Complex Data Modeling and Computationally Intensive Statistical Methods

Essays follow rapidly proliferating and resource-intensive Indian urbanism in everyday environments. Case studies on nature conservation in cities, urban housing and slum development, waste management

Approaches and methods in comparative education are of obvious importance, but do not always receive adequate attention. This second edition of a well-received book, containing thoroughly updated and

Over the years auditing has developed into a specialised function with complex ethical, legal and economic implications. The role of auditors in providing credibility is even more important in a socie

The essays in this volume address a diverse range of issues in China’s narrative art and visual culture mainly from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) to the present. These studies attend to the complex way

Desiring Hong Kong, Consuming South China is a study of the complex and changing cultural patterns in Hong Kong's relationship with the neighbouring mainland. From interviews, TV dramas, media represe

In the early twentieth century, Chinese traditional architecture and the French-derived methods of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts converged in the United States when Chinese students were given scholarships

This book examines the complex relationship between art and politics in the People's Republic of China between 1949 and 1984. It focuses in particular on three important facets of this relationship, n

The Chinese people constitute more than a quarter of the world's population, yet until now there has been no single volume that summarizes and integrates the wealth of data available, in English and C

Professor Metzger's third seminal book, A Cloud Across the Pacific uncovers the basic contradictions between contemporary China's complex ideological marketplace and Western liberalism. It describes a

This manual combines the latest local and international guidelines for management of diabetes and consists of data based on local research. A joint effort between the Diabetes and Endocrine Centre of

Staging Nation examines the complex relationship between the theatrical stage and the wider stage of nation building in postcolonial Malaysia and Singapore. In less than fifty years, locally written a

Ashes of Time, by the internationally acclaimed director Wong Kar-wai, has been considered to be one of the most complex and self-reflexive of Hong Kong films. Loosely based on the stories by renowned

This book examines the relationship between work and family in small family business in Hong Kong, based on data obtained from in-depth interviews on married couples running small retail shops. It was

China’s remarkable journey from poverty to becoming the world’s second-largest economic power is marked by extraordinary urban growth and consumption capacity of its urban population. Central to this development fervor are multifunctional commercial complexes and shopping malls, now key features of modern urban districts. The concept of shopping malls, originally introduced to China by American architects in the 1980s, has since flourished on an even larger scale than their American counterparts.This book delves into the origins of shopping mall development in the United States after World War II, tracing how American architects exported this building type into China’s rapidly evolving urban landscapes, particularly in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Kunming, and Guangzhou. Using primary sources, statistical analyses, and illustrated case studies, the book explores the evolution of shopping malls as a consequence of China’s profound economic, social, and cultural change over the past four

History remembers Du Fu (712–70) as the Confucian poet-sage, but why would he abandon his official post to wander the remote fringes of the Tang empire? This exploration of Du Fu’s late wanderings reveals the restless spiritual and intellectual journey that mirrored his seemingly directionless, perplexing physical travels. Moving beyond traditional portrayals, it uncovers a complex figure torn between north and south, service and retreat, and the truths of the Three Teachings.A close reading of the poems from his last, prolific decade follows Du Fu as he confronts the brilliance and collapse of his dynasty, transforming all he experienced into poetry that became both his autobiography and his apology. Through his verse, a man who refused to settle for a single answer emerges, one whose constant wavering was a part of his greatness and ultimately redefined the possibilities of Chinese poetry.

Although the arts have been firmly planted in the Hong Kong school system since the 1950s, they are often sacrificed in place of core subjects and preparation for examinations. Drawing on over fourteen years of exploration and experience, Yau makes the case that arts are critical to cultivating creative mindsets, which are our best resource for innovating and responding to challenges in this complex world of sudden changes. Through case studies and conversations with practising artists and educators, this book demonstrates why arts and education, two normally discrete disciplines, should be broadly integrated into the local Hong Kong curriculum, and how this can be – and has been – achieved.This book is intended for policymakers, educators, arts heads, and artists. The volume will also appeal to readers curious about how and why the arts should be foundational to education and capacity building in the twenty-first century.

