Keeping in mind the relevance of scholarship to society, Prof. Chu has chosen to focus on the Chinese ethical tradition as a way to render impact on the family and social life in Hong Kong. Between June and December 2018, Prof. Chu gave two series of public lectures and made eight appearances in three different radio programmes.

The lecture series addressed a wide range of topics, from the Confucian virtue of xiào (filial piety), to the relationship between the human world and the world of nature, and ways to appreciate the beauty of poetry and rhymed prose. The radio programmes, on the other hand, focused on the modern significances of traditional thoughts, such as cross-generation understanding and relationship in the light of filial piety.

Against the perceived decline of the Chinese tradition and the worsening of generational relationship in society, Prof. Chu’s lectures and radio broadcasts were met with positive responses. A co-sponsor of one of the lectures wrote to report that the lecture served to “arouse the attendees’ cultural awareness in preserving valuable traditions of the New Territories”, just as another noted that “observance of filial piety is truly what we need in bettering the family”. In a similar tone, other respondents spoke favourably of their experience, indicating that they learned of new ways of interacting with their children and found their understanding of Chinese culture enriched.

More about the research: http://www.polyu.edu.hk/fh/deanslectures/