Creative Knitting

INTRODUCTIONThe book provides guidelines and practical creative exercises which equip creative-major students in early semesters as well as creative practitioners with fundamental knowledge on creatio

Written in Stone by Polo Bourieau is an extraordinary exploration of how monumental sculpture transforms urban spaces into places of meaning and connection. From the ancient marble quarries of Carrara to the skyscrapers of Hong Kong or the bustling lanes of Chengdu, this richly illustrated book charts Polo’s creative journey, offering profound insights into the dialogue between sculpture, architecture, and community.Structured as an epic narrative inspired by Joseph Campbell’s monomyth theory, Polo’s sculptures become the protagonists of our common narrative of adventure, transformation, and identity. With reflections on the creative process and a conversation with urban planner and design writer Catherine Shaw, the book delves into the challenges and realities of creating public art in the dynamic landscapes of 21st-century China.Written in Stone offers a philosophical meditation on the power of art to shape our cities and ourselves. It invites readers—whether city planners,

Water Driven presents stirring tales from around the world recounting humankind’s endeavours to solve water crises. Our creative solutions in the face of adversity have driven agricultural, industrial

This book documents in letters, photos, and paintings a special friendship between two highly creative individuals who helped shape Chinese culture in the twentieth century — the revered traditional p

Escaping the End of Times is a book where history meets psychology. It invites readers to explore the intricate relationships between dreams, politics, and the Chinese writing system in early modern China.Thoroughly researched and written in an accessible manner, this book presents a series of historical encounters that reveal how Ming scholars countered instability by compiling and editing dream texts. Readers learn how these scholars translated their dreams into action, used the past to bolster their status, reaffirmed their preferred societal order, merged myth and history, and interpreted their dreams and the dreams of others through creative techniques grounded in scholarly tradition.By combining detailed research with captivating storytelling, this book not only brings the world of late Ming dream analysis to life but also demonstrates the relevance of the past to the stories we tell now about ourselves and our own dreams.

Fascinated by her grandfather’s seafaring life on a freighter and triggered by her own turbulent arrival to Iceland one winter, Crystal Kwan ends up buying a one-way ticket to Paris where her outbound life unfolds. Under the influence of great artists, architects and writers who travelled far both physically and creatively, she is tempted to do the same: to record serendipitous, at times overwhelming moments through writing, sketching and photography. Four themes of “souvenirs”, each a result of a particular type of travel, portray different ways of seeing as she comes face to face with the world. Be it creative or contemplative, memorable or regrettable, the greatest souvenir harnessed throughout all journeys is the transformative power of travel.

HONG KONG LITERATURE SERIESSeries Editor: John MinfordAfter her celebrated The Teddy Bear Chronicles, Xi Xi turns her creative vision towards the world of the primate kingdom. At the age of 73, despite physical challenges, Xi Xi traveled extensively across Asia, from tropical forests to conservation centers, immersing herself in the natural world of apes and monkeys.This book is one of the remarkable outcomes of this journey. Xi Xi documented 51 endearing ape and monkey puppets that she had sewn, weaving them into a series of insightful dialogues with her friend, the Hong Kong writer Ho Fuk Yan. These discussions cover the depiction of apes and monkeys in Chinese and Western literature, painting, drama, and film, as well as the interconnectedness of humans and their primate relatives. Xi Xi’s words, filled with empathy, reveal the heart of her work: ‘If there is a common theme to our conversation, it is to respect life and speak for those lives that have been discriminated against in t

Chen Hansheng was not only a pioneer of modern Chinese social science, remembered for the villagestudies he organized by teams of researchers in the 1930s. He was also a political operative whosecareer as an underground and aboveground Communist activist spanned the twentieth century andthe globe. This book draws on unique interviews, beginning in 1979, with Chen himself, his family andassociates, along with an exhaustive examination of documents, writings, and archives, to build arounded portrait of Chen, the man, and his world.‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐“Stephen MacKinnon’s lifetime study of eminent social scientist and Communist Chen Hanshengmakes for an absorbing, thrilling, and illuminating read. This product of decades of researching Chen,and of years of discussions with him, MacKinnon shows us how one enterprising and creative scholarbecame dedicated to the cause, worked for it, and then ended his life sad and angry about whatbecame of the Chinese Communist Party in power.”—Hans van de Ven,

