United College: Illustrious Virtue, Five-School Merger, and the Guangdong Private Higher Education Tradition

Chung Chi was founded by churches, New Asia by scholars, and United College was "merged" into being. In 1956, five private post-secondary colleges from Guangdong—each having relocated south with shifting circumstances and struggling to operate independently—amalgamated into a single institution at the suggestion of a Columbia President. This unique origin gave United a distinctive ethos among CUHK's three founding Colleges: a pragmatic, southward-migrating tradition. This entry surveys United College's origins, landmarks, traditions, and figures: its motto, 「明德新民」—"Illustrious Virtue and Renewal of the People", and its pioneering role within CUHK in launching programmes such as Electronic Engineering, Biochemistry, and Social Work.

This is a consolidated profile of United College, far more detailed than the United section in the college overview. For context relating to the University's founding and restructuring, separate articles exist in the University Governance module; this entry focuses on the College itself.

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# 1. Overview

According to the official United College page on the CUHK website^※, United College was formed in 1956 through the amalgamation of five post-secondary colleges: Canton Overseas, Kwang Hsia, Wah Kiu, Wen Hua, and Ping Jing College of Accountancy. Among the three founding Colleges, United's origin is the most distinctive: it is not the continuation of a single institution, but a "united, we stand" effort in the 1950s by several Guangdong private post-secondary colleges with close ties to Hong Kong.

According to official sources, United College historically pioneered Electronic Engineering, Biochemistry, and Social Work within the University, playing a trailblazing role in academic development. The College also emphasises innovation and entrepreneurship, character education, environmental protection, and physical and mental wellness.

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# 2. Founding History: Five-School Merger to Ma Liu Shui

# The Five Predecessor Colleges

According to Wikipedia: United College (Chinese)^※ and the official United College history^※, the five pre-merger colleges were all private universities or post-secondary colleges from Guangzhou and neighbouring areas with close ties to Hong Kong. They relocated south to Hong Kong around 1949 as circumstances changed, each with its own founding year:

According to Wikipedia, there were originally eight private post-secondary colleges in merger talks during the 1950s. Three withdrew during the negotiations, and the remaining five merged in June 1956 to form United College. This process of "uniting" is precisely the origin of the College's name—coming together for strength, sustaining the flame of Guangdong private higher education.

A foundation of "diaspora and commerce": In the names of the five colleges, terms like "Overseas" (僑) in Canton Overseas and Wah Kiu point to their roots among the overseas Chinese community and Lingnan's tradition of community-run education. "Ping Jing College of Accountancy" points even more directly to a pragmatic orientation toward business and accountancy. This background—education by and for a diaspora community, geared toward practical application—gave United College from the outset a utilitarian character distinct from Chung Chi (Christian humanism) and New Asia (Chinese cultural humanism).

# The Catalyst for Merger: The Asia Foundation and a Columbia President's Proposal

Why did five small colleges merge? According to United College of Hong Kong (English Wikipedia)^※, the direct impetus came from a visit: in early 1956, Professor Grayson Kirk, President of Columbia University and a leading figure in the Asia Foundation, visited Hong Kong. After learning of the difficult conditions under which these colleges were operating separately, he suggested they merge. In June of that year, the five institutions announced their union, forming United College of Hong Kong. This episode confirms a broader theme of 1950s Hong Kong higher education: the significant influence and intervention of North American foundations. The Asia Foundation not only provided funding but also played a key catalytic role in "consolidating scattered small colleges". The five-college merger can be seen as a product of external facilitation and internal consolidation working in tandem.

# 1956–1962: Registered on Caine Road, Using Premises on Bonham Road

According to Wikipedia, United College was initially established in 1956 at 147 Caine Road (the former West Campus of Chung Chi College). In 1957, the College was formally incorporated under ordinance, establishing a Board of Trustees as its governing body. Dr. F. I. Tseung became the first College Head and Chairman of the Board of Trustees; according to sources, the College already had over 600 students by this time. That same year, United, Chung Chi, and New Asia formed the "Hong Kong Chinese Post-Secondary Colleges Association", laying the groundwork for the future co-founding of CUHK. In May 1962, the College moved to premises on Bonham Road. From a city campus on Caine Road to its eventual move to the Sha Tin CUHK campus, United College traced a path from "urban patchwork" to "mountain-top settlement".

# 1963: Co-founding CUHK

According to United College of Hong Kong (English Wikipedia)^※, in 1963 The Chinese University of Hong Kong was formally established, with United College becoming a founding member College alongside Chung Chi and New Asia.

# 1971: Relocation to Ma Liu Shui, Sha Tin

According to Wikipedia: United College (Chinese)^※, in December 1971, United College moved to its present site on the CUHK campus at Ma Liu Shui, Sha Tin, occupying a central swathe of the campus. The CUHK University Archives holds historical images of "United College under construction"^※, documenting the building process of the Sha Tin campus.

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# 3. The Motto: 「明德新民」—"Illustrious Virtue and Renewal of the People"

According to official sources and Wikipedia, the United College motto is 「明德新民」, a phrase from the Confucian classic The Great Learning: 「大學之道，在明明德，在親民（新民），在止於至善」 ("The way of great learning consists in manifesting one's illustrious virtue, in renewing the people, and in resting in the highest good"). "Illustrious virtue" (明德) refers to manifesting one's own inner virtue, and "renewal of the people" (新民) refers to renovating and edifying the populace—together meaning "manifest one's virtue to renew the people", stressing both personal cultivation and social responsibility. This motto shares its Great Learning origin with Chung Chi's "In Pursuit of Excellence" (止於至善), revealing a common Confucian root among the three founding Colleges. The United College anthem was penned by Professor Chan Cham-kam.

