CUHK Campus Wild History, Continued: The Water Tower Romance, University Mall, Lake Ad Excellentiam, and the Pavilion of Harmony

⚠️ This article belongs to the Wild History module (15 Campus Legends, Lore & Voices), continuing from campus-legends-and-landmarks.md. Unverified campus lore is explicitly flagged with the :::lore callout; facts concerning the construction and naming of landmarks are supported by official or otherwise reliable sources. Living private individuals involved in specific incidents are referred to by "Mr./Ms. [Surname]" or by their professional title. Artists, architects, donors, and deceased founding scholars are named when the context is neutral or positive (with specific proper-noun exceptions). This article does not expand on political events from 2019 onwards (e.g. University Mall being temporarily dubbed "Lennon Wall Boulevard"), offering only a one-line contextual note; a full narrative belongs in module 18.

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Two water towers imagined by students as a pair of star-crossed lovers. A boulevard whose name has no agreed-upon origin, where a late-night mahjong game ignited a debate over who defines ‘public space.’ A once-murky lily pond transformed into a secret campus vista where ‘water meets the sky.’ At CUHK, it is often the humblest pieces of infrastructure—water towers, a plaza, a pond—that carry the richest cargo of collective imagination. This piece continues the chronicle with four more landmark tales.

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# 1. The Gate: A Study of Its Threatened Demolition, Its Renaming, and the ‘Gate of Wisdom’

This section supplements and corrects the account of the Monument of the Beacon/Fung Wong Toi/Tai Hap Mun (The Gate) given in campus-legends-and-landmarks.md §1. For a complete study of its creation, donation, and naming, see ju-ming-gate-and-pavilion-of-harmony.md. According to multiple sources, "Fung Wong Toi" (Monument of the Beacon), "Tai Hap Mun" (The Gate), and "Gate of Wisdom" are different names for the same sculpture, not three separate landmarks.

# 1.1 Provenance and Artist

According to the Wikipedia entry for The Gate^※, this bronze sculpture was created by the Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming in 1986. It was the first formal work in his "Arch" series, which concluded his renowned "Taiji Series." Originally named simply "The Gate" (門), it was gifted to CUHK by the University's first campus architect, Szeto Wai, and unveiled in December 1987 at the eastern end of University Mall, directly in front of the University Library. Students subsequently wove an urban legend around it: walking through it meant you wouldn’t graduate (some versions claim it leads to expulsion or worse).

# 1.2 The 2008 Controversy: A Case Study in Heritage Conservation

According to the Wikipedia entry for The Gate^※, to accommodate the expansion of the University Library for the upcoming four-year undergraduate curriculum, in 2008 the then Vice-Chancellor (referred to here, within the context of the controversy, as "Mr. M, the then Vice-Chancellor") proposed the sculpture's temporary removal. This triggered fierce opposition from CUHK students; following the outcry, the sculpture was saved.

This stands as a representative case in the history of landmark preservation and heritage conservation at CUHK. It is corroborated by another account of a heritage controversy in the same area, chronicled by the CUHK Student Press^※, which notes that the sculpture—a historical platform for student activism—was similarly slated for removal in 2008 during the library expansion, but was successfully preserved after a petition by students, faculty, and alumni. (These two sources corroborate each other on the key point: "slated for removal in 2008 for library expansion, and preserved following opposition.")

# 1.3 Ju Ming Renames the Sculpture "The Gate"

According to the Wikipedia entry for The Gate^※, Ju Ming later returned to CUHK (around 2006) to refurbish the sculpture. Upon hearing the student legend that passing through it would prevent graduation, he decided to make the piece feel more approachable and inviting to walk through. He thus renamed it "The Gate" (仲門), inscribing it with the English title "Gate of Wisdom." In December 2011, Ju Ming delivered a lecture at CUHK titled "Art as Spiritual Practice" and received an honorary doctorate.

Corrigendum: A previous version of this story conflated these events, claiming Ju Ming addressed the legend in a 2011 lecture. This study corrects the record: the renaming occurred during the refurbishment around 2006 (not in 2011), and the 2011 event was a lecture and honorary doctorate ceremony. These should be treated as separate incidents. According to the artist’s intention, the sculpture’s meaning is one of "passing through the gate to success"—a direct contradiction to the folk belief that it bars graduation.

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# 2. The New Asia–United College "Gentleman’s Tower and Lady’s Tower" and Lover's Path

# 2.1 The Two Towers and Their Naming Legend

According to the CUHK Student Press^※, New Asia College and United College each have a water tower built in the 1970s, used for storing and supplying fresh and salt water—a utilitarian function that stands in stark contrast to the romantic imaginings they would later attract. As documented in the Wikipedia entry for Szeto Wai^※, both towers were designed by Szeto Wai—the first campus architect (served 1963–1978) who master-planned CUHK's layout, donated "The Gate" (later renamed), and also personally designed these two towers, which would one day be enveloped in a love story.

