A fourth-year student of the Bachelor of Education programme in Primary Education, Tong Yui has won various literary prizes. His most recent success was to win second prize in the contemporary poetry section of the 2nd Tertiary Literary Award. How did Tong, a student taking a minor in Chinese language studies, who had never before received formal academic training in literature, become so adept at literary creation?

A literary apprenticeship

Tong is a student of Dr Wong Leung-wo, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chinese and a renowned poet in his own right. Dr Wong's diligence and dedication, demonstrated in his lectures on Modern & Contemporary Literature, were an inspiration to Tong. After attending them, Tong's interest in literature suddenly blossomed. In his spare time, he began to read many of the literary works Dr Wong had discussed in the lectures. After reading them, he would visit Dr Wong in his office to discuss what he had read.

According to Tong Yui, the establishment of the Xin Chuan Writing Club made a significant difference, contributing to the expansion of literary interest among HKIEd students. Club members would often gather together to read and discuss literary masterpieces that might not be included in the normal syllabus. Lecturers would sometimes invite local writers to speak during Club meetings and members would also bring their own writings for critique by their seniors or as a stimulus for open discussion among peers. All these activities helped Tong refine his literary taste.

Tong Yui (third from left) with Dr Wong Leung-wo (fourth from left), who sparked his
interest in Chinese literature.