CU Book Festival 2026 : Well-Read in Spring
- Feb 23
- 15 min read
Updated: Mar 30
In this glorious spring, let books be our companions.
Thousands of books await your discovery.
Through book sharing, let wisdom unfold,
Looking forward to finding inspiration together.
【Book Crossing Pavilion】
Thanks to the unwavering support from The Chinese University of Hong Kong community and our friends, the CU Book Festival 2026 has received over 20,000 second-hand books for the “Book Crossing Pavilion”. This pavilion provides an opportunity for University students and staff to visit and select their favourite books. As spring returns to the campus, immerse yourself in a sea of books and find the one that belongs to you. Let’s give these treasures a chance to start a new journey and continue their story in the hands of fellow CUHK members.
Date: 10 - 31 March 2026
Date | Opening Hours |
Monday to Friday | 10:30 am - 7:00 pm |
Saturday | 11:30 am - 4:00 pm |
Sunday | Closed |
Venue: Room 502, Wong Foo Yuan Building
Rule of book-taking: Upon presentation of the CU Link, each CUHK student or staff member is eligible to collect a maximum of 30 books for free.
【Book Talks and Workshop】
Eight sessions of book talks and a workshop will be arranged. The details are listed as follows. Please click on the event title to learn more.
All sessions are open to CUHK students and staff. The sessions Cancer’s Young Face: The Adolescent and Young Adult Thrivers in Hong Kong, Reconnection and Innovation - My Journey on Confucianism Research and Memory, Testimony and the Reconstruction of Humanities will also be open to CUHK alumni and the public.
Book Talk | Guest(s) | Date | Time | Venue |
Mr. Keith Ho | 18 March 2026 (Wednesday) | 7:00 – 8:30 pm | LT4, Lee Shau Kee Building | |
Prof. Cheung Yin Ting, Dr. Chan Kai Tai, Ms. Lauren Lau and Mr. Andrew Lau | 20 March 2026 (Friday) | 5:30 – 6:30 pm | Kai Chong Tong Auditorium, CUHK Medical Centre | |
Mr. Ken So Kwok Yin, Ms. Natalie Lam Yeuk Ngan, Ms. Ng Tsz Ning | 23 March 2026 (Monday) | 7:00 – 8:30 pm | LT4, Lee Shau Kee Building | |
Mr. Yu Yi | 24 March 2026 (Tuesday) | 7:00 – 8:30 pm | LT1, Lee Shau Kee Building | |
Prof. Cheng Chung Yi | 30 March 2026 (Monday) | 7:00 – 9:00 pm | LT1B, Cheng Yu Tung Building | |
Prof. Poon Ming Kay | 9 April 2026 (Thursday) | 7:00 – 9:00 pm | LT 3, Lee Shau Kee Building | |
Prof. Leo Lee | 13 April 2026 (Monday) | 6:00 – 7:30 pm | Sir Run Run Shaw Hall | |
Prof. Max Xiaobing Tang | 17 April 2026 (Friday) | 4:30 – 6:30 pm | VR Zone, Learning Garden, University Library | |
Workshop | Guest(s) | Date | Time | Venue |
Dr. Yim Chi Sing | 20 March 2026 (Friday) | 6:00 – 8:00 pm | User Education Room, University Library |
【Theatre in the Mountain 2025-26】
Screening of Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In*
26 March 2026｜7:00 pm｜Lecture Theatre 1, Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA)｜
125 min｜Category IIB｜Cantonese, with subtitles in English｜Director: Soi Cheang
* Synopsis
Set in the eighties inside the dangerous and enigmatic Kowloon Walled City, which was a de jure Chinese enclave within British colonial Hong Kong, “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” follows troubled youth Chan Lok-kwun as he accidentally enters the Walled City, discovers the order amidst its chaos, and learns important life lessons along the way. In the Walled City, he becomes close friends with brothers. Under the leadership of Tornado, they resist against the invasion of villain Mr. Big in a series of fierce battles. Together, they vow to protect the safe haven that is Kowloon Walled City.
The film won a total of nine awards at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Film and Best Director.
