The Research Centre for Chinese Literature & Literary Culture (RCCLLC) is established in response to the development of the EdUHK, the knowledge production trends over time, and the needs of our learning society.
To echo the strategic plan of transforming into a multi-disciplinary University of Education focusing on education and complementary areas of study, “Chinese language and literature” is recognized as one of the potential subject areas to be developed in the University. The RCCLLC can put together the critical mass and resources in the Faculty of Humanities, Department of Liteature and Cultural Studies and Department of Chinese Language Studies to launch all-rounded studies on Chinese literature and literary culture. The establishment of the RCCLLC will be an effective development strategy for the University to foster its research capacity and make significant impact on the field of Chinese studies regionally and internationally.
The concept of “literary culture” is an extension of the more traditional idea of “literature”. In addition to researches on literary works and their authors, literary thoughts and schools, genres and styles, and literary influences, which are regarded as the areas of “literature proper”, the study of literary culture includes also explorations of the generation and dissemination of literary texts and literary knowledge. In this regard, the publication and marketing of literary works, literature education, literary historiography, filmic and television adaptations of literature, graphic novels and lyrics of pop songs are among the legitimate study areas. By the same token, Hong Kong literature and children’s literature which have long been marginalized in the research of Chinese literature will become indispensable areas within the scope of literary culture.