Cha Reading Series

NOTE: The Cha Reading Series was online in 2020 and will continue to be online this year (2021). Find out more HERE (Facebook) and HERE (Google Form).

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The Cha Reading Series, organised by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming, aims to take the online journal out into the physical world. It brings together poets, writers, translators and artists who are in some way or other affiliated with Cha.

Readings will take place in various impromptu locations across the city, in public and private rooms, lecture halls, on park benches, in front of billboards, next to a window scratched by tree branches. They will read their work informally or seriously. They will discuss issues, argue, debate and exchange. We also hope to form dialogue and explore specific pertinent topics that inspire or beset the contemporary world.

Proposals for future readings are very welcome. Please write to t@asiancha.com.

Venues include: K11 MUSEA, University Museum and Art Gallery, HKU 香港大學美術博物館, Jao Tsung-I Academy, BB Jazz Lounge, Aesop Hollywod Road, Kafnu Hong Kong,  Nose in the Books 打書釘, Art and Culture Outreach｜艺鵠, Dante Alighieri Society – Hong Kong, The Aftermath Bar, 水墨青花 · Atteatude · 體現茶人生活態度, Pop Up by Social Club, Consulate General of Ireland/Hong Kong & Macau, Bleak House Books, PAUSE 小息書店, Swing A Cat, Kubrick 油麻地店, 序言書室 Hong Kong Reader Bookstore, Hong Kong Baptist University’s Phonology Laboratory, Centre For Community Cultural Development 社區文化發展中心, the Consulado General de México en Hong Kong, The House of Hong Kong Literature 香港文學生活館, The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s E-Zone, and CCCD Artspace － 碧波押 Green Wave Art.

(View: The Cha Reading Series Photo Album.) (Read: Questions for some of the readings.)

divider 4Dwelling in History & Language
Date: Wednesday 8 April 2020
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: ZOOM
{Readers’ bios}

Poets Polly Ho, Chris Song and Jennifer Wong shared their thoughts on history and language, and read poems by themselves or other writers. How should history be written? What is the role of language in history-making? What is the relationship between poetry and history? How should one use language, which is both internal to the self and collectively consumed, to express intimate and creative thoughts, to address social issues, and to narrate stories? Moderated by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

History and Languagedivider 4{POSTPONED} Women in Translation
Date: Friday 13 March 2020
Time: 7:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Venue: WhiteBox Lounge@K11 Art House, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
{Readers’ bios & Registration}

Please join us for an evening of poetry and translation, featuring Ng Mei Kwan, Jennifer Feeley (who will be visiting from the States), and Tammy Lai-Ming Ho. The event is organised by Literary Doctrine 書寫主義, sponsored by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, and co-sponsored by by Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, as part of the Cha Reading Series, in association with the UA CineHub.

Women in Translation_March 2020divider 4 Sketches in Notebooks: The Arrival Poetry Reading
Date: Saturday 7 December 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: University Museum and Art Gallery, HKU 香港大學美術博物館
{More Information}

Co-organised by One City One Book Hong Kong (我城我書) and Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, this very special event “Sketches in Notebooks: The Arrival Poetry” celebrated the poetic elegance and eloquence of Shaun Tan’s The Arrival. 22 Hong Kong poets were invited to write poems in response to The Arrival, and many of these poems were read at “Sketches in Notebooks”, moderated by Cha‘s co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. “Sketches in Notebooks: The Arrival Poetry Reading” was also the concluding event the One City One Book Hong Kong 2019’s programme. Participating poets: Shuying Cao, Chan Lai Kuen, Cheng Tim Tim, Felix Chow, Derek Chung, Nashua Gallagher, Henrik Hoeg, Akin Jeje, Keon Woong Lee, Henry Wei Leung, Louise Leung, Belle Ling, Collier Nogues, Michael O’Sullivan, Jason S Polley, Kate Rogers, Tegan Smyth, Sui Ping, Wawa, Lian-Hee Wee, Mary Wong Shuk Han and Marco Yan.
Sketches in Notebooks.jpg

divider 4Love in the City of Trauma: A Launch Reading
Date: Saturday 23 November 2019
Time: 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Venue: Block G, Middle Zone, Jao Tsung-I Academy, 800 Castle Peak Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon
{Readers’ bios}