Registration of Theatre in the Mountain, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
CUHK Students and Staff: https://cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/webform/view.php?id=1372852
【Registration of Book Talks and Workshop】
Registration of Book Talks (except Cancer’s Young Face: The Adolescent and Young Adult Thrivers in Hong Kong):
CUHK Students and Staff: https://cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/webform/view.php?id=13726331
CUHK Alumni and Public (For the talks of the Reconnection and Innovation - My Journey on Confucianism and Research, and the Memory, Testimony and the Reconstruction of Humanities only): https://cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/webform/view.php?id=13728014
Registration of Cancer’s Young Face: The Adolescent and Young Adult Thrivers in Hong Kong:
CUHK Students, Staff, Alumni and Public: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1983053506420?aff=oddtdtcreator
Registration of Workshop, Learning Calligraphy and Writing Chinese Couplets:
CUHK Students and Staff: https://cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/webform/view.php?id=13727113
【Exhibition of Good Reads at University Library】
Recommended Reading in CU Book Festival 2026 will be exhibited in the University Library. CUHK students, staff, and holders of valid CUHK Library Cards are welcome to visit and borrow the books.
Date: 10 March - 26 April 2026
Venue: G/F, University Library
Date | Opening Hours |
Monday to Friday | 8:20 am - 10:00 pm |
Saturday | 8:20 am - 7:00 pm |
Sunday | 11:00 am - 7:00 pm |
【Preferential Offer of New Books】
University Bookstore
Purchase of the Recommended Reading of the CU Book Festival 2026 will meet with a 20% discount for CUHK students and staff.
Address: 1/F, Yasumoto International Academic Park, CUHK
Discount period: 10 March - 17 April 2026
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press
CUHK students, staff and alumni can enjoy a 20% discount and receive a free cultural and creative gift when purchasing CUHK Press publications and other distributed titles at its CUP Corner.
Address: G/F, Lady Ho Tung Hall, Clinic Road, CUHK
Discount period: 10 March - 17 April 2026
【Book Talk and Workshop Details】
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Event: Preserving the Taste of Hong Kong through Food Literature
Speaker: Mr. Keith Ho
Date: 18 March 2026 (Wednesday)
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre 4, Lee Shau Kee Building
Language: Cantonese
Quota: 150
Registration: Please click here
Recommended readings:
Name | Author(s) |
《回憶中的香港味道》 | Keith Ho |
1Q84 | Haruki Murakami |
In The Mood For Good Afternoon | Shu Guozhi |
Speaker’s biography: Keith Ho is a Hong Kong cross-media creator. He is a council member of the Hong Kong Novelists Association, a writer, screenwriter, director, film critic, university lecturer, game designer, TV and radio programme host. A passionate foodie, his representative novels include “打邊爐” and the “回憶中的香港味道” series.
About the event:
The flavors of Hong Kong are hidden within its alleyways and literature. In this session, we are honored to invite writer Mr. Keith Ho, who will approach the topic from the perspective of food literature, exploring how local cuisine has been passed down in literary works. Through reading of texts and cultural dialogue, we will savor the aromas within the writing, tracing the memories of Hong Kong’s taste and the footprints of its cultural heritage.
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Event: Cancer’s Young Face: The Adolescent and Young Adult Thrivers in Hong Kong
Speakers: Prof. Cheung Yin Ting, Dr. Chan Kai Tai, Ms. Lauren Lau and Mr. Andrew Lau
Moderator: Kelvin Ho, Diana Yung, Kelly Tsang (Authors of Cancer’s Young Face, Student of MbChB)
Date: 20 March 2026 (Friday)
Time: 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Venue: Kai Chong Tong Auditorium, 10/F CUHK Medical Centre (9 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin)
Language: Cantonese
Quota: 200
Registration: Please click here
The session is open to CUHK students, staff, alumni and the public.
Recommended readings:
Name | Author(s) |
《逆光而行：香港年輕癌症患者的身影》 | 劉璟龍、何國熙、翁琳、曾晞榣 |
Speaker’s biography:
Prof. Cheung Yin Ting is currently the Associate Professor and Associate Director (Research) in the School of Pharmacy of CUHK.
Dr. Chan Kai Tai is the Clinical Professional Consultant and Associate Professor of Practice in Psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine of CUHK
Ms. Lauren Lau is a Lymphoma survivor.
Mr. Andrew Lau is the authors of Cancer’s Young Face, Student of MbChB.
About the event:
Cancer is often perceived as a disease that strikes only in old age. Yet many young people, who are still in the midst of their studies, careers, and dreams, can find their lives abruptly overturned by a diagnosis. In the face of such profound disruption, how could they find strength and hope in the darkness? How do they navigate the long-term physical and mental challenges after recovery?
This talk brings together experts who will discuss the unique psychosocial needs of young cancer patients, as well as several interviewees featured in the book, who will share their personal journeys and engage in dialogue with doctors. Through these authentic stories, , Cancer’s Young Face illuminates how young people reclaim their footing through adversity and safeguard their mental well-being.
