JIA Linke (MA)
Could you tell us about your life before CCS?
I graduated from Shaanxi Normal University in 2015 and worked at Xi'An Qujiang Publishing & Media Investment Group, a state-owned enterprise (SOE). The experience allowed me to understand the publishing and media industry better, enhanced my professional skills in publishing, and improved my writing, communication and coordination skills. However, working at an SOE made me feel a bit bored, even depressed. Every day at 8 am, I had breakfast at the company; I began working at 9 am; I had lunch at 12 pm; and I got off work at 6:00 PM. Because I was competent for the job, I wasn't very busy. When I started to lose my passion for the work and began to kill time at work like other colleagues, I realized that I should make a change. In my twenties, I could already see myself in my sixties, and that made me panic. Maybe it is still a good job for some, but it might not be suitable for young people who want to do something exciting with their lives. My life before CCS is just like a glass of water. It was bland and wasn't good or bad.
What made you choose CCS for your studies?
I chose the MA in Chinese Studies because its application deadline was late! Just kidding: the more important reason was that Chinese Studies is an interdisciplinary subject. I majored in history and worked in the publishing and media industry. Moreover, I am interested in politics and economics. Chinese Studies courses give me an opportunity to learn more about what I'm interested in, discover what I really like and find out which job I am a good fit for. The MA degree in Chinese Studies is a good transition for people going straight into graduate studies as well.
What has most impressed you about CUHK so far?
Many excellent teachers and rich academic resources at CUHK have impressed me so much. For example, this semester my class on Chinese History is taught by a famous French sinologist, Michel Bonnin. I earlier had read his books about the "Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside" Movement. Now I have the incredible opportunity to communicate with Prof. Bonnin in class. The MA programme also offers many lectures on literature, art, politics and movies. It means that I can get to explore a much wider reservoir of knowledge. Also, the rigorous and nurturing environment at CUHK encourages creativity, but also emphasizes academic integrity. I am greatly impressed.
Verna YU (PhD)
Could you tell us about your life before CCS?
I was a journalist in my former life and I covered Greater China for 18 years before I joined the CCS last September. The focus of my reporting was on political, social and human rights issues in mainland China. Before I became a journalist, I was in a marketing job at Reuters news agency, which took me regularly to Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Guangzhou. What I saw and experienced in China made me very curious about the country, and this eventually prompted me to make the big jump from marketing to journalism.
What made you choose CCS for your studies?
China has always been my passion. I think a large part of it was because as a young child, I was repeatedly told the poignant tales of wartime sufferings by my grandmother's maid, who looked after me. These stories have stayed with me ever since—recently when I was reading on wartime China for CHES6010 [China Seminar 1], these horrific tales of starvation, poverty and families broken apart came flooding back.
What has most impressed you about CUHK so far?
Having written about China for years, I really wanted to make sense of what I have learned over all this time and put my observations in context. This prompted me to want to do a PhD in China Studies. I think the CUHK is a great place to do research on China: there are lots of dedicated China scholars here and many international China experts come through regularly to give talks. The CCS strikes me as a small but friendly place and people are very committed to teaching and learning.