We helped launch Lok Fung 洛楓’s bilingual volume Love in the City of Trauma 愛在創傷之城, jointly organised by Cha: An Asian Literary Journal and International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong 香港國際詩歌之夜, as part of the Cha Reading Series. Lok Fung and her two translators, Eleanor Goodman (poetry) and Andrea Lingenfelter (prose) read from Love in the City of Trauma and talked about literature, translation, writing about Hong Kong, and more. Moderated by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Love in the City of Trauma.pngdivider 4Not Written Words: A Celebration of Xi Xi’s Poetry
Date: Saturday 16 November 2019
Time: 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Venue: 序言書室 Hong Kong Reader Bookstore
(7/F, 68 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

Jointly organised by Cha: An Asian Literary Journal and International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong 香港國際詩歌之夜, we celebrated the poetry of Xi Xi. Jennifer Feeley, the translator of Xi Xi’s poetry collection Not Written Words 不是文字 talked about her experience of translating Xi Xi’s work. Ho Fuk Yan 何福仁, Sui Ping 萍凡人, Lok Fung 洛楓 and Wong Yi Eva 黃怡 also joined the reading.

Not Written Words.jpgdivider 4We Still Laugh: An Evening with Mohammed Hanif and Local Writers
Date: Friday 15 November 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Venue: Bleak House Books
(Unit 2705, 9 Pat Tat Street, Well Tech Centre, San Po Kong, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

Mohammed Hanif, the 2019 PEN Hong Kong Literature and Human Rights Lecture speaker, participated in the reading “We Still Laugh: Humour As A Literary Relief Valve”. He was joined by local writers Rachael Coleman, Jason Y. Ng, Ilaria Maria Sala and Douglas Young. Moderated by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

WE STILL LAUGH_Latest.pngdivider 4APWT & Cha: An Evening of Literature
Date: Saturday 9 November 2019
Time: 6:00 – 9:15 p.m.
Venue: BB Jazz Lounge
(2/F, Ho Lee Commercial Building, 38-44 D’Aguilar St, Central)
{Readers’ bios}

A reading jointly organised by Asia Pacific Writers & Translators and Cha. Nine APWT and seven Cha writers read and talked about their latest creative works, moderated by Tammy Lai-Ming Ho. APWT speakers: Kiran Bhat, Sally Breen, Linh Dinh, Inga Gaile, Ashwani Kumar, Bronwyn Lea, Adam Narnst, Jessica Faye Olayo, and Elizabeth Woods. Cha speakers: Paola Caronni, Cheng Tim Tim, Henrik Hoeg, Collier Nogues, Phoebe Poon, Kate Rogers, and Sakina Abdus Shakur

APWT_CHA_LATEST.pngdivider 4Literature Across Frontiers & Cha: A Joint Reading 
Date: Friday 8 November 2019
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Venue: Kafnu Hong Kong
(2F, Kerry Hotel, 38 Hung Luen Rd, Hung Hom)
{Readers’ bios}

Visiting European writers were joined by three Hong Kong-based Cha contributors to share their work and writing experiences, moderated by Alexandra Büchler (Wales / UK) and Tammy Ho Lai-Ming (Hong Kong). Speakers: Selja Ahava (Finland), Harkaitz Cano (Basque Country / Spain), Inga Gaile (Latvia), Guo Ting (Hong Kong), Caryl Lewis (Wales / United Kingdom), Juta Pīrāga (Latvia), Kate Rogers (Hong Kong), and Chris Song (Hong Kong).