Students, noting their contrasting forms, created a personification: the straighter, more angular New Asia water tower was dubbed the "Gentleman’s Tower," while the United College water tower, with its softer lines, became the "Lady’s Tower." The legend casts them as "a pair of passionate lovers." The Gentleman's Tower faces directly toward the Lady’s Tower, as if "gazing" into her eyes, while the Lady's Tower "shyly turns slightly sideways to avoid the intensity of his stare." There are also apocryphal tales of students attempting to sneak inside; the source notes the towers are now fitted with security cameras and reinforced locks, making such early adventures impossible today.

One Designer, Two Fates in Posterity: Szeto Wai’s "Gate" was solemnly renamed by the artist himself to dispel a taboo (see previous section). His two water towers, meanwhile, were unthinkingly woven by students into a romantic saga, with no need for any "official rectification of names." The works of a single architect took two starkly divergent paths of "interpretation" in the collective memory of the campus. This is yet another piece of evidence that campus folklore "follows its own logic, beyond the designer's control."

# 2.2 Lover's Path

According to the same source, a shortcut linking New Asia and United Colleges (the only two currently adjacent colleges) is known as "Lover's Path" (情人路). Located behind Bethlehem Hall, it is shorter than the shuttle bus route. The path's narrowness requires people to walk shoulder to shoulder, which is how it got its name. It offers views of Tolo Harbour and becomes a secluded spot after dark. The student publication describes it as a place for "long, hushed conversations," adding a layer of imaginative geography to the two towers' love story—while one pair of lovers "gazes" from afar, another walks side by side. This entry is presented as a record of campus culture as documented by student media, and is flagged as self-account.

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# 3. University Mall ("Million-Dollar Avenue"): The Riddles of a Name, and a Debate Sparked by a Midnight Mahjong Game

# 3.1 The Naming Legend

According to the Wikipedia entry for University Mall^※, the central plaza on the CUHK main campus, stretching between the University Library (west) and the Science Centre (east), has the official name "The University Mall" (林蔭大道). It forms the "University Square" with its surrounding buildings, but students know it almost exclusively as "Million-Dollar Avenue" (百萬大道). The entry explicitly states that "the origin of the name 'Million-Dollar Avenue' is subject to multiple interpretations... and it is unclear which is correct." The circulating theories include:

According to this source, University Mall is the central space for official university ceremonies and activities—congregation, major sports match screenings, and student-organised events (like the "Arts Fair") are held here. The CUHK Student Press^※ also records it as a site for student assemblies and creative pursuits. For facts on the landmark’s construction and planning, see 05-campus/building-directory.md.

# 3.2 A Midnight Mahjong Game: Who Defines "Public Space"?

According to the source, on the night of 22 September 2016, at around 10 p.m., six students brought mooncakes and began playing mahjong on University Mall near the Science Centre end (in front of the large University emblem). They claimed the activity involved no money, no noise, and no obstruction. At around 3 a.m., campus security asked them to stop. The students consented after their identities were registered, then dispersed. The incident was later reported by the CUHK Student Press. The then Vice-Chancellor (referred to here by title per BLP protocols) subsequently wrote a response, stating that while the students' actions had not caused significant disruption to staff, they were not in keeping with the dignity befitting a scholar. He expressed concern that if casual pursuits such as mahjong, graffiti, or indecent behaviour were allowed on University Mall, it would wound the sentiments of the CUHK community, and he hoped students would learn about responsibility.

A Juxtaposition of Viewpoints:

From the university administration's perspective (as synthesised from reports): University Mall is the "front parlour" and ceremonial heart of CUHK. Any activity there should be mindful of appearance and decency, and overly casual private amusements (like playing cards) risk damaging the image of the institution.

From the perspective of the students involved and a segment of public opinion (as synthesised from CUHK Student Press reports and commentaries): Playing mahjong itself was not against any rule and disturbed no one. The question of whether a temporary use of an empty plaza at midnight is "improper" is subjective. The incident was seized upon to ask a more fundamental question: "Who should define the rules for using public space, and through what process?"—rather than having it dictated by management fiat alone. One reader's letter was even headlined "Vice-Chancellor, Do You Really Understand University Mall?", questioning the administration's grasp of the space’s history and function.

This seemingly trivial "Mahjong Kerfuffle" struck at the heart of a question similar to the one raised by the 2008 "Gate" preservation controversy: Should the meaning and boundaries of core communal spaces on campus be defined by the administration’s standard of "dignity," or by students' actual habits of use? This archive presents both sides without adjudicating right or wrong.

Note: University Mall has historically been a site for campus assemblies. In 2019, it was temporarily referred to by some as "Lennon Wall Boulevard" due to wider social events, to which the University administration responded with a statement and reserved the right to disciplinary action. This entry, concerning the highly politicised assemblies of 2019 and beyond, does not expand its narrative here. For related external sources, see 18-wilder-movements/source-directory.md.

