今牛津大學，西元1096年始庠序，時值帝制中國北宋哲宗紹聖三年。有言宋代乃東方文藝復興，蓋有宋社會、經濟、都市發達，國策又重文士儒生，上繼古典，下開近世。藝文積一時盛大，社經開近世先河。夷考紹聖文藝大事，可堪一記者，竟屬蘇東坡先貶惠州，再謫儋州。流離天意人事，落魄天涯海角。西洋、東亞，復興、貶謫，此中對照，頗堪玩味。香港近歲，勢變其已至鉅，蜩螗世所難睹。我等處西洋彼岸，遙觀東亞遠鄉。遠火雖隔岸，五內實如焚。暮夕飲冰，難解灼灼。香港處其豹變之兆，大變形其肇際，大革見其初序。往昔、今日，變故、興革，遠東、大西，本土、國際，互參對照。對照之間，學界賢達、百業能士，亦必各有卓見，苟聚諸士於一堂，或足為香港未來挑燈指路，此實牛津大學香港學者協會（OxHKScholars）年來悉力籌辦首屆「香港論壇」之契機並標的。際此風雲變幻，探視香江未來。期能重思香港立足本土、放眼世界之特質。是以，論壇英文主題謹定為「The future of Hong Kong: Reimagining glocal citizenship」。
論壇中文主題「管錐天地，溢乎四海」對應英文主題而取義稍寬，釋義如下。
上句「管錐天地」效牛津大學校友錢鍾書所著《管錐篇》，上承《莊子．秋水》：「子乃規規然而求之以察，索之以辯，是直用管窺天，用錐指地也，不亦小乎」。香港彈丸微地，外人攬以為鏡，探視中國並東亞，而中國東亞格局宏大、文脈廣袤。欲藉香港以窺中國東亞，實無異以管錐窺指天地。穹蒼何其廣，一孔何其狹，論壇無過兩日，實管中管、錐中錐，難見人事代謝、往來古今。敝會自知其限，是故謹慎其言，忝為八方良士驛所，聚賢納才。月旦古今、評騭政經、議論得失，祈見遠路一燈，照見世界都會香港前路。是旨即以管錐略窺天地。
下句「溢乎四海」取《孟子．離婁上》：「沛然德教溢乎四海」。香港本土文化，百年蓄積，輻輳香江，流溢四海。近世東亞並中國內外交煎、變折屢經、禍亂頻仍，香港未嘗獨善。昔卜居小島者，效其力於香港；今外遷諸地者，獻其才於世界。此中種種，昭示香港何曾自外於當世、孤然於友邦。香港國際都會，福地繁榮昌盛，近友東亞諸鄰，遠交歐美各國。逮於當代，旬年有數，友鄰諸邦漸興，香港變其身份，而不改其交四海、結八方之志。知識、技術、人才，澤及諸國、有益世界。是旨即張其德教流佈四海。
疫鎖未銷，敝會擇地虛擬世界，免卜牛津、香港，亦切實用。嘉賓講者並主持，犖然有成者、年青新進者、學界領軍者、功在業界者，雖自五湖四海，今可同場共議。線上舉辦，全球連線，大利多元爭鳴。音書一鍵可傳，四海一瞬可撫。
析言論壇所議，共四大分題、十二場討論會，包羅香港藝文、史地、城市規劃、保育、傳媒、多元性向、科技、創業諸項，面面俱到。另有預錄短講、工作坊、社交平臺，亦為論壇增色。
結語之先，亦略說手書諸名。論壇中文名謹采隸書體，彰示其學術討論本質乃莊重且嚴謹，如隸書之四平八穩、莊敬厚重。與之對照，敝會中文名「牛津大學香港學者協會」則以行楷書就，表示敝會雙重身份：學術為主、聯誼為輔，兩者互為表裏，缺一不可。因而取楷體之莊、行書之靈，融貫兩者為一，既不失易讀可辨之態，又非鐵面謹嚴。若取隸書或更古之體則太拘，取行草等更活之體則太浮。隸書、行楷，論壇名、會名相對照，亦見敝會不同面相。
是以，謹代表敝會呈獻首屆牛津香港論壇。賢達交相牴礪，克廣「香港學」。祈與會諸賢各有所得，牛津克紹佳業，香港明珠永亮。謹賦古體一首，祝願論壇成功：
牛馬甘效力
津渡八方通
香蓮清且直
港埠瑰而崇
論切砥志行
壇坫達其功
牛津大學響西元1096年開始教學，正值古代中國北宋哲宗紹聖三年。有言宋代係東方文藝復興，因為宋代社會、經濟、都市都好發達，國策又重視文士儒生，上繼古典，下開近世。文化、藝術興盛，社會、經濟領先。睇返紹聖年間文藝大事，值得一提嘅，竟然係蘇東坡先後被貶到惠州同儋州。歷盡天意人事，落魄天涯海角。西洋、東亞，復興、貶謫，其中對照，耐人尋味。香港近年，變化至為鉅大，亂象前所未見。我哋隔住成六千英里咁遠，遠遠睇住呢個遠在東亞嘅故鄉。雖似隔岸觀火，實則五內如焚，就算日夜飲冰都難解內心焦灼。香港處於轉變嘅十字路口，大變初始，革新初興。往昔、今日，變故、興革，遠東、大西，本土、國際，互相參考對照。對照果陣，學界賢達、百業能士，亦肯定各有卓見，若果可以聚埋大家一齊，或者可以做香港未來嘅腳前燈，呢個就係點解牛津大學香港學者協會（OxHKScholars）年來悉力籌辦首屆「香港論壇」嘅契機同目的。面對風雲變幻，探視香江未來。希望可以重新省思香港立足本土、放眼世界呢個特質。所以，論壇英文主題謹定為「The future of Hong Kong: Reimagining glocal citizenship」。