Literature Across Frontiers.pngdivider 4Boundary《也斯：東西》— Screening and Post-Screening Discussion
Date: Friday 8 November 2019
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Venue: Kafnu Hong Kong
(2F, Kerry Hotel, 38 Hung Luen Rd, Hung Hom)
{Readers’ bios}

Cha and PEN Hong Kong teamed up to organise the screening of Boundary《也斯：東西》, the documentary film on the much-respected Hong Kong writer, Ye Si (pen name of Leung Ping Kwan). Ben Wong 黃勁輝 and Mary Wong 黃淑嫺, the director of and producer of Boundary respectively, joined the post-screening discussion, and talked about Ye Si’s life and the documentary film, moderated by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Boundary Screening and Discussion.jpgdivider 4Poetry & Politics
Date: Tuesday 27 August 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Bleak House Books
(Unit 2705, 9 Pat Tat Street, Well Tech Centre, San Po Kong, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

Featured poets: Tom Chan, Cheng Tim Tim, Felix Chow, Jennifer Anne Eagleton, Louise Leung, Rachel Ka Yin Leung, Zabrina Lo, Michael O’Sullivan, and Kate Rogers. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Poetry and Politices_27 August.pngdivider 4Cantonese & Hong Kong Literature 粵語與香港文學
Date: Wednesday 21 August 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Kafnu Hong Kong
(2F, Kerry Hotel, 38 Hung Luen Rd, Hung Hom)
{Speakers’ bios}

How often do Hong Kong writers use Cantonese in their creative work? What does such literature sound like? How important it is to incorporate Cantonese elements in writings about the city? These are some of the questions that we tried to answer in this panel discussion. “Cantonese & Hong Kong Literature” was the second panel discussion on Cantonese and Hong Kong, jointly organised by PEN Hong Kong and Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, as part of the Cha Reading Series. Speakers: Dung Kai-cheung 董啟章, Wong Yi Eva 黃怡, Mary Shuk-Han Wong 黃淑嫻, and Jacky Yuen 熒惑. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Eva’s texts]

Cantonese and HK Literature.pngdivider 4Sell Your Bones: A Launch Reading & Sharing
Date: Monday 19 August 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{More information}

We celebrated Cha: An Asian Literary Journal‘s Consulting Editor Reid Mitchell’s first poetry collection Sell Your Bones with champagne and good company. Five Cha contributors (Andrew Barker, Akin Jeje, Blair Reeve, Kate Rogers and Tammy Ho) read Reid’s poems, while Reid talked about the journey of the publication of the collection and his life as a poet. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Sell Your Bones.pngdivider 4Poetry & Family
Date: Friday 16 August  2019
Time: 7:15 – 8:30 p.m.
Venue: Aesop Hollywod Road (42-42A Hollywood Rd, Central)
{Readers’ bios}

Poetry and Family_16 August 2019.pngdivider 4Poetry & Society
Date: Monday 12 August  2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: 序言書室 Hong Kong Reader Bookstore
(7/F, 68 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

Do poets have a social responsibility? What are the ethical implications when poets obtain creative inspiration from the society of which they are part? And what, if anything, can a poet be said to owe his or her society? Is there such a thing as ‘poetic obligation’? Can poetry address problems and issues in a society, and how? At the reading Cha Reading Series event “Poetry & Society”, our featured Cha contributors, Donald Berger, Reid Mitchell and Chris Song, answered some of these questions. They also read selected poems, either by themselves or by others, that discuss and explore the relationship between poetry and society. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Don’s texts] [Reid’s texts]

Poetry and Society August 2019.pngdivider 4Poetry & Intimacy
Date: Thursday 8 August  2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Kafnu Hong Kong
(2F, Kerry Hotel, 38 Hung Luen Rd, Hung Hom)
{Readers’ bios}

This Cha Reading Series event focused on poetry and intimacy. Our featured Cha contributors, Chan Lai-kuen, Alan Jefferies and Kate Rogers read their poems that explore different aspects of intimacy in poetry. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Zolima City Mag] [Texts]

Poetry and Intimacy.pngdivider 4Cantonese: The Language of Protest 粵語: 示威的語言
Date: Thursday 24 July 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Kafnu Hong Kong
(2F, Kerry Hotel, 38 Hung Luen Rd, Hung Hom)
{Readers’ bios}

In this discussion, jointly organised by PEN Hong Kong and Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, as part of the Cha Reading Series, we discussed the creative and at times controversial use of Cantonese in protests in Hong Kong and the role of this language in fostering a distinctive Hong Kong cultural, linguistic and political identity. Are there other languages used in the protests? How do they interact with each other? Speakers: Kris Cheng, Petula Ho Sik Ying, Mary Hui, and Lian-Hee Wee. Moderated by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming and Jason Y. Ng.

