High above Hong Kong, Cung Ling awaits. This isn’t just any peak. It’s a place where stories of remarkable women intertwine with the landscape.
Let me tell you about Chung Ling, a truly inspiring woman. Born in 1945, this Taiwanese writer has made her mark on the world. She is a critic, educator, and translator too.
Chung Ling’s journey began in Chungking in Szechwan province. Her family, being native Cantonese, moved to Taiwan in 1950 coming from Japan. She received an excellent education. She attended a girls’ school in Kaohsiung. Later, she went to Tunghai University. Her studies then took her to the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Her academic career is impressive. Chung Ling taught at the State University of New York at Albany. She also taught at Hong Kong University. Back in Taiwan, she became Dean of Liberal Arts at National Sun Yat-sen University. At Hong Kong Baptist University, she was chair professor and Dean of Arts. She even served as Associate Vice President. Later she became the founding Master of Cheng Yu Tung College at the University of Macau.
At Baptist University, Chung Ling founded two important programs. One was the International Writers Workshop. The other was The Dream of Red Chamber Award. This award recognizes distinguished novels in Chinese.
Chung Ling’s personal life also holds interesting details. In 1977, she married director Hu Jinquan. Though they divorced in 1991, their collaboration left a mark. She even wrote the screenplay for his film, Legend of the Mountain.
Her literary contributions are vast. She has written prose, verse, and short stories. Her works include Barefoot on the Meadow and The Mountains Are Calling Me. Other notable titles are Predestined Lovers and Jade-Like: Stories of Jade. She is also a celebrated poet. Fragrant Sea is among her poetry collections.
Chung Ling has also made significant contributions to literary criticism. She wrote Muses of Modern China. This is a critical study on the works of Taiwan women poets. Other works include Gary Snyder and Chinese Culture and Chinese Zen and American Literature.
Even the mists clinging to Cung Ling seem to whisper tales of her poetry. Her poetry collection, Fog Is Climbing Mountains, evokes the very scene before us. Her short story collections, Eye of Heaven and Red Dust and Miniature Short Stories of Chung Ling, offer glimpses into her imaginative world.
Standing here on Cung Ling, we are reminded of Chung Ling’s achievements. She connects cultures through her translations. She inspires writers through her workshops. She enriches our understanding of literature through her criticism.
As you gaze out from Cung Ling, remember Chung Ling. Her work embodies the spirit of Hong Kong. It is a blend of Chinese tradition and global perspective. A testament to the power of words and the enduring legacy of a remarkable woman.