SCOM Study Tour of Hakka Cultural Heritage in March 2023

(10 to 12 March 2023)

As the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic has largely subsided and regular travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland has resumed, the School of Communication (SCOM) organised a study tour to Meizhou of Guangdong in collaboration with Hong Kong Cross-Strait Hakka Research Centre to explore the Hakka culture and the ways of life of local Hakka people. Despite the compact itinerary, the trip was fruitful and the profound Hakka culture impressed the participating teachers and students deeply. The School believes that such cultural activities will strengthen students’ ability to tell the stories of China well by informing their communication knowledge and skills with cultural elements.

The study tour was led by Professor Scarlet Tso, Dean of School of Communication, and included Dr James Chang, Associate Professor, Ms Connie Chan, Senior Lecturer, Ms Bonnie Ng, an administrative staff member, and a number of students. On the morning of 10 March 2023, the group departed from Hong Kong and arrived in Meizhou after five hours’ journey. They then attended a welcome dinner where they had pleasant discussions with representatives from Jiaying University and other Hakka culture experts. After dinner, they also enjoyed performances of Hakka songs and Hakka music arranged by the university.

In the next morning, the delegation visited the Hakka Museum of China to explore the Hakka history, the Tulou architectural style, the Hakka economic developments, as well as Hakka people’s everyday life. Along the way, the honorary advisors of the Hong Kong Cross-strait Hakka Research Center provided detailed explanations of the various aspects of Hakka culture while the students made careful observations and recorded every aspect of what they saw and felt in the Museum. The advisors and the students also exchanged ideas from time to time. The group later visited the Memorial Hall of Lin Fengmian and the Qunfeng Village and gained further knowledge of the famous and talented Hakka people in history and of today. After that, the group visited Ye Jianying Memorial Park and Yan Nanfei Tea Garden as well.

On the last day of the visit, the delegation made a visit to the Guangdong Meixian County Foreign Language School where members learned about the operation model of high-end education there. The group then went to Wuhua County and met with warm hospitality from the local officials. Members later toured the former residence of the great Chinese football star Li Huitang and the trip came to the end.

In sum, although the itinerary was a rather short and compact one, the students gained valuable insights and benefited greatly. The School hopes that by getting inspired during the journey, the students will become more dedicated to promoting Hakka culture in the future. Professor Tso also pointed out that the experience was both fulfilling and unforgettable, which, she believes, will make the students even more enthusiastic about telling the treasures of Meizhou, Hong Kong and Mainland China to others, hence contributing to the promotion of the Chinese cultural traditions and the country’s progress and modernization.