論壇中文主題「管錐天地，溢乎四海」對應英文主題而取義稍更寬廣，釋義係噉：
上句「管錐天地」學牛津大學校友錢鍾書所著《管錐篇》，上承《莊子．秋水》：「子乃規規然而求之以察，索之以辯，是直用管窺天，用錐指地也，不亦小乎」。香港豆潤咁細，外人拎嚟做透視鏡噉睇中國同東亞，而中國東亞卻係格局宏大、文脈廣袤。想藉住香港嚟睇中國東亞，實在係無異於以管窺天同以錐指地。宇宙穹蒼係幾咁廣闊，而一個細窿係幾咁狹窄。論壇不過兩日，實在係管中管、錐中錐，好難藉此就話可以探討到香港人事更替、古今歷史。敝會自知個限制，所以小心講嘢，小小哋做個八方良士嘅中轉站，匯聚人才，俾佢哋可以談論古今、評論政經、議論得失。希望噉可以成為路上嘅一盞遠燈，照見香港呢個世界都會嘅前路。呢個宗旨就係以管錐略窺天地。
下句「溢乎四海」取自《孟子．離婁上》：「沛然德教溢乎四海」。香港本土文化，累積咗成百年，匯聚香江，散播四海。近代東亞同中國經歷頻繁內亂、外侵、大變革，禍亂頻生，香港從來冇一刻可以獨善其身。昔日走嚟呢個小島嘅，幫手建設香港；而家遷居到外地嘅，將佢哋嘅才能貢獻世界。凡此種種，都明確見到香港從冇自外於當代世界、孤然於友鄰諸邦。香港國際都會，福地繁榮昌盛，既同近嘅東亞鄰居做朋友，又與遠嘅歐美各國打交道。嚟到當代近十幾年，我哋嘅鄰居諸國漸漸興盛發展，香港身份雖有改變，但無改結交四海八方朋友嘅志氣。知識、技術、人才，我哋都希望可以惠及鄰國、有益世界。呢個宗旨就係擴張德教流佈四海。
全球疫鎖，敝會選擇響虛擬世界搞呢個論壇，唔洗響牛津定香港之間抉擇，亦切合實際需要。論壇講者同埋主持，有人成就卓越、有人年青有為、有人領軍學界、有人功在業界，佢哋嚟自五湖四海，而家可以同場一齊傾。線上搞論壇又可以全球連線，對多元爭鳴有莫大益處。一個掣傳訊萬里，一瞬間連結四海。
仔細睇吓論壇，我哋有四大子題、十二場討論會，包羅香港藝文、史地、城市規劃、保育、傳媒、多元性向、科技、創業咁多項目，面面俱到。另外有預錄短講、工作坊、社交平臺，亦為論壇增色不少。
講結語之前，亦略略講吓手寫嘅名。論壇中文名採用隸書體，顯示佢嘅學術討論本質係莊重而嚴謹，好似隸書噉四平八穩、莊敬厚重。相對照嘅係，敝會中文名「牛津大學香港學者協會」就以行楷寫就，表示敝會雙重身份：學術為主、聯誼為輔，兩者互為表裏，缺一不可。所以取楷體之莊、行書之靈，融貫兩者為一，既不失易讀可辨嘅姿態，又唔係鐵面謹嚴。若取隸書或更古嘅書體就太拘謹，取行草等更活嘅書體就太輕浮。隸書、行楷，論壇名、會名相對照，亦可以睇見敝會不同面相。
所以，謹代表敝會呈獻首屆牛津香港論壇。賢達切磋牴礪，全力擴大「香港學」。祈望與會諸賢各有所得，牛津克紹佳業，香港明珠永亮。賦古體詩一首，祝願論壇成功：
牛馬甘效力
津渡八方通
香蓮清且直
港埠瑰而崇
論切砥志行
壇坫達其功
(English translation mostly by others)
Teaching at what is today the University of Oxford can be traced back to 1096 AD, a time that corresponds to the Shaosheng era in the Northern Song Dynasty of China. The Song Dynasty was acclaimed as the Eastern Renaissance, giving birth to a prosperous society and economy. The national policy was centred around scholarship and culture, leading to a flourishing scene of art and literature which opened up the modern age. However, 1096 AD is when Su Dongpo 蘇東坡, one of the most renowned classical Chinese literates, was demoted to where is now Hainan Island, being banished to no man’s land in the eyes of his contemporaries.
