鄒文律博士

The Time and Space Imagination of the “New Generation” of contemporary Chinese science fiction writers

This study aims to analyze how contemporary Chinese science fiction writers of the "New Generation" depict different temporal experiences and spatial settings in their novels to explore their thoughts on issues such as home, spatial segregation, and the influence of capital on space. Additionally, this study will also examine how these writers utilize alternate reality to reflect on the current development issues faced by contemporary China, thereby demonstrating their literary concerns.

Project Start Year : 2023

Chief Investigator(s) : Chau Man Lut 鄒文律

The Animal Writing of Post 97 Hong Kong Writers

With the growing importance of natural environment conservation and animal rights in the world, voices concerning animal welfare of Hong Kong writers are rising. Contemporary Hong Kong Writers such as Cheung Yuen-man, Ho Lok, Hon Lai-chu, Chiang Hiu-mei and Wong Yi care not only about living conditions of human beings in the city but also of different animals surrounding humans. Their fiction described the interaction and relationship between humans and animals. This study focuses on the animal writing of contemporary Hong Kong writers, with the insight from Will Kymlicka and Sue Donaldson’s theory of animal rights, analyzing how they imagined the relationship between humans and domesticated animals, liminal animals and wild animals. This study presents the above writers’ view on human and animal bonding, and further discusses their reflections on animal rights. Finally, it discusses how contemporary Hong Kong writers imagine a new relationship that is not anthropocentric through animal writing, enriching the performance of contemporary Hong Kong literature.

Project Start Year : 2022

Chief Investigator(s) : Chau Man Lut 鄒文律

Imagination of Cityscape: A Study on Post-1997 Hong Kong Young Writers

Hong Kong cityscape and the city itself have been gradually changed and transformed since the handover in 1997. A group of writers who started to publish their first book after 1997, namely the “post-1997 Hong Kong young writers”, have grown up in the city since they were born. They have witnessed and experienced the changes. Their works can reflect how they feel and think towards the city. Yet, studies of this group of writers are still in its infancy. A closer look and a comprehensive study should be carried out in order to understand their structure of feelings – is it different from what is shown in the works of writers from older generation? There are three main objectives for this project. Firstly, it aims to provide a detailed analysis of how “post-1997 Hong Kong young writers” imagine the city by looking into their fiction. As much related researches are concerned with individual writers, this research intends to fill in the gap by examining their works comprehensively. Secondly, this research will analyze their structure of feelings by using the theories of space and place. It also gives voice to the writers’ unique experiences and current feelings towards the city by conducting interviews. Thirdly, this project aims to provide a thorough study on this group of writers for future use, either in the writings of Hong Kong literary history or in generating more critical studies on these writers. It will also examine the possibility of using this similar framework to analyze prose and poetry. In short, upon completion of this project, we will arrive at a better understanding of (1) how the “post-1997 Hong Kong young writers” imagine the city; (2) their structure of feelings and whether it is different from writers of the older generation; and (3) how their fiction represents urban space and body space.

Project Start Year : 2019

Chief Investigator(s) : Chau Man Lut 鄒文律

Utopia in China: A research on Wang Jinkang’s science fiction

Since the beginning of 21th century, more creations of Chinese science fiction emerged which yield fruitful results. Science fiction has become more influential in China, though this field of research is still in its infancy. This project aims to conduct a systematic review on the prominent Chinese science-fiction writer, Wang Jinkang (王晉康), using the concept of utopian writing as an approach.

Four aspects of his writing strategy will be analysed: 1) the design of and reflection on ideal society in fiction; 2) the fictional response to the development and progress of People's Republic of China; 3) the way of how technology affects the future of human society; 4) the author’s imagination of society in contemporary China and of the future of mankind.

The project will generate findings that will add to our knowledge of Chinese science fiction, especially in terms of main themes and concerns of science fiction in China. It will also provide valuable reference for the making of teaching materials, as well as to promoting the study of Chinese science fiction.

Project Start Year : 2017

Chief Investigator(s) : Chau Man Lut 鄒文律

Reshaping My City: A research on Hong Kong's young writers’ rewriting

Xi Xi is a prominent writer of Hong Kong literature; her work My City is a famous literary classic. There are a lot of studies on Xi Xi’s novels, especially on My City(《我城》). However, there is little research on literary works such as My City 05(《我城05》) and The Whale City(《鯨魚之城》), in which Hong Kong young writers rewrite My City.

The aim of this project is to investigate the literary relationship between My City, My City 05 and The Whale City. This project will focus on the rewriting techniques used by local young writers and examine how the young writers express the sentiment of the younger generation living in the 21st century Hong Kong through literature.

Project Start Year : 2016

Chief Investigator(s) : Chau Man Lut 鄒文律