Tuesday, June 24, 2025

[In-person] Lee Quo Wei Room, Asia Society Hong Kong Center

17:45 Registration

18:00 Opening remarks by S. Alice Mong

18:10 Lecture by Mr. Ian Huen

18:50 Audience Q&A

19:10 Closing Remarks

19:15 End

ASHK Member Tickets: HKD 80

Non-Member Tickets: HKD 100

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In conjunction with the Centennial Retrospective of artist Hoo Mojong, this lecture turns the spotlight on another extraordinary woman from the same region of China in the twentieth century: Wu Jianxiong (Chien-Shiung Wu, 1912–1997), the pioneering Chinese physicist who played a pivotal role in the Manhattan Project. Together, the lives of Hoo Mojong and Wu Jianxiong exemplify the remarkable journeys of Chinese women who challenged tradition, broke through gender barriers, and left lasting legacies on the world stage.

Wu's ancestral home was not merely her place of origin; but a historic center of imperial scholarship during the Ming and Qing dynasties—a region that produced generations of civil servants who formed the backbone of China's bureaucratic system. This enduring tradition of intellectual rigor and social aspiration provided the foundation for Wu's ascent from a regional scholar-official culture to the heights of global science.

Wu's marriage to the Yuan family add another dimension to this story: her father-in-law, Yuan Kewen, was the son of Yuan Shikai (1859–1916), President of the Republic of China. Yuan Shikai's failed attempt to restore the monarchy in 1916 marked a dramatic turning point in Chinese history, symbolizing both the collapse of the old imperial order and the uncertainties of modernization. Wu's union with this lineage represents a convergence of two elite traditions—scholarly and political—each grappling with the challenges of China's transformation.

Through a multidimensional exploration of Wu Jianxiong's family background, education, and migration, this lecture demonstrates how the institutions and values of traditional China were not swept away but instead found new forms and influence in the modern world. Wu's career thus stands as a testament to the ways in which China's past contributed to shaping the global order—moving from the local and traditional to the international and innovative—through the life and achievements of one remarkable woman in science.