Hong Kong has experienced unprecedented changes in recent years. As Hong Kongers we could only contemplate whilst we are here in Oxford observing from a distance. Past and present, changes and revolutions, oriental and occidental, local and global, reflecting upon these contrasts could perhaps shed some light to our path ahead. The Oxford University Hong Kong Scholars Association (OxHKScholars) is proud to present the inaugural “Oxford Hong Kong Forum”. We strive to create a platform to showcase Hong Kong’s dynamic glocal identity, and to explore the future of Hong Kong in this turbulent age, hence our theme “The future of Hong Kong: Reimagining glocal citizenship”.
We would like to take this chance to explain the Chinese theme of the forum – which could be translated to “Observing the Surroundings, Extending to the World” (管錐天地，溢乎四海). The first part of the sentence “Observing the Surroundings” (guan zhui tiandi) was inspired by the essay collection Limited Views (Guan zhui pian) by Oxford University alumnus Ch’ien Chung-shu (Qian Zhongshu 錢鍾書), with the words originated from Zhuangzi. The phrase drew up an analogy of looking through a tube to observe the sky and through a cone to scrutinize the land, pointing out how limited our observations can be. Despite Hong Kong being a small city, many view Hong Kong as a looking glass into the vast heritage of China and East Asia. We endeavour to gather talents across different fields, and provide a platform for distilling knowledge into ideas. Recognising our limitations, we carefully curated our programme to offer condensed insights into Hong Kong’s path ahead.
“Extending the world” (yi hu sihai), the second part of our Chinese theme, was taken from Mencius, on how one’s virtue and enlightenment could spread. Indeed, the essence of Hong Kong’s local culture can be found in different corners of the world. Hong Kong has never been alone in the international landscape. In the past, she has ridden along the multifaceted challenges faced by Greater China and SouthEast Asia. As part of a blessed island which gradually became a prosperous international city, we are caught in the crossfire of the contemporary times. Our identity and position in the world might shift with the tides, though the spirit and ambition we embodied will not change. Hong Kongers will continue to extend our knowledge and expertise, contributing to and transforming today’s ever-changing interconnected world.
The Oxford Hong Kong Forum is held virtually due to the pandemic, though we are pleased to welcome audiences across the continents. As global citizens rooted in Hong Kong, we present stories of Hong Kong that transcend the city, that are relevant to everyone. We are proud that our speakers and moderators came from a diverse background, from young researchers, to homegrown scholars, to industry practitioners. We hope their voice will inspire some interesting conversations on this borderless platform.
Our programme is divided into four themes, featuring twelve panel discussions. Speakers will cover Hong Kong’s art and literature, history and geography, urban design, climate resilience, conservation, media, diversity, technology, and entrepreneurship. Alongside the main programme, on-demand talks, workshops and networking sessions are available.
We would also take this opportunity to explain the Chinese calligraphy on our website. The name of the forum is handwritten in clerical script, representing the solemn nature of our academic discussion which echoes with the style of the script – characters are flat, rectilinear, and just. In contrast, the Chinese name of “Oxford University Hong Kong Scholars Association” adopts handwritten running-regular scripts to express the dual identities of the Association: academic as the main purpose and social events as a supplement, both being indispensable components. Therefore, the rigorous spirit of regular script together with the free spirit of running script are used to integrate these core values. Through adopting different calligraphy styles, we hope to showcase the different aspects of our association.
It is our honour to present the inaugural Oxford Hong Kong Forum. We sincerely hope everyone enjoys these two days of discussion and networking. Last but not least, we hope today’s event will set a precedent for the discussions on Hong Kong Studies in Oxford, perpetuating the shimmer of the Orient’s pearl.
介立山房 