The Inheritance and Modern Interpretation of "Filial Piety" and "Propriety"
Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025
What is "filial piety" and what is "propriety"? These two traditional Chinese virtues shone with new brilliance in the students' speeches. On Tuesday afternoon, twenty students from different primary and secondary schools expounded and shared their understanding and practice of "filial piety" and "propriety" in the "2025 Inter-School Speech Competition on Chinese Virtues" organized by the "I Love Hong Kong Association". For the audience, this was not only a wonderful competition, but also a refreshing spiritual cleansing.
The "I Love Hong Kong Association" Chinese Virtues Inter-School Speech Competition was successfully held on Tuesday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mong Kok.
The speech competition followed the Chinese Virtues Drama Competition held in May. Secondary school students delivered speeches on the theme of "etiquette," while primary school students focused on "filial piety." The competition attracted 138 students from 51 secondary schools and 29 primary schools. Following a selection process by the "I Love Hong Kong Association" of preliminary short films, ten students from each group advanced to the final round. Ms. Leung Ying, a council member of the "I Love Hong Kong Association," believes that "cultivating the moral character of the younger generation is the cornerstone of building a better society. We hope to encourage students to deeply understand the core values of Chinese virtues through diverse performance methods and integrate them into their daily lives in a modern way."
Ms. Leung Ying (right), a council member of the "I Love Hong Kong Association," with award-winning teachers and students.
The participating students stood confidently on the stage, skillfully using examples from daily life and classical texts, accompanied by clear pronunciation and appropriate gestures and expressions, to eloquently share their stories and insights about Chinese virtues. Professor Ding Xinbao, Honorary Professor of the School of Chinese Studies at the University of Hong Kong, who served as a judge, praised the contestants for their outstanding performance, novel and engaging content, and well-paced delivery. He felt that from a judging perspective, it was "not just a competition, but also a pleasure," and hoped that the students would put these virtues into practice in the future.
The four judges, from left to right, are: Professor Cheung Kam-shao, Dean of New Asia College, CUHK; Professor Chan Sin-on, President of New Asia College, CUHK; Professor Ting Sin-pao, Honorary Professor of the Faculty of Chinese Studies, University of Hong Kong; and Mr. Wong Ho-chiu, Member of the Board of Trustees of New Asia College, CUHK.
榮獲中學組金獎的是聖保羅男女中學的林顥同學。他以同學間撞跌書本後互相道歉、地鐵上年輕人向孕婦讓座等生動例子，鏗鏘有力地證明了「禮」體現在 人與人之間的互動，亦彰顯於不同場合的得體言行。
Guest of Honor: Professor Chen Xin'an, Dean of New Asia College, CUHK
Secondary School Gold Award Winner: Lin Hao, St. Paul's Co-educational School
林顥同學表示，此次得獎要感謝家人的支持令他可以自信、穩定發揮，並從小培養咬字清晰的好喜歡。通過這次比賽，自己對「禮」的理解加深，是無論是什麼身分都需要秉持的素質，演講技巧也更上一層樓。
Video 1: Lin Hao, a student from St. Paul's Co-educational High School, delivers his acceptance speech.
中學組銀獎得主是九龍真光中學的周安娜同學，銅獎得主是東華三院張明添中學的黃溢華同學。
Silver Award Winner in Secondary School Category: Anna Chow, Kowloon True Light Secondary School
Bronze Medal Winner in Secondary School Category: Wong Yik-wah, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Cheung Ming-tim Secondary School
來自嶺南衡怡紀念中學的吳知凡和侯林峰同學表示，這次比賽讓他們收穫了 寶貴的經驗。作為中五的同學，他們表示，「時間像海綿一樣可以擠出來，在比 賽前花了不少時間準備，需要上網搜尋資料、初賽拍片，老師有對講稿作出認真 指導，也離不開課餘時間背誦講稿和一次次演練。」
Video 2: Wu Zhifan and Hou Linfeng from Lingnan Hengyi Memorial Secondary School share how to balance studying and preparing for competitions.
奪得小學組金獎的是香港培正小學的楊曉悅同學。她從「孝」字的起源出發， 引述《孝經》的諄諄教誨，在演講中探討現代人如何在忙碌的工作和生活下，實 現更多元化的「孝道」。
Mr. Leung Ying-wai (left), Chairman of the Board of Directors of the "I Love Hong Kong Association," speaks with Ms. Yeung Hiu-yuet, the gold medalist in the primary school category.
培正小學的楊曉悅在賽後表達對大會和學校的感謝，讓自己可以有機會在這 個平台和大家分享自己的見解，同時希望大家可以傳承「孝」的傳統美德，希望「孝」的精神可以一直延續下去。
Video 3: Yang Xiaoyue from Pui Ching Primary School gives her acceptance speech after the competition.
小學組銀獎得主是香港培正小學的陸詩語同學，銅獎得主是聖公會青衣邨何澤芸小學的陳一凡同學。
Primary School Silver Award Winner: Lu Shiyu from Pui Ching Primary School, Hong Kong
Primary School Bronze Award Winner: Chan Yat-fan, Ho Chak-wan Primary School, St. Kung Hui Tsing Yi Estate
Ms. Chen, the teacher who guided the champion and runner-up, said that the participating students worked very hard and diligently, giving full play to their strengths in preparing for the competition, and their parents were also very supportive. This competition will allow the students to absorb more valuable experience. In regular teaching, knowledge about Chinese culture is integrated, and teachers should set a good example to jointly pass on Chinese culture.
Professor Chen Xin'an, Dean of New Asia College at CUHK, personally presented awards to the winning students. He stated, "New Asia College is committed to promoting and preserving Chinese culture, passing on precious cultural values through various activities. He hopes that through this competition, young students will keep virtues in mind and influence those around them."
The participating students displayed excellent spirits and gained a lot from the competition. Chung Hao-Chien, a student from Methodist School in the primary school group, expressed his great enjoyment of participating in the competition. He practiced for several weeks before the competition, and not only learned expression techniques such as intonation, but also learned more ways to be filial to his parents.
Video 4: Chung Hao-Chien, a student from Methodist School, shares his competition experience.
「我愛香港協會」於2004年由梁英偉先生創立，一直致力推廣正向價值觀， 傳承中國傳統文化及美德，亦支援弱勢家庭，連結社區，構建和諧社會。在教育 方面，舉辦德育徴文、演講、話劇比賽等，在社會工作方面，協會設立劏房及低 收入單親家庭獎助學金，每年受助學生超過300人，並定期舉辦親子活動及支援 自閉症兒童。
Primary School: Pui Ching Primary School, Hong Kong - Yeung Hiu-yuet (Champion)
Primary School: Pui Ching Primary School, Hong Kong - Luk Sze Yu (Runner-up)
Primary School: Ang Kung Hui Tsing Yi Estate Ho Chak Wan Primary School - Chan Yat Fan (Third Place)
Secondary School: St. Paul's Co-educational College - Lim Hau (Champion)
Secondary School: Kowloon True Light Secondary School - Zhou Anna (Runner-up)
Secondary School: Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Cheung Ming Tim Secondary School - Wong Yat-Wah (Third Place)