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Event: Seeing the Forest in the City: Book Sharing and Urban Imagination
Speakers: Mr. Ken So Kwok Yin (Chief Executive of The Conservancy Association), Ms. Natalie Lam Yeuk Ngan, Ms. Ng Tsz Ning
Moderator: Tam Yan Tung (Student of Chinese Studies Programme)
Date: 23 March 2026 (Monday)
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre 4, Lee Shau Kee Building
Language: Cantonese
Quota: 150
Registration: Please click here
Recommended readings:
Name | Author(s) |
《見樹又見人：通往深水埗的城市森林》 | Natalie Lam Yeuk Ngan, Ng Tsz Ning and Mr. Ken So Kwok Yin |
Speaker’s biography:
Mr. Ken So Kwok-yin is currently the Director of The Conservancy Association, one of Hong Kong’s oldest local environmental NGOs. He has been involved in arboriculture-related work for over 27 years and actively promotes modern tree management, urban forestry, and related educational initiatives. In the past, he has also participated in various committees focused on trees, education, and industry development, aiming to raise public awareness of the importance of trees and tree management through policy, academia, and community engagement.
Ms. Natalie Lam Yeuk Ngan has been dedicated to the preservation of Hong Kong's history and cultural heritage for many years. She currently works as a freelancer, passionate about documenting and writing oral histories of local communities, preserving memories through storytelling. She has curated conservation and publication projects in areas such as Sham Tseng and Cha Kwo Ling. Her work includes Before Kowloon City in transformation: breath of times.
Ms. Ng Tsz Ning is an editor, journalist, and creator. She was formerly an editor at Breakazine. Her reports and opinion pieces have appeared in Ming Pao Weekly, Initium Media, Ming Pao, Christian Times, and more. She enjoys exploring and unpacking the connections and contexts between people, events, and ideas. She is also a learner in farming, she cares deeply about land, nature, and the possibilities of alternative ways of living.
About the event:
In the bustling metropolis, we pass by trees every day—yet we may not truly see them. In this book talk, the speakers use Sham Shui Po as a starting point to explore the symbiotic stories between people and plants through community streets, parks, hillsides, and potted plants. These narratives not only highlight Voluntary greening initiatives but also reveal the challenges faced by urban trees—from tens of thousands being destroyed by typhoons in recent years to the quiet disappearance of small urban forests during redevelopment.
Every tree tells a chapter of Hong Kong’s history, carrying the lives and memories of its people. What kind of community do we truly need? How many trees should there be, and what kinds? Who has the right to decide whether a tree stays or goes? This is more than just a session about Sham Shui Po—it's an invitation. An invitation to open our eyes again, and in this era of reconstruction and development, to reflect on and imagine the present and future of urban forests.
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Event: The dialogue with author Yu Yi regarding Kowloon Walled City: From Novel to Film
Speaker: Mr. Yu Yi
Moderator: Cheung Yi (Student of Department of Translation)
Date: 24 March 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Venue: LT1, Lee Shau Kee Building
Language: Cantonese
Quota: 150
Registration: Please click here
Recommended readings:
Name | Author(s) / Editor(s) |
Lang Ya Bang | Hai Yan |
I belonged to you | Zhang Jia-jia |
Farewell My Concubine | Lilian Lee Pik-Wah |
Kokuhaku | Kanae Minato |
Speaker’s biography:
Hong Kong novelist Yu Yi is the author of the acclaimed 2010 crime fiction City of Darkness set in Kowloon Walled City, and the first Hong Kong novelist to receive the Japan International Manga Award for the multi-issue comic adaptation of his novel. City of Darkness is also the inspiration behind the screenplay for Soi Cheang’s action film Kowloon Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, which has received widespread audience and critical acclaim since its release in May 2024. Yu’s other works include the Z for Zombie series, Roaring Century 1953–1962 and The Creators.
About the event:
In this book talk, the author of Kowloon Walled City, Yu Yi, will share the inspiration and creative journey behind the novel, as well as how he used words to recreate the history and human stories of the Walled City. He will also talk about the process and challenges of adapting the novel into a comic and a film.
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Event: Reconnection and Innovation - My Journey on Confucianism Research
Speaker: Prof. Cheng Chung Yi
Moderator: Dr. Kwan Ho Chuen (Department of Philosophy, Member of Corrupt The Youth)
Date: 30 March 2026 (Monday)
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Venue: LT1B, Cheng Yu Tung Building
Language: Cantonese
Quota: 200
Registration: Please click here
The session is open to CUHK students, staff, alumni and the public.
