This year sees the tenth anniversary of the founding of the Hong Kong Baptist University Jao Tsung-I Academy of Sinology, and on 13 January 2023 (Friday), the Academy staged an event to mark the occasion. At the ceremony, the Academy and assembled distinguished guests looked back on the wealth of activities of the preceding ten years and ahead at plans for development for the future, and at the same time held a book launch for three volumes of The Collected Works of Jao Tsung-i: Xuantang Anthology and “Hearing from Within: An Exhibition of Calligraphy and Paintings by Professor Jao Tsung-I”. The ceremonies were held amidst a happy, celebratory, and lively atmosphere to the satisfaction of all.

Many distinguished guests and scholars attended the celebrations included Ms Angeline Yiu Ching Fun, Permanent President, Jao Studies Foundation, Dr. Simon Suen, Founding President, Development Committee of the HKBUJAS, Professor Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, Professor Albert Chan Sun-Chi, President Emeritus of HKBU and Professor Chen Zhi, Director of the Jao Tsung-I Academy of Sinology.

After the exuberant opening of the video clip, President Wai took the lead with his welcoming address. He indicated that since the establishment of the Academy in 2013, in terms of conferences held, scholarly publications, research collaboration, and other areas, notable success of the Academy has been achieved. President Emeritus Professor Albert Chan, who had promoted and witnessed the establishing of the Academy at the outset, reminisced in his words of encouragement regarding the fortuitous coincidences that had led to its founding ten years ago and the efforts that had been made in this regard, and reaffirmed the value and significance of the contribution that the Academy had made as a scholarly platform that had surpassed present expectations and promised to enrich the future generations. By the playing of pre-recorded video messages, guests were also able to view congratulatory messages from Professor Stuart Christie, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts of HKBU, Professor Ronald Egan of Stanford University, Professor William Nienhauser of the University of Wisconsin, and Professor Edward Shaughnessy of the University of Chicago.

The occasion doubled as the book launch of the first three volumes of The Collected Works of Jao Tsung-i: Xuantang Anthology. President Wai expressed his affirmative appraisal of the high quality of the series and considered that it was a practical contribution to the promotion of wider circulation of Master Jao’s scholarly works, and expressed his deepest thanks for the support afforded to this venture by the Jao Studies Foundation and Simon Suen Foundation. Via a pre-recorded video, Professor Lee Chack Fan, Chairman of Management Board, Jao Studies Foundation, expressed that the publication of Xuantang Anthology would aid in the greater dissemination of Master Jao’s scholarly works both in China and the West, and assist in promoting the development of Jao Studies.

Ms Angeline Yiu Ching Fun, Permanent President, Jao Studies Foundation shared her pleasure at witnessing the publication of the English translations of Professor Jao’s scholarly works, and expressed her sincerest gratitude to the scholars, editorial team, and publishers involved.

Dr Nicholas Williams, a member of the editorial committee of Xuantang Anthology, gave an account of the varied themes of the first three published volumes, and one by one introduced the scholarly backgrounds of the translators and related information, among whom, Dr Colin Huehns, translator of Essays in Chinese Musicology, played a mellifluous erhu solo to the gathering.

To close the proceedings, Professor Chen Zhi, Director of the Academy, expressed his heartfelt thanks to all concerned. He recounted in detail the achievements of the past ten years, which included upwards of 150 international scholarly conference lectures put on by the Academy, cooperation and exchange with partner institutions and publishers, and the fostering of future generations of scholars. He also expressed his gratitude to the assembled distinguished guests and friends for their unstinting support for the growth of the Academy. The Xuantang doctoral programme recruited and trained by the Academy also expressed their congratulatory emotions in pre-recorded videos. Professor Chen then introduced to the assembled guests the programme of activities that the Academy will promote in 2023 and warmly invited all to participate in them.

After the ceremonies had concluded, in the company of Professor Chen, the distinguished guests and scholars viewed “Hearing from Within: An Exhibition of Calligraphy and Paintings by Professor Jao Tsung-i”, which exhibited many fine paintings by Professor Jao Tsung-i, for example: Zerun sifang 澤潤四方 (Victoria Peak after the Rain), Jin lianhua 金蓮花 (The golden lotus), and Duole changnian 多樂長年 (The multiple joys of longevity), which are among Master Jao’s most treasured and profound creations. The assembled distinguished guests were absorbed by viewing them, and many photographs were taken beside Master Jao’s works to commemorate the occasion.

Master Jao engaged in scholarly pursuits for over seventy years and his profound learning fueled his faith in and understanding of the Way. Ever since its inauguration, the Academy has followed in the footsteps of Master Jao and perpetuated his scholarship in his beloved Hong Kong. We would like, most sincerely, to thank Master Jao and his family for their staunch support of and benevolence towards the Academy and its numerous events and activities over the years. The grant of copyright for using the master’s calligraphy and paintings on the covers of our publications not only makes them stand out, but also embodies the connection between the Academy and the Master. For that reason, the present exhibition showcases all of the works that Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole has graced our covers in the past decade to celebrate this extraordinary bond.