Cantonese_The Language of Protest.jpgdivider 4Matches Polished into Lights: Tiananmen Thirty Years On
Date: Monday 3 June 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Bleak House Books
(Unit 2705, 9 Pat Tat Street, Well Tech Centre, San Po Kong, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

Tuesday 4 June 2019 marked thirty years since the Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing, when the Chinese government crushed the nascent democracy movement led by students and workers. The ensuing decades have brought tumultuous changes to the culture, politics, economics of China and the whole world. To honour the struggle of the democracy protesters, mourn their defeat, and take stock of the last three decades, Cha convened a special feature of translations and original English works, published in the June/July 2019 issue of the journal. In collaboration with PEN Hong Kong and Hong Kong Free Press, we also gathered a group of writers in the city on Monday 3 June 2019 to read selected texts that they feel reflect their remembrance of the protests, their views on democracy, and their hopes for the future for Hong Kong and China. Speakers: Jennifer Anne Eagleton, Guo Ting, Louisa Lim, Ng Mei Kwan, William Nee, Kate Rogers, and Lian-Hee Wee. Special guests: Andrea Lingenfelter and Jeff Wasserstrom. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Hong Kong Free Press 1 | Hong Kong Free Press 2 | ARD-Studio Shanghai ]

Tiananmen Thirty Years On_Asian Cha_PEN Hong Kong.jpgdivider 4The Anthropocene & Us
Date: Saturday 25 May 2019
Time: 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Nose in the Books 打書釘
(54 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay)
{Readers’ bio}

We need to talk about the Anthropocene. This reading/discussion featured Howard Y. F. Choy 蔡元豐 (HKBU), Harriet Hulme (HKU), Alvin K. Wong 黃家軒 (HKU) and Yau Wai Ping 邱偉平 (HKBU), moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Tammy’s summary of the reading]

The Anthropocene and Usdivider 4Time and Memory
Date: Tuesday 14 May 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

The theme of this Cha Reading Series event was “Time and Memory”. It featured three Cha contributors, Antony Dapiran, Kate Rogers and Anthony Tao (who was visiting Hong Kong from Beijing). How do we express the passage of time and the powerful of memory in literature? What are the effects of time on memory? How does writing mediate time and memory? Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Kate’s texts] [Kate’s summary of the reading]

Time and Memory_Asian Cha.jpgdivider 4Hong Kong’s Table Talks
Date: Wednesday 8 May 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: 序言書室 Hong Kong Reader Bookstore
(7/F, 68 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Hong Kong’s Table Talks”, the invited speakers, Guo Ting, Chris Song and Mary Wong, talked about their experience of cooking and consuming food in the city. They also talked about how food has inspired their creative writing, art and attitudes towards life. Additionally, they each read texts on food that are meaningful to them. The reading coincided with the publication of the Spring 2019 issue of World Literature Today, which contains the magazine’s first annual city issue, focusing on Hong Kong, especially its food and languages. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Hong Kong Table Talks.jpgdivider 4Poetry in Music & Contemporary Arts
Date: Tuesday 30 April 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Art and Culture Outreach｜艺鵠
(14th Floor, Foo Tak Building, 365-367 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai)
{Readers’ bios}

The Cha Reading Series event “Poetry in Music & Contemporary Arts” featured Karen Cheung, Ysabelle Cheung, Jacqueline Leung and Emma-Lee Moss (aka Emmy the Great). Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Music and Arts and Poetry_CHAdivider 4World Literature Today—The City Issue: Hong Kong
Date: Saturday 27 April 2019
Time: 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Bleak House Boooks
(Unit 2705, 9 Pat Tat Street, Well Tech Centre, San Po Kong, Hong Kong)
{More information}