Three Colleges, Three Ethoses: Looking back at CUHK's three founding Colleges, each possessed a distinct spiritual foundation—Chung Chi embodied Christian humanism, carrying on the tradition of Christian colleges in China; New Asia embodied Chinese cultural humanism, sustaining the cultural mission of scholars who migrated south; and United took a pragmatic path southward, formed by the amalgamation of five Guangdong private colleges with a background in diaspora community education and practical business studies. This coexistence of three ethoses made CUHK, from its very inception, a university where diverse strands converged. It was not the product of a single tradition, but the intersection on a Sha Tin hillside of three forces: Christianity, Chinese culture, and pragmatic application. This pluralist DNA is the key to understanding CUHK's capacity to "embrace all and encompass everything".

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# 4. Landmark Buildings and Landscape

United College is situated in the central part of the CUHK campus and comprises numerous buildings. According to Wikipedia: United College (Chinese)^※, the main buildings and facilities include:

• Tsang Shiu Tim Building (Teaching Block A), Cheng Tung Choy Building (Teaching Block C, named in 1980 in memory of the third College Head, Cheng Tung-choy).
• Wu Chung Library: The United College library, named after the philanthropist Wu Chung.
• Cheung Chuk Shan Amenities Building, Thomas H. C. Cheung Gymnasium: Student activity and sports facilities, named after the Cheung Chuk Shan and Thomas Cheung families.
• S H Ho Student Centre: Home to the student bar, which opened in 2006 and is a corner of United student culture.

Student Hostels (5): According to Wikipedia, United College has Johann Adam Schall von Bell Hostel, Benjamin Franklin Centre (Bergenia Court), Hang Seng Hall, Chan Chun Ha Hostel, and Choi Kai Yau Residence (opened 2025). Names like "Schall von Bell" and "Benjamin Franklin" reflect the College's cultural orientation of bridging East and West.

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# 5. Successive College Heads

According to Wikipedia: United College (Chinese)^※, the successive College Heads (Presidents) of United College are:

1. F. I. Tseung (1957–1959, first Chairman of the Board of Trustees and College Head)
2. Lin Dao-yang (1960–1963, renowned forestry scientist and soil conservation expert)
3. Cheng Tung-choy (1963–1977)
4. Hsueh Shou-sheng (1977–1980)
5. Chen Tien-chi (1980–1988)
6. Li Cheuk-yu (1988–1998)
7. Wong Kwan-yiu (1998–2002)
8. Fung Kwok-pui (2002–2012)
9. Jimmy C.M. Yu (2012–2022)
10. Wong Heung-sang (2022–present)

Lin Dao-yang and Cheng Tung-choy left deep marks on the College through named buildings (Cheng Tung Choy Building) and academic influence; Lin Dao-yang also served as Head of Chung Chi College, a figure common to both Colleges.

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# 6. Notable Alumni

According to Wikipedia: United College (Chinese)^※, United College has produced a large number of alumni active in cultural, political, commercial, and professional fields, for example:

• Michael Hui (Social Science, 1969): Hong Kong entertainer and film director, winner of the first Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor.
• Dr. Tse Yuen-man (MB ChB, 1992): A Tuen Mun Hospital doctor who died in the line of duty during the 2003 SARS outbreak, hailed as a "daughter of Hong Kong".
• Numerous other alumni are active in education, politics, and academia (only neutral facts are recorded for living individuals).

United College alumni, rooted in the Guangdong private higher education tradition and mindful of the motto 「明德新民」—"Illustrious Virtue and Renewal of the People", have made particularly notable contributions in social service and professional fields.

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# 7. Unofficial History and Anecdotes (Low Credibility)

Credibility Notice: The content in this section consists largely of campus folklore, word-of-mouth tales, or internet forum anecdotes. None have been verified by authoritative historical sources, and their credibility is low. They are provided solely for cultural interest and should not be cited as historical fact. This site refrains from publishing any subjective judgments concerning living individuals; the following anecdotes do not correspond to any real persons.

A Dramatised Version of "Eight Colleges Negotiated, Three Withdrew"

Following the pre-founding story of "originally eight, three withdrew", several folk narratives offer dramatic accounts of certain colleges quitting over "distribution of interests" or "factional strife". Note: The fact that eight colleges were in talks and five ultimately proceeded is documented, but the specific internal details and personalities involved in the withdrawal are, for the most part, unsupported by reliable primary sources. These are later embellishments based on particular standpoints and are of low credibility.

A Fanciful Explanation for the "Schall von Bell" Hostel Name

One United hostel is named after the Jesuit missionary Johann Adam Schall von Bell, who came to China in the late Ming dynasty. A popular legend links this name to "some hidden religious past of the College". Note: United College itself has no Chung Chi-style Christian background. Naming hostels after both Chinese and Western figures—such as Schall von Bell and Benjamin Franklin—expresses the College's cultural stance of embracing East and West and drawing widely on diverse strengths, not a religious lineage. Interpreting the name as "hidden religious history" is a folk etymological fancy of low credibility.

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