First published in 1968, this volume of essays, posthumously edited by the author’s brother Professor C. T. Hsia (a prominent Columbia University professor of Chinese literature), focuses on Chinese literary criticism relating to the work of leftist Chinese writers, including Lu Hsün, Chiang Kuang-tz’u, the “Five Martyrs,” and Chü Ch’iu-po, who were sympathetic to the ideals of the pre-1949 Chinese communist party. As one of the few foundational texts to provide a critical overview of the aesthetics and politics of China’s leftist literary movement, The Gate of Darkness examines the conflicting dilemmas between leftist authors’ own ideals and the strict ideological frameworks imposed by the propaganda policies of the Chinese communist party in the early twentieth century.Hsia’s essays are exciting reading precisely because Mr. Hsia approached his subject not merely with the index-cards of a historian but also with the sensitive eyes of a novelist. Tsi-an Hsia is a creative and compassi

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.

Writing has always been a difficult subject to talk about, let alone writing an honest account about how one’s creative process is complicated by global lockdown and personal hardships. In Writing in Difficult Times, eleven young promising writers from Hong Kong wallow in some of their perhaps most confusing and troubling moments in life, and share their struggles. How do writers committed to crafted language maintain a dialogue with themselves? How does the dense urban living space affect creative outputs and thoughts? How do writers reflect on and evaluate gender roles, motherhood, and time? What roles does memory play in writing, if memory’s own language is not allowed to communicate? Each personal essay in this collection is available in both Chinese and English, hoping to build a timely and genuine connection with its readers, regardless of location and cultural background. Each word is a courageous sharing that makes a significant contribution to bilingual Hong Kong literary writ

Despite China’s widespread censorship devices, the internet now favours documentation of the ephemeral but creative humour of today’s netizens. Humour in Chinese Life and Culture covers modern and con

Tang poetry, calligraphy, music, chess, painting, ceramics, sculpture, dance and costume, among other things, are creative and original. The concepts behind them are apparent in Tang life. Today we ar

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

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

Widely respected and beloved as one of Hong Kong’s most original painters, Gaylord Chan (1925-2020) had a dynamic career that traversed cultural epochs and the boundaries of media. He made his first serious foray into painting only at the age of 42 after enrolling in an extra-mural studies art course organised by the University of Hong Kong in 1968. Chan’s late start, however, did not at all limit his potential. While he worked as an engineer for Cable & Wireless by day, Chan continued to experiment and refine his creative practice. The artist eventually developed a unique abstract language of bold colours and rustic forms that reflects on the simple wonders of daily life, science and metaphysics, and the contemporary human condition. Referencing an evocative painting by Chan from the 1990s, Never End: The Art and Life of Gaylord Chan, presented by Asia Society Hong Kong Center, is a tribute to the late master and his invaluable artistic legacy. It explores the development of Chan’

How do we situate ourselves when we navigate the city of Hong Kong—physically, and in our minds? Against a backdrop of bustling density and movement, the difficulties of making space have shaped our days. From the challenges of limited living space and the quest for personal space, to the everyday negotiations of our identities in the social space, we are constantly confronted with the question: How do we redefine the distance between the city, others, and ourselves, and between the selves within us? This collection features prose, poetry and artwork from writers and artists in or from Hong Kong, as well as those who have had a close connection with the city, that explore the (im)possibility of making space. How do we remake space in our lives and our creative practices? What does this (im)possibility mean in (or in relation to) Hong Kong today?

Computer Aided Drawing software has changed the world of architecture dramatically. It now allows designers to create curvilinear buildings without hesitation. This phenomenon has revolutionized the p