We celebrated the publication of The City Issue: Hong Kong of World Literature Today (with champagne and snacks!). Tammy Ho Lai-Ming, guest editor of the Hong Kong feature, talked about the conception of this special edition, while some of the contributors read and discussed their pieces. Speakers: ◎ Jennifer Feeley (translator of Xi Xi)—read by Guo Ting | ◎ Tammy Lai-Ming Ho | ◎ Lucas Klein (translator of Bei Dao) | ◎ Belle Ling | ◎ Jason S Polley—read by Lian-Hee Wee | ◎ Kate Rogers | ◎ Chris Song | ◎ Lian-Hee Wee | ◎ Jennifer Wong—read by Kate Rogers |◎ Yang Illustration 洋小漫 [Kate’s summary of the event]

World Literature Today_Hong Kong_Cha An Asian Literary Journal.pngdivider 4Queer Visibility and Printed Matter
Date: Friday 26 April 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

This Cha Reading Series event “Queer Visibility and Printed Matter” was jointly organised by Cha: An Asian Literary Journal and Queer Reads Library 流動閱酷 (QRL), a mobile collection of books and zines centred around queer narratives and themes. The founders of QRL, Kaitlin Chan, Rachel Lau and Beatrix Pang, talked about the conception of and their hopes for QLR. They were joined by Marrz Saludez Balaoro, the founder of Filguys Association HONG KONG, the first Filipino Transman, Lesbian and Bisexual organisation in the city, and artist Serene Hui Sze-Lok. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Queer Visibility and Printed Matter.pngdivider 4Childhood!
Date: Tuesday 23 April 2019
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Bookazine HK
(Shop 305-307 One Exchange Square, Central)
{Readers’ bios}

What is the ‘language’ of childhood? How much do we remember from our childhood? How are our adult selves informed by our child selves? How does the notion of childhood change from culture to culture, or from era to era? The Cha Reading Series event “Childhood!” featured Cha contributors Akin Jeje and Jennifer Wong, who were joined by respected Hong Kong poet and scholar Agnes Lam. They talked about and interrogated their childhood experiences and read poems that speak to these experiences. Audience members (e.g. Kate Rogers, Andrew Barker and Polly Ho) were invited to read at the event and participate in the conversation. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Cha An Asian Literary Journal_Childhood.pngdivider 4The Arrival: Found in Translation
Date: Tuesday 16 April 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Venue: Kubrick 油麻地店
{Readers’ bios}

This Cha Reading Series event “The Arrival: Found in Translation”, jointly organised by Cha and One City One Book Hong Kong (我城我書), featured Kaitlin Chan, Yoyo Chan and Harriet Hulme, who are familiar with the topic of translation and graphic texts. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

The Arrival Found in Translationdivider 4Nature and the Urban Dweller
Date: Friday 12 April 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

The Cha Reading Series event “Nature and the Urban Dweller” featured Cha contributors Marc Nair, Eddie Tay and Lian-Hee Wee, all from Singapore. They discussed the intricate relationship between nature and urban landscape, and the place of the individual in this peculiar and yet inevitable intersection. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Texts]

Nature and the Urban Dweller.jpgdivider 4Upon Arrival: Otherness, Belonging and Hospitality
Date: Monday 25 March 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Venue: Kubrick 油麻地店
(Shop H2, Cinema Block, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public square street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon)
{Readers’ bios}

This Cha Reading Series event “Upon Arrival: Otherness, Belonging, and Hospitality”, jointly organised by Cha and One City One Book Hong Kong (我城我書),  featured Jeffrey Andrews (Christian Action Centre for Refugees), Jason Y. Ng (PEN Hong Kong), Wilton Otto (CFR) and Marija Todorova (PolyU), who are familiar with the topic of immigration, migration, and the diasporic experience. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Upon Arrival Otherness Belonging and Hospitality.jpgdivider 4Italian Voices
Date: Friday 22 March 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Venue: Dante Alighieri Society – Hong Kong
(1F, Honest Building, 9-11 Leighton Road, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this special Cha Reading Series event “Italian Voices”, in association with the Italian Cultural Institute, the Dante Alighieri Society, The Italian Women’s Association and the Italian Consulate, we celebrated the Italian voices in Hong Kong. We were pleased to feature Cha contributors Paola Caronni and Susan Lavender, as well as Laura Ruggeri and Luisa Ternau. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Texts]

italian voices.jpgdivider 4When We Talk About Love
Date: Monday 18 March 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