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# 4. Lake Ad Excellentiam (Wei Yuan Hu / "Lake of Unfulfilled Perfection"): The Lake, the Bridges, and Their Philosophy

# 4.1 Name and Meaning

According to the official Chung Chi College page^※, the name of Chung Chi’s most famous landmark, Lake Ad Excellentiam (known in Chinese as 未圓湖, "Lake of Unfulfilled Perfection"), echoes the college motto, "In Pursuit of Excellence" (止於至善). The source explains that "not yet round"—the literal meaning of its Chinese name—signifies that perfection is yet to be achieved, urging one to continuously strive towards completion. The lake was originally called the "Lily Pond" (or Lotus Pond).

# 4.2 Physical History and the Lake Bridges

According to the official Chung Chi page^※ and the CUHK Student Press^※, this area was originally farmland, streams, and fish ponds belonging to Ma Liu Shui Village. It gradually evolved into a lily pond in the late 1960s, though, as the Student Press notes, the water in its early days was murky and aesthetically unpleasing. In the mid-1990s (Chung Chi's official page states around 1997), the college completed a major renovation with alumni support, constructing two new bridges across the water to create the present view. The two bridges carry symbolic meaning: the Crooked Bridge (east) represents life’s winding path of twists and turns, while the Arched Bridge (west) conveys a similar message—but that "one can always cross the bridge and reach the other shore." The path along the shore is named "Philosophy Path," designed as a place to "ponder life like a philosopher." Nearby, the college motto is shaped out of trimmed Chinese characters. According to student media, the lakeside foliage in autumn is one of "CUHK’s most enchanting sights."

# 4.3 Student Anecdotes

According to the CUHK Student Press^※, Lake Ad Excellentiam is a popular spot for students to picnic on the lawn and for couples to take a stroll. There are also persistent rumours of students "taking a midnight dip" in the lake. Although the university has a proper swimming pool, some students apparently prefer this "wild swimming," which the source describes as one of the campus's tacitly acknowledged "traditions." This entry is presented as a record from student media and flagged as a self-account.

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# 5. The Pavilion of Harmony and the View of "Heaven and Man as One" (New Asia College)

According to the Wikipedia entry for the Pavilion of Harmony^※ and the Wikipedia entry for New Asia College^※, the Pavilion of Harmony at New Asia College was inaugurated on 12 December 2003. It was built to commemorate New Asia's founder, Ch'ien Mu, and his essay "On the Unity of Heaven and Man." The pavilion was donated by Ms. Wu Tsung-lin and designed by architect Professor Chan Wai-kee. For full design details, donor background, and a comparison with the "Gate of Wisdom," see ju-ming-gate-and-pavilion-of-harmony.md §2.

• The pond in front of the pavilion visually merges with the horizon of Tolo Harbour, creating the effect of "water blending into the sky." According to the source, the design aims to evoke the concept of "Heaven and man as one" (天人合一), which is how the view got its popular nickname. The then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ambrose King Yeo-chi, even praised it as the "Second-best view in Hong Kong."
• The text of Ch'ien Mu's essay and the "Unity of Heaven and Man" seal carved into the exterior wall of the pavilion are, respectively, the calligraphy of former Fine Arts Department professor Lee Yun-wun and the work of Fine Arts professor Tong Kam-tang (both neutral/positive facts, named accordingly).

Ch'ien Mu was the founder of New Asia College and a deceased founding scholar of CUHK. In keeping with this archive’s rule, he is named in his own right within a neutral or positive historical context. (See 10-colleges/new-asia-college.md and 13-governance-and-reform/fulton-reform-and-college-autonomy.md)

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# 6. A Common Thread Across Five Landmark Tales: Who Gets to "Name" a Campus?

Read together with the previous piece (campus-legends-and-landmarks.md), a recurring undercurrent in CUHK’s wild history emerges: official names and their intended meanings often struggle to compete with an alternative set of narratives born from the collective student imagination.

• "The Gate" was officially retitled "The Gate of Wisdom," but students still call it the "Monument of the Beacon," and still believe you won't graduate if you cross it.
• Utilitarian water supply structures were imagined by students into a couple in a torturous romance.
• Almost no one uses the official name "The University Mall"; everyone just calls it "Million-Dollar Avenue," a name whose origin is itself unsettled.
• After its renovation, the "Lily Pond" was formally named "Lake Ad Excellentiam," but unofficial lore—like midnight swims—continues to write its other, rogue biography.

The "Pavilion of Harmony" is the lone exception. Its official meaning ("Heaven and man as one") and the public's reception of it (the breathtaking "Second-best view in Hong Kong") align with rare harmony. This is perhaps because, from its very inception, its intended meaning was so meticulously bound to a visual experience that it left the smallest possible room for anyone to imagine it differently.

This archive chronicles these tensions of naming and narrative without judging which is more "true." The meaning of a campus landmark is never something a single source can define.

Further reading: Campus Legends: The Gate and the Goddess Statue, A Study of Ju Ming's "Gate of Wisdom" and New Asia's "Pavilion of Harmony", The New Asia College Dossier.

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