This publication, and the accompanying exhibition, presents the vital contributions of two of Japan's most remarkable artists, Kurosaki Akira and Nakabayashi Tadayoshi, who participated in and influenced the twentieth-century renaissance of printmaking in Japan. This cultural phenomenon grew as the artists underwent rigorous training while maintaining a robust interest in traditional printing methods, such as the world-renowned woodblock technique. Coupled with their innovative experimentation, the two printers spearheaded a revival that expanded upon established printing techniques. The unusual juxtaposition of two contemporary artists emphasises both Kurosaki and Nakabayashi's masterpieces and their individual contributions to the ongoing development of Japanese printmaking. This pairing also highlights the distinctiveness, cultural relevance and novelty of their work. Both born in 1937 and similarly trained, Kurosaki and Nakabayashi pursued different topics and employed dis

Essentials of Contract Drafting and Negotiation for Construction Professionals is a practical and user-friendly guide to common practical contractual matters and is intended for construction professionals involved in contract drafting and negotiating. Knowing how to draft an effective contract is crucial in construction, particularly because of the complex and technical nature of construction projects. Divided into six chapters, this guide will enhance and refresh essential knowledge for lawyers and construction professionals who need to understand the principles of drafting and interpreting construction contracts, how to clearly identify and include key elements in these contracts, as well as how to avoid legal traps and pitfalls in contract negotiations and enforcement.

Essentials of Contract Drafting and Negotiation for Construction Professionals is a practical and user-friendly guide to common practical contractual matters and is intended for construction professionals involved in contract drafting and negotiating. Knowing how to draft an effective contract is crucial in construction, particularly because of the complex and technical nature of construction projects. Divided into six chapters, this guide will enhance and refresh essential knowledge for lawyers and construction professionals who need to understand the principles of drafting and interpreting construction contracts, how to clearly identify and include key elements in these contracts, as well as how to avoid legal traps and pitfalls in contract negotiations and enforcement.

This book investigates the psychological changes that take place after Christian conversion in chronic heroin-addicted individuals attending a religious programme. Drawing on the data collected in the

Through the history of a charitable institution, the Tung Wah Hospital, Elizabeth Sinn reshapes and greatly deepens our understanding of the evolving interactions between the Chinese community in Hong Kong and the colonial rulers. She traces the rise to power of the Chinese merchants who organized and operated the Hospital and the complex relationships that the Hospital developed with the colonial regime, Mainland Chinese officials and the Chinese people of Hong Kong.As the first organized merchant elite recognized by the colonial government, the Tung Wah Hospital Committee played a crucial political role in nineteenth-century Hong Kong, mediating between ordinary Chinese and the colonial administration. Elizabeth Sinn’s classic and pioneering study shows the great extent to which the Hospital’s history is the history of Hong Kong itself.The author highlights the problems encountered by the Hong Kong government in managing a foreign population and the role of the Chinese local elite in

Simply keeping the mind clear and calm was, for many post-Tang Daoists, the path to eternal life and freedom. Through sheer serenity, practitioners believed they could attain immunity to hunger, eliminate sexual function, suspend breath and pulse, engage in astral travel, and command spirits and natural forces.In his meticulously researched study, Stephen Eskildsen examines how this perspective informed Daoist internal alchemists after the Tang dynasty (618–907), including prominent representatives of the Quanzhen tradition in the north and the Nanzong in the south. Drawing on a wide array of textual sources, he analyzes the teachings of figures like Qiu Chuji (1143–1227), Yin Zhiping (1169–1251), Zhang Boduan (ca. 984–1082), Bai Yuchan (1194– 1229), Li Daochun (fl. 1288–1292), Yu Yan (ca. 1253–1314), and Wu Shouyang (1574–after 1641), among others. These adepts emphasized passive, straightforward methods that they believed gave rise to spontaneous psychic, sensory, and physiological p

Ikat Textiles of Timor offers an in-depth overview of regional textile styles from both West and East Timor, while also contributing significant new insights into their design traditions. In academic literature, the ikated men’s wraps from Timor have long been described as symmetrical. However, Dr Peter ten Hoopen’s examination of early examples from museums and private collections reveals that, historically, two thirds of these textiles were actually asymmetrical. This discovery challenges an academic consensus that has persisted since 1912, and highlights a previously overlooked level of creative ingenuity—inviting greater admiration for the women who wove these complex designs.Today’s ikat weavers on Timor, like many foreign scholars before them, seem unaware that asymmetry was once a dominant design principle. Many continue to assert that perfect symmetry has always been the tradition. Yet the historical textiles tell a different story. Ten Hoopen’s groundbreaking findings justify

