Precursor: New Asia College Journal
New Asia College Journal was issued by early New Asia students on 1 June 1 1952. Mr. Ch’ien Mu inscribed the journal name at its initiation. It was the only publication of the College and its editors were all students. Mr. Tchang Pi-Kai recalled later in the inaugural issue of New Asia Life:
For self-inspiration and better representation of the College to the public, the editing and publishing work fell on a selected group of students while the professors focused on student counselling only. Students were responsible for various work, including donations, writing, proof-reading and distribution.
Besides the works of students, New Asia College Journal also received contributions from professors and alumni, covering academic articles, student essays, teachers’ words, alumni updates, as well as announcements on College administration and development. The publication was fully funded by College teachers and students, whose names regularly appeared in an acknowledgement section of the journal.
Nine issues were published until 15 July 1957, with two annually. Some served as a commemorative edition honouring graduates where graduation photos were carried. Such a practice continued for a long period.
New Asia Life Biweekly
Operated by students and published twice a year, the College journal was not prepared for timely announcements. The College thus established the Publication Committee in 1958 to oversee publication affairs. The Committee then introduced the New Asia Life Biweekly led by Mr. Tchang Pi-Kai. Its first issue was released on 5 May in the same year, with the initiation remarks by Mr. Ch’ien:
The New Asia Life Biweekly seeks to collect and reflect all units and aspects of our College life.
The New Asia Life Biweekly covered speeches, essays, College activity reports, administrative announcements, and notices on new publications, artworks, as well as updates on staff, student societies and alumni. The College had published a total of 15 volumes, 292 issues since initiation up to the graduation special edition in July 1973. The original New Asia College Journal was turned over to College professors and became purely academic. To promote academics, the College initiated the New Asia Academic Annual in October 1959 in place of the New Asia College Journal. The Annual was dedicated to academic articles.
New Asia Life Monthly
New Asia moved from Farm Road to the current site in Shatin in July 1973. Since the Kowloon-Canton Railway was not electrified yet, it took much longer time to travel to and from CUHK. Considering the transportation costs, the College decided to reduce the frequency of New Asia Life that it would be published on the fifteenth day of each month except in the summer holiday, adding up to ten issues per year. Until 2022, the Monthly has been published for 49 years.
The Monthly carried on the editorial agenda of the Biweekly. It aimed to foster communication among teachers, students and alumni, and present the latest development of College to the public. To enhance the reading experience, various columns have been added in recent years:
“NA Footprint” - Interviews designed and conducted by student reporters;
“Arts and Artists at NA” - Lives and masterpieces of the teachers of the Department of Fine Arts , told by Prof. Lee Yun-woon, former Chair of the Department and Senior College Tutor.
“Thriving at NA” – Introduction of plants grown in the College, given by Dr. Lau Tai-wai David, Director of the Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium.
“NA Footprint” - Interviews designed and conducted by student reporters;
“Arts and Artists at NA” - Lives and masterpieces of the teachers of the Department of Fine Arts , told by Prof. Lee Yun-woon, former Chair of the Department and Senior College Tutor.
“Thriving at NA” – Introduction of plants grown in the College, given by Dr. Lau Tai-wai David, Director of the Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium.
“Farm Road Literati: People and Books” - Prof. Kwong Kin-hung, former Registrar of the New Asia Institute of Advanced Chinese Studies and Honorary Professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature of the Hong Kong Baptist University, looking back at elites in the old days of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature of the College and their works.
“Farm Road Memories” - Prof. Chan Chi-shing, former Director of the New Asia Institute of Advanced Chinese Studies and Honorary Professor of the School of Chinese of the University of Hong Kong, taking a retrospective view at the College in Farm Road.
“One Theme in Two Ways” - A writing team of young alumni sharing on the same prompt;
“Global New Asians” - Contributions from alumni studying or working overseas;
New columns of feature stories include “Intellectual Journeys” covering scholars and interviews with teachers, students and alumni. To keep up with the trend, e-versions of the Monthly have been made available in recent years. They are accessible on the College website and delivered to College students, staff and alumni by email.
(English Translation: Li Xinting)
