-
Huang, Rayson
Huang, Rayson
Former Vice-Chancellor, The University of Hong Kong
Sex: Male Birthyear: 1920 Age at Interview: 90 Education: University Occupation: University President Theme: Education, Japanese Occupation The principal of Munsang insisted that the students should learn Mandarin Chinese because it was the national language of China. He believed every educated Chinese should learn to speak this language. During lunchtime on every Saturday, the school would hold a Mandarin speech contest. Every contestant spoke Mandarin for 4-5 minutes and the outstanding speakers would be awarded. Later, the YMCA in Hong Kong also promoted Mandarin education among secondary school students, and they started to organise annual Secondary School mandarin speech contests. Chan Sin Chak, a Munsang student, won the prize in the first year. In the second year, Munsang let Rayson Huang be the representative. He also got the first prize and was awarded a big medal. This is the most precious treasure he had ever gotten in my life; therefore he put it on his desk. The front part of the medal was made of glass, while the back part was made of silver engraved with the name and the school of the awarded student. He carried this medal with him wherever he went, and finally donated it back to the school for display in the exhibition room. Among the schools that recommended students to be admitted into The University of Hong Kong, Munsang was the only one that offered Mandarin education.
Title Pre-war Munsang College insisted its students had to learn mandarin Date 19/03/2010 Subject Education Duration 3m5s Language Cantonese and English Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. TW-RH-HLT-001 With the increase of student number, Rayson Huang's father (Munsang school principal) deemed that the building was no longer big enough and find a place to build a new school premise, or else it would limit the growth of the school. So, from 1936, he began to raise funds and many students were enthusiastic in joining the activities. Rayson was in Senior One then. The whole class of 18 classmates including Rayson organised a variety show of music performances, singing and a drama play. He also played a string quartet with his brother and his music teacher. They spent a month practicing the instruments for the show. The drama they played was called The Good Son, and it was a fine performance. This was the only drama Rayson had ever joined in his lifetime, which he acted the role of a woman, putting on female clothes and make-ups.
Title Rayson played as a girl in a fund-raising drama performance for Munsang Date 19/03/2010 Subject Education Duration 3m54s Language Cantonese and English Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. TW-RH-HLT-002 Rayson Huang came to like basketball after entering HKU, and he represented St. John’s Hall in ball games. He played the forward position since he was not very tall. He also organized table tennis team at St. John’s. Team spirit in St. John’s Hall was weak. Once St. John’s basketball team played against Elliot Hall’s. Elliot Hall’s captain was Hui Kwan Lun, a good friend of Rayson’s who later became a famous doctor. During that tournament, Elliot Hall was St. John’s keen competitor. They were also the strongest among the university teams. When the game was about to begin, only four players on the St. John’s team showed up including Rayson. A full team should have 10 people including reserves. The honorary secretary of the Students’ Union also came to the event, but he wasn’t able to participate in the game. The No. 1 Boy of St John’s was also present as he came to serve tea and snack for the team . The final score of that game, in which the four of them played against the 10 from the other team, was 17:51. The 4 players were exhausted because they did not have any reserve to substitute them during the game. This was one of the unforgettable memories of Rayson’s hall life.
Title The unforgettable basketball game of university halls Date 19/03/2010 Subject Education Duration 2m54s Language Cantonese and English Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. TW-RH-HLT-003 The attendants at St John’s Hall took great care of the hall residents (students), and made them feel that they enjoyed the living standard as good as a prince would enjoy. There would be attendants standing by to serve the students during meals. St. John’s dining room wasn’t particularly luxurious. It was just big enough for only a few dozens of people to dine at one time. During meal hours, an attendant would stand by the table and take students’ orders. There were six Chinese dishes on the menu, including soup, fish and four other dishes. Those who were richer could choose more expensive dishes. If the total amount of the bill exceeded the ceiling of the food allowance, students had to pay the price out of their own pocket. The second part of the menu was a western-style set dinner with one soup, one fish, one meat dish, and one dessert. They would also ask the servants to do different tasks for them. After dinner, the students would return to their rooms. The rooms were single rooms. Rayson remembered the life at St. John’s College dearly.
Title Rayson remembered he lived like a noble in St. John's College Date 19/03/2010 Subject Education Duration 2m58s Language Cantonese and English Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. TW-RH-HLT-004 When Hong Kong was under Japanese Occupation, Huang decided to leave the territory. The Japanese administration issued exit permits to those who wished to return to their homeland in Mainland China. He hid his degree certificate (a letter of recommendation) in his shoe canvas (which was made of cloth) to shun the attention of Japanese scouts. The Japanese soldiers would rudely confiscate whatever they wanted. If he hid his documents in his leather shoes, the letter would surely be found and confiscated. Only Rayson and his elder brother fled to China; his father did not leave because he was remarried and had a child. Rayson’s sister was a small girl, and they did not want to take risk of bringing her along, fearing that the Japanese soldiers might harm her.
Title During the War Rayson brought with him his graduate certificate to flee to China Date 19/03/2010 Subject 教育, 日治時期 Duration 2m6s Language Cantonese and English Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. TW-RH-HLT-005 In the early 1970s The University of Hong Kong was in need of a new Vice Chancellor, thus they made Rayson an offer through a friend of his. Everyone in The Nanyang University wanted Rayson to stay hoping that he would turn the university into a better institution. Initially he only planned to come to Hong Kong to discuss the job offer, without much inclination of actually accepting the offer. However, when he returned to his alma mater and saw his own father, older brother and young sister, he made up his mind to return to Hong Kong. This was considered by Rayson himself another right decision. He was pleased to have returned to HKU, and spent 14 years there until retirement – the longest term of employment he had ever had in his lifetime.
Title When returned to Hong Kong he became Vice Chancellor of HKU and reunited with his family Date 19/03/2010 Subject Education Duration 1m12s Language Cantonese and English Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. TW-RH-HLT-006