Recommended readings:
Name | Author(s) / Editor(s) |
Inheritance and Reinvention: Neo-Confucian Philosophy from Song-Ming to Contemporary | Cheng Chung Yi |
Transformation of Confucianism between Ming and Qing Dynasty | Cheng Chung Yi |
Confucian China and Its Modern Fate: A Trilogy | Joseph R. Levenson (Author) Wennan Liu (trans.) |
Speaker’s biography:
Prof. Cheng, born in Hong Kong in 1965, received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He is currently a Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Director of the Research Centre for Chinese Philosophy and Culture, and Chief Editor of The Journal of Chinese Philosophy and Culture. His research areas include Confucian philosophy (pre-Qin, Song, Ming Dynasty, and contemporary periods), the history of Chinese philosophy, and comparative philosophy between Chinese and Western traditions.
His major works include 明清儒學轉型探析——從劉蕺山到戴東原 (first edition: 2000; revised edition: 2009), 儒學、哲學與現代世界 (2010), 從宋明理學到當代新儒家 (2024), and nearly 100 journal articles in both Chinese and English. He is also the editor of 香港中文大學的當代儒者 (2006), 中國哲學研究之新方向 (2014), and New Directions in Chinese Philosophy (2014).
About the event:
Prof. Chung’s scholarly journey was twisted. He transitioned from a television scriptwriter to a researcher of philosophy, focusing on Song–Ming Neo Confucianism through the works of Mou Zongsan. His research further engages with the genealogies, methodologies, and modern challenges of Contemporary New Confucianism. Prof. Chung will share the contemporary development of Confucianism and guide the audience into its profound intellectual world after extensive academic research on the topic.
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Event: A Guide to Life in the 21st Century: The Analects
Speaker: Prof. Poon Ming Kay
Moderator: Dr. Lam Lai Ling (Department of Chinese Language and Literature)
Date: 9 April 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre 3, Lee Shau Kee Building
Language: Cantonese
Quota: 150
Registration: Please click here
Recommended readings:
Name | Author(s) / Editor(s) |
《孔孟以後的孔孟》 | Poon Ming Kay |
《論語本解》 | Sun Qinshan |
《去聖乃得真孔子》 | Li Ning |
The Analects | Disciples of Confucius |
Mencius | Mencius and his disciples |
Speaker’s biography:
He is the Chairman of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Associate Director of the Office of University General Education, Honorary Research Fellow at the D. C. Lau Research Centre for Chinese Ancient Texts of the Institute of Chinese Studies, and Associate Dean and Director of General Education in Wu Yee Sun College. His research interests encompass Confucian classics, Han and Tang exegetical traditions, historical naming taboos, etc. He is a recipient of the CUHK Vice-Chancellor’s Exemplary Teaching Award. His major publications include 孔孟以後的孔孟, 漢書及其春秋筆法, 顏師古經史注釋論叢.
About the event:
What Makes a Classic Truly Timeless? How can words written over two thousand years ago by Confucius still speak to us in 2026? The Song dynasty scholar Cheng Yi once reminded us that people must take the words of the sages to heart. Even now, the wisdom captured in The Analects continues to resonate in our lives and can be a practical guide for our daily lives.
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Event: Memory, Testimony and the Reconstruction of Humanities
Speaker: Prof. Lee Leo Ou Fan
Moderator: Prof. Cheung Lik Kwan (Department of Chinese Language and Literature)
Date: 13 April 2026 (Monday)
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Venue: Sir Run Run Shaw Hall
Language: Putonghua
Quota: 800
Registration: Please click here
The session is open to CUHK students, staff, alumni and the public.
Recommended readings:
Name | Author(s) / Editor(s) |
My Twentieth Century: A Memoir of Leo Ou-fan Lee | Leo Ou-fan Lee |
人文六講 | Leo Ou-fan Lee |
兩間駐望：中西互動下的中國現代文學 | A lecture by Leo Ou-fan Lee, compiled by Xi Yunshu |
Humanism and Democratic Criticism | Edward W. Said |
The Memory Chalet | Tony Judt |
Speaker’s biography:
Prof. Lee Leo Ou Fan is one of the most prominent intellectuals recently. He is a distinguished scholar of Chinese literature, a writer, and a cultural critic. His areas of research are wide-ranging, including modern literature, cultural studies, modern fiction, and movies -fields in which he has made a profound impact on both academia and the broader cultural landscape.
Over the past few decades, Prof. Lee has published nearly twenty books in both Chinese and English, focusing on cultural criticism and academic scholarship. His influential works include Voices from the Iron House: A Study of Lu Xun, Shanghai Modern: The Flowering of a New Urban Culture in China (1930–1945), and The Romantic Generation of Modern Chinese Writers.
Beyond literature, Prof. Lee has a wide array of humanistic interests, particularly in classical music, film, and architectural aesthetics. He has received numerous honors throughout his career, including the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship.
