人故事，導人迫近歷史的真相，使人忘卻當初的勞 苦。鄧教授憶述：「考古學家在越南曾發掘到一男一女的 墳墓，他倆的陪葬品各是半塊玉玦，應是一塊玉玦掰成兩 半，想是期望來生再續前緣！你看，多浪漫的故事﹗」 淒美以外，還有不少有趣發現。有一次他們在中國興隆窪 挖掘出一對玉耳環，兩只大小完全一樣，放上電子秤，同是 二十三克，教人嘖嘖稱奇：「八千年前，用甚麼技術可製出 兩只重量相同的玉耳環呢？」 古玉器固然珍貴，糞便竟也是 考古學家的至寶。原來糞便 的化石往往含有食物殘渣、 寄生蟲卵、昆蟲和花粉等，考 古學家可從而估計古人的飲 食習慣和病理。鄧教授曾講 授「廁所考古學」，藉着這個 人類日常生活文明的課程令 同學對考古興趣大增。 Archaeologists often have to toil under the burning sun and each piece of artifact is the result of much hard work. However, the experience is also immensely rewarding for it brings people closer to historical truths and it often reveals touching stories. And it is this that makes archaeologists forget the tough times. Professor Tang recalled, ‘Once, a team of archaeologists discovered in Vietnam a burial ground of a man and a woman each with half of a jade sling ring as burial objects. The two halves matched to form a complete ring. It’s believed that the couple was hoping to reunite in the afterlife. See? What a romantic story!’ Archaeologists also found a pair of jade earrings from Xinglongwa on the mainland, that were completely symmetrical. To their surprise, they also weighed exactly 23 grams each. ‘What technique did men 8,000 years ago employ to make these twin jade earrings?’ In the eyes of archaeologists, jade is valuable, but so is excrement. The fossils of excrement containing food debris, eggs of parasites, insects and pollen can provide much information about the eating habits and pathology of the ancient man. From experience, Professor Tang said that ‘toilet archaeology’ is very successful at arousing student s’ interest in archaeology subject. 興隆窪文化時期的 玦飾，充分展現對稱之美。 The slit rings of the Xinglongwa culture express the beauty of symmetry totally 日本鎌倉米町遺址發現的廁坑及腳踏木板遺跡。 Relics of an ancient toilet in Japan 沈祖堯教授獲推薦為校長候選人 Prof. Joseph Sung Recommended for CUHK Vice-Chancellorship 香 港中文大學校長遴選委員會於10月20日向校董會 推薦沈祖堯教授為校長候選人。現為逸夫書院院 長及醫學院副院長的沈教授對此感到榮幸。校董會將安 排他與大學成員，包括教職員、學生和校友會面，然後於 11月10日舉行特別會議，考慮委員會的建議和大學成員的 意見，再作出決定。 A t the University Council meeting on 20 October, CUHK’s Search Committee for Appointment of Vice-Chancellor recommended Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung for the Vice-Chancellorship of the University. Professor Sung, currently head of Shaw College and associate dean of the Faculty of Medicine, said that he was honoured to be recommended as the candidate. After arranging Professor Sung to meet members of the University including staff, students and alumni, the Council will hold a special meeting on 10 November to consider the recommendation of the Search Committee and the views of CUHK members before deciding on the Vice-Chancellor appointment. • 本校EMBA課程排名全球十九 CUHK EMBA Ranked 19th Worldwide 本 校行政人員工商管理碩士課程（EMBA）在10月19日《金融時報》發布的全球 EMBA排名中名列十九。是次排名共評核了全球九十五個EMBA課程。自2001年 該報首次舉辦全球EMBA排名始，中大EMBA課程一直高踞首二十名內。 中大EMBA課程在校友薪酬、薪金升幅、工作經驗、國際諮詢委員會和女性教職員比例等 幾個範疇的得分明顯佔優，而校友薪酬更高踞全球第五，即使面對金融海嘯的衝擊，薪金 升幅也高達百分之六十四。 中大EMBA課程的特點除了是香港製造外，還有雙語教學。在全球首二十位的課程中，只 有中大和瑞士的IMD是採用雙語教學。 I n the EMBA ranking 2009 released by Financial Times on 19 October, CUHK’s EMBA Programme was ranked 19th. The programme has been consistently ranked among the world’s top 20 EMBA programmes since the ranking was first launched in 2001. It scored high in areas such as alumni’s salary today, salary increase, work experience, international advisory board, and women faculty. Alumni’s salary is the fifth highest in the world. The programme’s graduates also achieved a high salary increase rate of 64% this year despite the volatile market situation after the global financial tsunami. The programme is distinguished not only as a uniquely Hong Kong programme, but also one of the two programmes in the top 20 that adopt a bilingual medium of teaching (the other being IMD in Switzerland). •