Set against the backdrop of regional and international post–Second World War tensions, Grounded at Kai Tak is the most comprehensive account of the complex legal struggle for ownership of 71 airplanes belonging to the two main Chinese airlines, which were stranded at Kai Tak airfield in Hong Kong at the end of the Chinese civil war. The resulting contest for possession of them took place in the courts and among politicians and diplomats on three continents. In the process, the struggle became entangled with the anti-communist policies of the United States in the emerging ‘Cold War’, British hopes for restoration of her pre-war commercial position in China, disagreements between nations about recognition of the new government in Peking, and the delicate balance that the colonial government of Hong Kong had to keep to preserve that colony’s interests.Merry tells the tale of this legal saga by weaving together archival documents and news reports of the day, revealing the international ali

Practical Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Second Edition is an essential undergraduate textbook in obstetrics and gynaecology for Hong Kong medical students. It provides a comprehensive overview of all the topics in the core curriculum of obstetrics and gynaecology. In addition to the description of various diseases, there is also discussion on the evidence-based approach to the differential diagnosis and management of common symptoms/presentations in obstetrics and gynaecology. Where appropriate, flow charts and diagrams are used to help readers to make a diagnosis. The book also includes updated information on diseases that are more common in Asia. While this book is mainly written for medical students, it is also a useful basic reference for student midwives, practising doctors, and other healthcare professionals who are involved in women’s healthcare.

In 2018, authorities in Hong Kong seized a shipment from smugglers that contained 88 dead pangolins. Where did these animals come from, and why were they killed? Where were they going? Who was responsible? In classic true crime fashion, the book examines evidence, suspects, and legal perspectives related to this specific case and, through it, the plight of pangolins globally. The chapters detail the lives and natural history of pangolins across Africa and Asia while exploring clues that may reveal who is responsible for the endangerment of the species. The book also explores speculation surrounding the possible role of pangolins in the emergence of COVID-19 and, more broadly, the relationship between wildlife trade and zoonotic disease. The resulting tale is one of conservation researchers, public health experts, and global organizations across Asia, Africa, North America, and Europe fighting to create a world in which pangolins can thrive again.

The Sublime Object of Orientalism proposes that globalised Asian physical cultural practices such as taiji, qigong, yoga, and meditation can be understood by examining the intimate connection between Western orientalism and the Romantic aesthetic notion of the sublime. The book recasts ‘orientalist physical culture’ as practices animated by the sublime and argues that this relationship is stronger than has hitherto been recognised by commentators.Bowman combines new readings of philosophers and cultural critics such as Slavoj Žižek and Jane Iwamura with analyses of film, media, and Asian physical practices and their entrepreneurial forms to shed light on the quest to articulate a philosophy of orientalist physical culture. He also explores ways to make sense of orientalist physical culture in the contemporary world and evaluate the often-problematic ideologies that circulate around these cultural practices without either uncritically accepting their value or rejecting them outright. Th

李歐梵用「蒼涼」和「世故」來形容張愛玲。此書是李歐梵特別為香港的「張迷」而寫，以「蒼涼與世故」為題，英文可譯為是Desolation and Sophistication，前者是張愛玲自己的美學觀念，後者是作者對張愛玲的看法。我不喜歡壯烈，我是喜歡悲壯，更喜歡蒼涼。壯烈只有力，沒有美，似乎缺少人性。悲壯則如大紅大綠的配色，是一種強烈的對照。但它的刺激性還是大於啟發性。蒼涼之所以有更深長的回味，就因為它像葱綠配桃紅，是一種參差的對照。—— 張愛玲〈自己的文章〉

Tracing the global echoes of China sounds, mapping a new auditory history of migration, diaspora, and modernity.Tracing the global journeys of Chinese sounds from the nineteenth century to the present, this volume charts a vast sonic territory: from Cantonese opera arias in San Francisco to the “Far East sound” that shaped Jamaican reggae, and from the melodies of pigeon whistles over Germany to the revolutionary anthems of Cold War Italy… How have these sounds—traveling via migration, media, and diplomacy—been heard, adapted, or even rejected in disparate cultural landscapes?Through seventeen case studies spanning Asia, the Americas, and Europe, the book uncovers the myriad ways sounds interpreted as “Chinese” are transformed, contested, and imbued with new meanings as they reverberate across geopolitical and cultural borders. This collection provides a novel auditory history of China’s global entanglements, offering a comparative lens to understand the dynamic role of sound in transn