Moderator’s biography:
Prof. Cheung holds a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies from CUHK, and is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at CUHK. He also serves as an assessor for the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, a contributing editorial board member of Reviews and Research on Chinese Literature, an academic editor for O-Square, and an editorial board member of the literary magazine Fleurs des lettres.
He was a visiting scholar at the Harvard-Yenching Institute (2009–2010) and the Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy at Academia Sinica (2019–2020). His representative work, the monograph Qu Qiubai and Transcultural Modernity, received a Recommendation Award in the Literary Criticism category at the 16th Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature (2022).
About the event:
In this book talk, we are honored to welcome Prof. Lee Leo Ou-fan and Prof. Cheung Lik Kwan to join us in exploring the theme “Memory, Testimony, and the Reconstruction of the Humanities.” We will engage in an in-depth dialogue on the significance and process of reconstructing the humanities.
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Event: A Conversation on How to be Happy: Poems by Stephen Dunn
Speaker: Prof. Max Xiaobing Tang
Moderator: Dr. Lam Lai Ling (Department of Chinese Language and Literature)
Date: 17 April 2026 (Friday)
Time: 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Venue: VR Zone, Learning Garden, University Library
Language: Putonghua
Quota: 50
Registration: Please click here
Recommended readings:
Name | Author(s) / Editor(s) |
How to be Happy: Poems by Stephen Dunn | Tang Xiaobing (trans.) |
Aimless Love: New and Selected Poems by Billy Collins | Tang Xiaobing (trans.) |
Different Hours: Poems | Stephen Dunn |
What Goes On: Selected and New Poems 1995-2009 | Stephen Dunn |
The Not Yet Fallen World: New and Selected Poems | Stephen Dunn |
Speaker’s biography:
Prof. Tang graduated from the Department of English at Peking University in 1984 and received his Ph.D. from Duke University in 1991. He taught at several universities in the United States and became the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at CUHK in 2019. His main research fields are modern and contemporary Chinese literature, culture and art. His Chinese publications include Visual Culture in Contemporary China: Paradigms and Shifts and Origins of the Chinese Avant-Garde: The Modern Woodcut Movement. He has translated Speaking of Love: Contemporary American Love Poems, Aimless Love: New and Selected Poems by Billy Collins and How to be Happy: Poems by Stephen Dunn. He took part in and curated International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong in 2021 and 2023.
About the event:
Stephen Dunn (1939 - 2021) was a renowned contemporary American poet and a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. His poems explore everyday life, love, and marriage with candour, wisdom, and quiet humour. Prof. Max Tang Xiaobing will share his experience of reading and translating Dunn’s poetry.
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Event: Learning Calligraphy and Writing Chinese Couplets
Speaker: Dr. Yim Chi Sing
Date: 20 March 2026 (Friday)
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Venue: User Education Room, University Library
Language: Cantonese
Quota: 30
Registration: Please click here
Recommended readings:
Book Name | Author / Editor |
《書法指南》 | Yu Jianhua |
《中國書法淺說》 | Pan Boying |
《學書有法——沈尹默講書法》 | Shen Yinmo |
Speaker’s biography:
Dr. Yim is a lecturer in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at CUHK. His research interests include experimental phonetics, Chinese linguistics, historical Chinese phonology, and traditional Chinese philology. He has practiced calligraphy since childhood and his calligraphy follows a traditional creative spirit, pursues naturalness, and regards the art as a form of self-cultivation.
About the event:
The workshop includes explanations, demonstrations, hands-on practice, and a book display. It will cover basic calligraphy techniques and the characteristics of Chinese couplets, with live demonstrations of couplet writing. Participants will have the opportunity to practice. There will also be an exhibition of couplets and calligraphy-related books at the venue.
Organiser
Student Experience and Development Section, Office of Student Affairs
Supporting Units
Chinese Language Teaching Team of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Library
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press
University Bookstore
【Acknowledgment】
Heartfelt gratitude of this Centre will go to the following alumni, staff, students, friends and organisations for their generous support to the Book Festival (listed in alphabetical order):
Ben L Tsang |
Chan Tsz Chun Steve |
Chan Wai Kwong |
Chan Ying Kit |
Cheng Ming Yan |
Chow Kwok Kin |
Chung, Kit Ha Hester |
Cosmos Books |
David Cheung Wai Lok |
Hui Sim Wan |
Kwan Lai Ying |
Lam Wing Cheong |
Lee Tak Yan |
Lit Chi Kai |
Maura |
Mei Ting Li |
Pun Wing Chung |
Tang Mi ling |
Tso Keung Ming |
Valtorta College |
Wong Ching Nam |