When we talk about love, what do we really talk about? What is the relationship between love and politics, love and modernity, love and sex, love and society? How often is love about the body? Can love be translated? Is love that can be shared of lesser value than love that is private? Is love fleeting? Is love kind? “When We Talk About Love” answered some of these questions, and more. The reading featured Donald Berger (poet), Guo Ting 郭婷 (scholar), Lucas Klein 柯夏智 (translator) and Crystal Kwok 郭錦恩 (filmmaker), who also read excerpts from their favourite texts about love. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Book recommendations] [Texts]

CRS_When We Talk About Love.jpgdivider 4Sarah Lippett in Conversation on The Arrival and Visual Rhetoric
Date: Tuesday 5 March 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Venue: Kubrick 油麻地店
(Shop H2, Cinema Block, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public square street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon)
{Readers’ bios}

This Cha Reading Series event “Sarah Lippett in Conversation on The Arrival and Visual Rhetoric” was jointly organised by Cha, One City One Book Hong Kong (我城我書) and the International Writers Workshop at Hong Kong Baptist University. Sarah Lippett was in conversation with local artists Kong Kee and Justin Wong. Moderated by Cha contributor and guest editor Jason S Polley.

Sarah Lippett in Conversation on The Arrival and Visual Rhetoric.jpgdivider 4Reinventing Oneself
Date: Tuesday 26 February 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: The Aftermath Bar
(L/G, 57-59 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In the Cha Reading Series event “Reinventing Oneself”, Cha contributor Sonia FL Leung was joined by Hong Kong-based writers Dani Van De Broucke and Clint Ettinger to discuss what it means to ‘reinvent oneself’, and the choices one has to make to get there. They also read excerpts from their own writings. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Texts]

oneself.jpgdivider 4Stonewall Fifty Years On
Date: Wednesday 13 February 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Venue: Pop Up by Social Club
(G/F, China Hong Kong Tower, Wanchai, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Stonewall Fifty Years On”, in honour of the Stonewall Riots in 1969, our featured speakers Benita Chick, Nigel Collett, Siufung Law, Michael Luongo and Marshall Moore talked about their experiences and reflected on their life in Hong Kong as members of the LGBT community. They also read selected excerpts which speak to gay and human rights. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Texts]

Stonewall Fiftey Years On_Cha An Asian Literary Journal.jpgdivider 4American Voices
Date: Tuesday 29 January 2019
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Centre For Community Cultural Development 社區文化發展中心
(Visual Arts Room, L205-208, 30 Pak Tin Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon)
{Readers’ bios}

Following in the footsteps of “Sayang Singapura” (Thursday 3 May 2018) and “Irish Voices” (Wednesday 3 October 2018), we were pleased to present the Cha Reading Series event “American Voices” on Tuesday 29 January 2019. Four Cha contributors, Donald Berger, Lucas Klein, Michael Liaw and Collier Nogues discussed, among other topics, the Americanness (if there is such a thing and if such a thing can be measured) in their writing and what it means to be an American in today’s highly globalised and yet divided world. They also read selected excerpts of their own choosing (either written by themselves or by others). Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

American Voices_updated.jpgdivider 4Twinning: A Cha Reading
Date: Thursday 13 December 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

This year saw the publication of Tammy Ho Lai-Ming’s An Extraterrestrial in Hong Kong and Chris Song’s Rifle and Lily—two short poetry collections published by Musical Stone and fully supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. In this special Cha Reading Series event “Twinning”, Tammy and Chris read from these new books and talked about what have inspired them, their writing processes, and their views on Hong Kong’s literature today and their roles. Free copies of An Extraterrestrial in Hong Kong and Rifle and Lily were available for those who attended the reading.