萌Q小熊貓帶你探索香港——好玩、好讀、好驚喜！翻一翻，推一推，香港就在眼前！中英對照，寓教於樂，邊玩邊學香港地標！一本書，滿載互動機關，孩子最愛！出發！走一趟香港旅程！香港是一個充滿活力的美麗城市，中西文化之薈萃令這裏更多姿多彩！高樓林立的天際大厦和大自然山徑的風景、標誌性的維多利亞港、蔚藍的天空、碧綠的海水，使香港風景如畫，格外迷人。 Let’s go! Embark on your journey to Hong Kong!Hong Kong is a beautiful city full of vibrancy, where the blend of Eastern and Western cultures makes it even more colourful and diverse! The impressive skyscrapers, the scenery of mountain trails, the iconic Victoria Harbour, the clear sky and the surrounding blue sea, all make Hong Kong incredibly attractive and scenic.

Zhao Hai Tien’s creative explorations are characterized by the diversity of media in her work—from airbrush on glass and acrylic on canvas to calligraphic experiments, large-scale public murals and oil paintings. Her practice blends technical precision with expressive freedom and spiritual influences. Over more than three decades of Buddhist and Taoist study—and twenty-four years under the guidance of a respected qigong master—Hai Tien’s work has shifted from contemplative, figurative compositions to liberated, spiritually resonant expressions that capture the flow of energy and inner awareness in vibrant, form-defying strokes.Her first solo show, Recent Works of Hai Tien, opened at the Alliance Française in Hong Kong (1972), launching a sustained presence in the local art scene, and leading to solo exhibitions in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Berlin. Her work was also presented in prestigious group exhibitions across Asia, including the First Hong Kong Biennale (1971). Her most notable pub

In the early twentieth century, oil painting as a non-indigenous medium began to be taught in Chinese art academies. Since that time, it has become an important and increasingly popular portal, inviting artists to explore cross-cultural dynamics and experiment with individual creative expression.This selection of twentieth-century Chinese oil paintings from the UMAG collection sheds light on the art historical and cultural significance of the medium. Highlighting the versatile aspects of Chinese oil paintings across a diverse spectrum of themes, styles, techniques, time periods, and regional and local characteristics, this publication presents the depth and virtuosity of Chinese oil paintings, extending from intimate interior views to panoramic coastal landscapes. The collective and individual memories within urban scenes activate dialogues of painting practices across time, space, and cross-cultural and cross-media encounters.The selected works display and represent the various artist

A text that has been poorly understood and unfairly denigrated over the yearsThe Liezi is a work attributed to the Daoist Lie Yukou, who, according to the traditional account, lived during the later part of the fifth and first part of the fourth centuries BCE. This places him between the first wave of philosophers of the pre-Han “Hundred Schools” (notably Lao Zi, Confucius, Mo Di, and Deng Xi) and the second wave, from mid-fourth to the end of the third centuries BCE. Thus, he may be said to have responded to the former and prefigured the latter.The Liezi we have today is the recension by the Xuanxue (Dark Learning, third to fifth centuries CE) scholar Zhang Zhan and is accompanied by Zhang’s commentary, which is a philosophical work in its own right and comparable to the commentaries of Wang Bi on the Laozi and Guo Xiang on the Zhuangzi. It is an engaging work, presenting profound philosophical ideas in a straightforward, down-to-earth, and sometimes humorous way, which makes it an ad

Travels and Revelations: 23 Essays by Zhang Chengzhi is aboutcultures which the author knows intimately.With sophisticated sensibility, he describes the tangible cultures of Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia and Xinjiang in recent decades– the landscapes and cityscapes, the roads and waterways, the rural and urban dwellings, the working and living habits, and the outstanding symbols and totems.Like a traveller pausing before stunning scenery– the Mongolian grasslands, the yellow-earth plateaus, the Yellow River’s mighty gorges– he reflects on the intangible cultures that have made the Han, the Hui, the Mongolian and the Uyghur peoples who they are, and contemplates on their language usages, socio-political dilemmas, philosophical traditions, beliefs and biases and their religious aspirations.These essays show how deeply Zhang Chengzhi understands modern China’s painful evolution through war and revolution and how deeply he is attached to his Hui–Muslim roots. They also show his b

