Talks
Location: Lecture Hall, 2/F
Quota: 50 persons
Free of charge. First come, first served.
The talks will be conducted in Cantonese, unless otherwise specified.
The Museum makes no representation concerning the contents of the lectures.
I) Why Modern Chinese History is a Miracle
Date: 31/10/2026 (Sat)
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Speaker: Dr. Yau Yat (Executive Director, Academy of Chinese Studies)
Modern China fell into an unprecedented collapse of social order and traditional morality, facing brutal aggression by foreign powers externally and the total collapse of the traditional system internally. Why did this cruel and hopeless history not lead to prolonged division? Why was an awakened Chinese nation forged amidst countless sacrifices, giving birth to a unique party-state-military organisation? And why did it chart a distinctly different path of Chinese-style modernisation?
II) Finding the Path to Yan'an: Patriotic Intellectuals and National Salvation During the War of Resistance (In conjunction with the thematic exhibition) (Conducted in Putonghua)
Date: 21/11/2026 (Sat)
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Speaker: Dr. Liu Yu (Researcher, Sun Yat-sen University Institute of Advanced Studies Hong Kong )
With the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance in 1937, at a critical historical juncture of national life or death, Yan'an gradually became the spiritual landmark yearned for by patriotic intellectuals. Adopting the perspective of oral history, the talk will analyse the inner journeys and practical paths of intellectuals who yearned for Yan'an and dedicated themselves to the revolution, further exploring how individual ideals and youthful beliefs were closely intertwined with national salvation and survival.
III) Former Hong Kong Governor Cecil Clementi and Reflections on His Governance of Hong Kong
Date: 20/12/2026 (Sun)
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Speaker: Prof. Chan Hok-yin (Professor and Head, Department of Chinese and History, City University of Hong Kong)
The talk will elaborate on Cecil Clementi's career planning as a cadet officer after university graduation, his methods in handling the 1925 Canton-Hong Kong Strike, his governance measures in dealing with domestic and diplomatic dilemmas, and his political planning regarding the future of Hong Kong. It aims to reflect on his political calculations and clarify insights that are worth referencing or reflecting upon by Hong Kong youths today.
