Hong Kong Research Hub

Thanks to the University of Oxford China Centre and Dr Verna Ho for hosting us to share A Water History of Hong Kong—our last stop in 🇬🇧!

A truly fruitful exchange, and we are really grateful for the thoughtful conversations and warm hospitality!

Webinar by Department of Literature and Cultural Studies, EdUHK

Living and Writing Bilingually: Navigating Cultural and Language Faultlines as a Hong Kong Writer

▍ 8 June 2026 (Mon); 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm (HK Time)
▍ Speaker: Ms Wong Yi
▍ Zoom Info:
Meeting ID: 998 1134 6597
Passcode: 843979
▍ Registration: https://forms.gle/RZ2efwDEk3dX6xco9

Abstract
Hong Kong author Wong Yi began her career reading and publishing short stories in Chinese, with years of experience incorporating Cantonese in her prose, libretto, and letterpress artwork. In recent years, she started writing in English as well, and her relationship with the language became a topic on which she constantly reflects on. Her near native proficiency in English allows her to read world literature, engage in literary and cultural exchange with readers and artists around the world, and experience life in Hong Kong and beyond through a language other than Chinese; yet it also opens her up to unique heartaches due to various stereotypes associated with race and Hong Kong’s education system. In this seminar, Wong Yi will share her experience growing up between Cantonese and English, her use of the two languages in her creative writing journey, and her recent works inspired by her life between the two languages.

About the Speaker

WONG Yi is an award-winning Hong Kong writer, librettist, founding member of Xi Xi Foundation, and project curator of Xi Xi Space. She was an editor at Fleur des Lettres and host of “Book Review” on RTHK for many years. In 2020, she was named one of 20 Young Sinophone Novelists to Watch by the Taiwanese literary magazine Unitas. She is the author of four short story collections: Ways To Love In A Crowded City (2021), The Four Seasons of Lam Yip (2019), Patched Up (2015), and News Stories (2010). She was the Hong Kong Writer-in-residence for Hong Kong Baptist University’s first Chinese Writers Workshop in 2021, Writer-in-residence for The Education University of Hong Kong in 2023, and has participated in events such as the Singapore Writers Festival, Singapore Book Fair, Hong Kong International Literary Festival, Taipei International Book Exhibition, and European Literature Night. In 2023, she participated in the University of Iowa’s prestigious International Writing Program Fall Residency. She currently teaches creative writing at Hong Kong Baptist University and various secondary schools in Hong Kong.

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1390059793143411&id=100064182093781&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=jJFNNvScpQECMXU2 #

Living and Writing Bilingually: Navigating Cultural and Language Faultlines as a Hong Kong Writer

▍ 8 June 2026 (Mon); 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm (HK Time)
▍ Speaker: Ms Wong Yi
▍ Zoom Info:
Meeting ID: 998 1134 6597
Passcode: 843979
▍ Registration: https://forms.gle/RZ2efwDEk3dX6xco9

Abstract
Hong Kong author Wong Yi began her career reading and publishing short stories in Chinese, with years of experience incorporating Cantonese in her prose, libretto, and letterpress artwork. In recent years, she started writing in English as well, and her relationship with the language became a topic on which she constantly reflects on. Her near native proficiency in English allows her to read world literature, engage in literary and cultural exchange with readers and artists around the world, and experience life in Hong Kong and beyond through a language other than Chinese; yet it also opens her up to unique heartaches due to various stereotypes associated with race and Hong Kong’s education system. In this seminar, Wong Yi will share her experience growing up between Cantonese and English, her use of the two languages in her creative writing journey, and her recent works inspired by her life between the two languages.

About the Speaker
WONG Yi is an award-winning Hong Kong writer, librettist, founding member of Xi Xi Foundation, and project curator of Xi Xi Space. She was an editor at Fleur des Lettres and host of “Book Review” on RTHK for many years. In 2020, she was named one of 20 Young Sinophone Novelists to Watch by the Taiwanese literary magazine Unitas. She is the author of four short story collections: Ways To Love In A Crowded City (2021), The Four Seasons of Lam Yip (2019), Patched Up (2015), and News Stories (2010). She was the Hong Kong Writer-in-residence for Hong Kong Baptist University’s first Chinese Writers Workshop in 2021, Writer-in-residence for The Education University of Hong Kong in 2023, and has participated in events such as the Singapore Writers Festival, Singapore Book Fair, Hong Kong International Literary Festival, Taipei International Book Exhibition, and European Literature Night. In 2023, she participated in the University of Iowa’s prestigious International Writing Program Fall Residency. She currently teaches creative writing at Hong Kong Baptist University and various secondary schools in Hong Kong.

Thank you to the University of York for hosting us for A Water History of Hong Kong!

Grateful to Sabine Clarke and David Clayton for hosting, and to Joseph Mujere for serving as discussant!

A real pleasure to be back in York — especially as it was here that the idea for the water project first emerged!

A Water History of Hong Kong — second stop in 🇬🇧: Leeds!

Grateful to Dr Bing Wang and the School of Geography of the University of Leeds for hosting us, and many thanks to Dr Asa Roast for serving as discussant!

First stop of A Water Documentary of Hong Kong in 🇬🇧: Sheffield!

Huge thanks to Dr. Wayne Wong and the University of Sheffield for hosting us, and heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined despite the heat wave!

Thanks for participating in the ‘Cold War in Hong Kong, Asia and Beyond’ workshop!

We were delighted to host 14 speakers from different places, who shared their fascinating papers and perspectives. The discussions were incredibly stimulating and inspiring, and we hope the workshop sparked new ideas and conversations for everyone involved!

Last panel of the workshop: ‘Asia with Transnational Cold War Networks’, with Dr Muhammad Suhail bin Mohamed Yazid, Dr Sze Hong Lam and Dr Rishabh Bajoria.

Day 2, panel 4: ‘Cold War in China and Hong Kong: Competing Narratives, Memories, and Ideologies’- featuring Prof Angelina Chin, Dr Mian Chen and Prof Jeremy Taylor.

Last panel of day 1- ‘Cold War beyond Asia: Industry, Finance, and Urban Connections in
the Cold War’, with speakers Dr Adonis Li, our own Howard Hong and Dr Philip Thai.

Panel 2- ‘Hong Kong- Challenges of Colonial Governance in the Cold War’, with our own Dr Florence Mok, Charles Fung and Prof Ray Yep!