CUHK Library received donations of valuable collections of Sir Chung Sze Yuen and Dr Allen Lee Peng Fei

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Library marked a significant milestone today with the Joint Donation Ceremony of the Collections of Sir Chung Sze Yuen and Dr Allen Lee Peng Fei. The late Sir S Y and Dr Lee were both eminent figures in Hong Kong’s political landscape. Over several decades, they held important public positions, devoted themselves to public service, and made significant contributions to Hong Kong’s reunification with China. Their lifelong commitment earned them profound respect from the wider community.

The families of Sir S Y and Dr Lee donated their substantial collections to the CUHK Library, comprising more than 600 precious items, spanning 1940s to 2010s. These include over 100 correspondence, speeches, publications and related reports, over 3,000 photographs, awards, certificates, and more.

Expressing gratitude at the ceremony, Professor Irwin King, CUHK’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), lauded the family’s generous donation. He highlighted that both gentlemen united by shared ideals and a profound sense of social responsibility, made enduring and far-reaching contributions to the development of public affairs in Hong Kong. The collections, meticulously preserved in CUHK Library’s Special Collections, promise to enrich the study of Hong Kong’s history.

CUHK’s University Librarian, Mr Benjamin Meunier, expressed deep honour in receiving papers of Sir S Y and Dr Lee, emphasizing both pioneered Hong Kong’s political party development and improved citizens’ lives. Sir SY Chung also shaped higher education, helping found Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology—now top global universities—laying foundations for Hong Kong’s role as a leading knowledge and education hub.  The donation agreements, signed during the event by Mr Meunier and Mr Gilbert Chung, Sir S Y’s son and Mrs Molly Lee, Dr Lee’s wife, signify the commitment to preserving this invaluable history.

Mr. Gilbert Chung and Mrs. Molly Lee each sincerely thanked the guests for their continued support of Sir S. Y. and Dr. Lee over the years. Mrs. Lee expressed special thanks to Mrs. Selina Chow for her crucial help in organizing Dr. Lee’s memorial service during COVID.

During the ceremony, Mr George Li, CUHK’s University Archivist, presented items selected from the two collections, including letters from the former British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher to Sir S Y, materials on Dr Lee’s young professional delegation’s Beijing visit, as well as their publications and photos. These two remarkable collections hold significant research value for understanding the lives and societal contributions of Sir S Y and Dr Lee, as well as the historical development of Hong Kong. It is expected to be open to the public in the first quarter of 2026.