Twinning_Tammy Ho Lai-Ming and Chris Song.jpgdivider 4Community Service: Work in the Humanities, for Humanity
Date: Thursday 6 December 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Kubrick 油麻地店
(Shop H2, Cinema Block, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public square street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon)
{Readers’ bios}

This special Cha Reading Series event featured five academics from different universities in Hong Kong (CUHK, EdUHK, HKBU, HKU and PolyU) to share and discuss their vision of how their research and teaching have an impact on our community, and the challenges and difficulties they face, as well as their rewarding experiences. Each speaker talked about their own experiences for 10-15 mins, followed by a moderated discussion, a reading, and a Q&A. Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming (HKBU) was the participating moderator.

Community Service_ Work in the Humanities, for Humanitydivider 4Tears and Laughter
Date: Friday 30 November 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: 水墨青花 · Atteatude · 體現茶人生活態度
(Room H, 1/F, Mongkok Building, 97 Mong Kok Road, Mong Kok)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Tears and Laughter”, Cha contributors Susan Lavender and Lian-Hee Wee each read six excerpts inspired by the theme of the reading. They also shared their writing and life experiences. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Texts]

Tears and Laughter.jpgdivider 4In Our Own Lives: Women’s Rights
Date: Tuesday 27 November 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In “In Our Own Lives: Women’s Rights”, a reading and discussion jointly organised by Cha and PEN Hong Kong, the Nepalese writer Manjushree Thapa (who gave the second PEN Hong Kong’s Literature and Human Rights Lecture in November 2018) was joined by HKU professor Gina Marchetti and Cha contributors Ilaria Maria Sala and Jessica Yeung to discuss issues pertaining to women’s rights today. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

In Our Own Livesdivider 4Delere Press at Cha: Joint Book Launch & Reading
Date: Monday 26 November 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Pop Up by Social Club
(G/F, China Hong Kong Tower, Wanchai, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

Cha editors Tammy Ho Lai-Ming and Eddie Tay will be launching and reading from their new books, published by Singapore’s Delere Press. Tammy’s Her Name Upon the Strand is her first collection of short stories, while Eddie’s Anything You Can Get Away With: Creative Practices is a collection of essays on writing and photography.

Delere Press at CHA.jpgdivider 4The Cities: A Cha Reading
Date: Wednesday 21 November 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

Can poetry improve cities? How do cities inform the poetic imagination? Must today’s poets write about the cities? In this Cha Reading Series event entitled “The Cities”, Louise Ho, one of the best Hong Kong Anglophone poets writing today, was joined by Collier Nogues and Jason S Polley to discuss the relationships between cities and their poetry. They also read selected poems that respond to specific cities. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Questions] [Texts]

The Cities A Cha Reading.jpgdivider 4For A Song: A Prime Poetry Party
Date: Friday 26 October 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)

For A Song.jpgdivider 4The Pleasures of Translation
Date: Thursday 18 October 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: 序言書室 Hong Kong Reader Bookstore
(7/F, 68 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In his talk at the conference “Lost & Found”, Eliot Weinberger said, as an aside: ‘Translation is the most anonymous of professions, yet people die for it. It is an obvious necessity that is considered a problem. (There are never conferences on the “pleasures of translation.”)’ In this Cha Reading Series event “The Pleasures of Translation”, partly in response to Weinberger’s aside, Cha contributors Lucas Klein and James Shea were joined by Maialen Marin-Lacarta to discuss their pleasures of translation. They also each introduced and read three of their translated works. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Questions] [Texts]

The Pleasures of.jpgdivider 4Poetry and the Visual Arts
Date: Wednesday 10 October 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Visual Arts Room (Room E),
Centre For Community Cultural Development 社區文化發展中心
(L205-208, 30 Pak Tin Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Poetry and the Visual Arts”, three Cha contributors, Antony Huen, Michael O’Sullivan and Eddie Tay, discussed their views on and experiences with the relationship between poetry and visual arts. They also each introduced and read three excerpts of their choice. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Texts]

