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South China Morning Post
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Manuscripts, letters of writer Eileen Chang given to university in Hong Kong
Thousands of items, including manuscripts and letters, once owned by the celebrated Chinese author Eileen Chang Ai-ling have been donated to a Hong Kong university, with the administrator of her estate choosing the city based on geopolitical considerations. A household name in the Chinese-speaking world, Shanghai-born Chang's famed literary works have been adapted for screen numerous times, including Lust, Caution, a wartime spy thriller set in the 1940s that took home the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion for best picture in 2007. The items donated to Hong Kong Metropolitan University also include those of writer and translator Stephen Soong and his wife Mae Fong Soong, Chang's lifelong friends, with the trio sharing more than 700 letters over four decades. Chang entrusted her estate with the couple before her death in Los Angeles in 1995 at age 74. Eileen Chang, photographed in Hong Kong in 1955. Photo: Handout The couple's son, Dr Roland Soong, an administrator of the Chang and Soong inheritances, said on Wednesday that given the history, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taiwan and the United States were all appropriate options for the donation, which coincided with the 30th anniversary of the author's death. 'In the end, because of geopolitical issues, I thought Hong Kong was still the best and the freest, without inexplicable problems that could not be dealt with,' Roland Soong said at a panel discussion during the donation ceremony at the university. Asked why he decided on the institution, given Chang was one of the most famous alumna of the University of Hong Kong, Soong said the selection process commenced more than two decades ago and it was important for him that the place chosen was invested in both sets of inheritances, not just Chang's. 'The two sets of inheritances are linked, such as the letters,' Soong said, adding that the correspondence needed to be seen physically together to make sense. 'If a library says they could look after Chang's items, I would ask whether they would take those of the Soongs, too. If the reply was, 'Those two were not as well-known, we wouldn't have space', I would not be able to entrust these to you.'
South China Morning Post
09-02-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
How Buddhist ethics can help Hong Kong's nursing profession
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification In an era where technological advancements are revolutionising healthcare, the future of nursing demands an integration of advanced technical healthcare skills and profound ethical understanding of patient rights. Hong Kong Metropolitan University's School of Nursing and Health Sciences has adopted an innovative approach that integrates Buddhist ethics into the Ethics and Legal Issues, Professional Nursing Practice, module. This curriculum fosters a humanistic care model that resonates with both students and patients. Nurses today are increasingly required to navigate complex patient interactions, making decisions that are not only medically sound but also ethically grounded. This necessitates a curriculum that prepares nurses to handle diverse clinical scenarios with empathy and respect for patient values. Buddhist medical literature, with its moral guidelines for healthcare practitioners, parallels medical ethics principles like nonmaleficence, justice and autonomy. Emphasising compassion, mindfulness and interconnectedness, Buddhist ethics offers a valuable framework for nurturing essential nursing skills. By incorporating principles such as non-harm ( ahimsa ), loving kindness ( metta ) and sympathetic joy ( mudita ), nursing students can develop a deeper appreciation for the human experience. This fosters a care environment that values the dignity and worth of every individual. The practical application of Buddhist ethics in nursing involves cultivating a mindful presence whereby nurses are fully attentive to the needs and concerns of their patients and family caregivers. This mindful approach not only enhances patient care but also supports the well-being of nurses, helping them manage stress and prevent burnout. Techniques such as meditation and reflective practice can be integrated into nursing education, providing students with tools to maintain their own emotional health while delivering compassionate care in clinical settings.
