Celebrating Arts and Friendship 2010 at the University Lodge

Once again, our patron Mrs. Ellen Tsui extends her warm hospitality to members to celebrate arts and friendship with afternoon tea at her residence. Designed in the art-deco style, University Lodge was built in 1949 and has since housed seven Vice-Chancellors of The University of Hong Kong. Nestled among lush greens, the home will offer a rare opportunity for members and their friends to enjoy the elegant architecture of Hong Kong’s colonial era.

Our guest speaker and long-standing member, Cornelia “Nelly” Lichauco Fung will share snippets from her recent book Beneath the Banyan Tree chronicling her multi-cultural family’s interesting history and its role in the development of the Philippine nation. Her story begins during the Spanish colonial period with the coming of a Chinese ancestor, Tomas Lichauco, from Fujian Province in the 19th century. After four generations, Nelly has come “full circle” returning to her Chinese roots through her marriage to Kenneth Hing Cheung Fung, son of the late Sir Kenneth Fung.

What would a party be without music and dance, especially on a Saturday afternoon? Benny Inot and his quartet will be on hand to perform a variety of music that reflects the multi-cultural ethnicity of our members. And our university students will demonstrate and lead guests on the “Tinikling” dance.

A tea buffet featuring Filipino Lechong Baboy, suckling pig slowly roasted on an open pit, will be served. Do invite a friend or two to join this year’s membership drive for an afternoon of art and culture and a celebration of friendship among members of the Museum Society!

“ FULL CIRCLE – A RETURN TO CHINESE ROOTS”
A HISTORY OF THE PHILIPPINES THROUGH THE LIVES OF FOUR GENERATIONS AND A RELATIONSHIP WITH HONG KONG

Cornelia “Nelly” Lichauco Fung is uniquely well placed to present her family’s story and its involvement in the Philippine history through four generations. Her forebearers played a significant and fascinating role at each stage in the creation of the Philippine nation.

The story begins during the Spanish colonial period, with the coming of a Chinese ancestor, Tomas Lichauco from Fujian Province in the early 19th century. The second generation brought her Spanish antecedent from Galicia. The tale continues through the Philippine Revolution and her grandfather’s exile to Hong Kong; the Spanish-American war and the violent struggle and pacification by the Americans and through the gradual evolution of the nation’s democratic structure. Her multi-cultural heritage was enriched with her father’s marriage to her Cuban-American mother. The country’s road to independence was violently disrupted by the Second World War before the achievement of independence. Nelly Fung describes the increasingly important role of the Chinese mestizo in the economic, social and political development of the nation and the role of her father, Marcial Lichauco, a member of the two official independence missions to the United States and later as Ambassador to Britain and Scandinavia. After four generations, Nelly came “full circle” returning to her Chinese roots by marrying Kenneth Hing Cheung Fung, son of the late Sir Kenneth Fung.

Guest speaker
Cornelia “Nelly” Lichauco Fung was born in the Philippines and educated at Maryknoll in Manila before proceeding to the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Kent, England for pre-university studies. She graduated with a degree in History from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, USA, and pursued post-graduate studies at the School of Education, at London University. Since 1967 Nelly Fung has lived in Hong Kong with her husband Kenneth Fung where she has been active in community work in the arts and in education. She was a founder and board member of the Chinese International School and the ISF Academy. She has recently authored a lavishly illustrated book, Beneath the Banyan Tree describing her multi-cultural family’s interesting history and its role in the development of the Philippine nation.