A groundbreaking exploration of justice, democracy and Islamophobia, inviting us to reconsider our assumptions and build a more equitable future.Change has run amok! Technology advances by the minute, and much of what we think we know about the world fades in front of our eyes. How we are, how we know, how we live our daily lives—all shifting quicker than we can cope with.Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s tenth Prime Minister, asks how we might rethink ourselves for these confusing, uncertain and volatile times, and shape fairer, more sustainable futures. Anwar’s passion is rooted in experience: he spent, in total, over a decade behind bars after three separate miscarriages of justice, from his days as a student activist to his time as Leader of the Opposition.Alongside reflections on his time in prison are critical investigations into truth, justice, post-colonialism, Islamophobia, democracy and global order. Anwar assembles ideas from East and West, North and South, to explore how we can cre

Why were so many Buddhist grottoes carved across China, and what do they tell us about the history of Chinese art?Grotto Art of China: A Sourcebook traces the origins of this unique art form from the Indian subcontinent to its monumental flowering across Asia and into China.This volume brings together contributions from leading international scholars, providing systematic studies of major grotto complexes—including Mogao, Yungang, Longmen, Gongxian, Xiangtangshan, and Tianlongshan—alongside crucial, lesser-known regional sites in Gansu, Shandong, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Tibet, and Xinjiang.Organized geographically, the book explores these sacred sites as mediums of devotion, political expression, and cultural exchange, covering topics such as imperial patronage, distinctive artistic styles, and the ways these resilient sites preserve vital information otherwise lost to history.An essential reference for students, scholars, and informed travelers, it offers deep insight into the spiritual and

In the 1970s, as Hong Kong’s economy began to soar, the public started to place greater emphasis on cultural and artistic pursuits. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) became a professional ensemble in 1974, providing high-quality musical entertainment for the public while also promoting classical music and nurturing the next generation of young musicians.Upon obtaining his master’s degree in the late 1980s, author Jimmy Shiu joined the orchestra as audience development manager from 1988 to 1994, working alongside the ensemble to cultivate Hong Kong’s musical landscape. On the orchestra’s golden jubilee, Shiu offers a warm narrative that reflects on 50 significant moments both on and off stage.The HK Phil is celebrated as one of Asia’s premier classical orchestras. During its 44-week season, the orchestra performs over 150 concerts in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and other international cities, reaching more than 200,000 audience members. In 2019, the HK Phil became the

On the Steppes of Dreams is the latest collection of ‘dreamscapes’ by Basil Pao. Designed as a companion piece to his previous book Carnival of Dreams (2023) - which chronicled, from his first album cover and early cut & paste collages to the current CGI enhanced digital images of his photomontage work over a period of 50 years. The new book completes the circle and concludes the story of his surrealist/magic-realism imagery with a chapter of tributes to the group of artists who had inspired and influenced his work. The book is also intended as a celebration and a momento for the 100th anniversary of Surrealism.In his introduction, Terry Gilliam wrote: “His stunningly beautiful composite images surprise us by combining opposites, juxtaposing unlikely imagery and ideas that ask questions, make us smile, make us think, releasing us from the rigid restrictions of Reason. The portal is in your hands. Turn the page and float off into Basil’s endless universe of wondrous possibilities.”

The rulers of the Ming dynasty enacted paradigms of hierarchical order. Like imperial families, households, and courts in earlier Chinese dynasties, they articulated patriarchal, patrilineal, and patrilocal organizational principles as exemplars for families and institutions throughout the empire. Women made indispensable contributions to the development of these paradigms and principles and to the social, cultural, and political fabric of the family and the state. And yet, in the existing literature in Chinese and English women are often burdened with stereotypes, positioned as peripheral, or rendered almost invisible.Reading available texts “against the grain,” and drawing on a trove of evidence from material culture, Soulliere shows how women defined a place for themselves in the multigenerational Ming imperial family, imperial household, and court. The Empress and the Dragon Throne spans the first Ming century from just before the founding of the dynasty in 1368 to the end of the T

In The Heart Sūtra: Revisiting Its Texts, History, and Meaning, Henry C. H. Shiu investigates the historical origins of the Heart Sūtra, a significant Buddhist scripture. He compares the Sanskrit texts with their Chinese and Tibetan translations to analyse whether the Heart Sūtra might be a Chinese apocryphon, through detailed linguistic examination. To achieve this goal, Shiu thoroughly examines the primary source from which the scripture was extracted. He emphasises the necessity of reading the Heart Sūtra in the larger context of the Perfection of Wisdom literature, which contains the essence of Mahāyāna Buddhist teaching. In this monograph, Shiu successfully transcends the boundaries between the Chinese, Indian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions and provides a revisionist interpretation of the Heart Sūtra.