Poetry and the Visual Arts_Cha.jpgdivider 4Feminist Translators
Date: Friday 5 October 2018
Time: 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Feminist Translators”, Cha contributors Jennifer Feeley and Andrea Lingenfelter, both visiting from the United States, were joined by Yoyo Chan to talk about their experiences of translating texts by female writers. Why is it important to translate more female writers in the current cultural, political and globalised environment? Which writers get translated? What are the translator’s obligations and responsibilities—if any? Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Questions]

Feminist Translators.jpgFeminist Translators_Chadivider 4Irish Voices
Date: Wednesday 3 October 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Consulate General of Ireland/Hong Kong & Macau
(20th Floor, 33 Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Irish Voices”, in collaboration with Consulate General of Ireland/Hong Kong & Macau, Cha contributors Peter Kennedy and Michael O’Sullivan were joined by Stephen Rowley to discuss what it means to be an Irish writer, and the obligations, pleasures and frustrations it entails. They each introduced and read three excerpts that reflect their perception of Irishness. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Questions] [Texts]

CRS_Irish Voices.jpgdivider 4Whisky Effusions
Date: Tuesday 18 September 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Bleak House Books
(Unit 2705, 9 Pat Tat Street, Well Tech Centre, San Po Kong, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Whisky Effusions”, we celebrate the publication of Chris Song’s new bilingual poetry collection, Whisky Effusions. The book contains Chinese poems by Chris, translated into English by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming, Lucas Klein and others. Chris will be joined by Tammy and Lucas in this reading. The three Cha contributors and friends will also be talking about how to ‘make it work’ in Hong Kong. (But what does ‘it’ mean?) Signed copies of Whisky Effusions will be available for purchase at this event. Whisky will be served.

Whisky Effusions.jpgdivider 4Classics Revisited
Date: Monday 28 August 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Bleak House Books
(Unit 2705, 9 Pat Tat Street, Well Tech Centre, San Po Kong, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Classics Revisited”, three Cha contributors, Reid Mitchell, Kate Rogers and Eddie Tay, each introduced and read five poems of their choosing. How do we redefine classics in this modern age? Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Zolima City Mag] [Texts]

Classics Revisited.jpgdivider 4Silence: A Cha Reading
Date: Tuesday 21 August 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: PAUSE 小息書店
(11/F, Cheung Lee Commercial Building, No.137-143 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Silence”, Cha contributors Collier Nogues and Lawrence Lacambra Ypil were joined by the journal’s co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming and discussed the effect of silence in culture and creative expression. They also read selected excerpts of their choice which reflected the theme. Participating moderator: Tammy Ho. [Texts]

Silence_A CHA READING.jpgdivider 4Liu Xiaobo Elegies
Date: Friday 29 June 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Bleak House Books
(Unit 2705, 9 Pat Tat Street, Well Tech Centre, San Po Kong, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

The Cha Reading Series event “Liu Xiaobo Elegies” was multilingual and it was jointly organised by PEN Hong Kong and Cha, ahead of the first anniversary of Liu’s death (13 July). Thirteen Hong Kong-based writers each read texts of their choice, in their preferred language, to remember Liu. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

The following Hong Kong-based writers were featured readers:


◍ Evelyn Char 查映嵐 ◍ Dung Kai-cheung 董啟章 ◍ Nashua Gallagher ◍ Akin Jeje ◍ Lucas Klein 柯夏智 ◍ Susan Lavender 柳安霞 ◍ Wilson Leung 梁允信 ◍ William Nee ◍ Mei Kwan Ng 吳美筠 ◍ Patrick Kar-Wai Poon 潘嘉偉 ◍ Michael O’Sullivan ◍ Lian-Hee Wee 黃良喜 ◍ Mary Shuk-Han Wong 黃淑嫻 ◍ 

Read Tammy Ho’s brief opening remarks, and the biographies and selected texts of the featured readers: https://chajournal.blog/liuxiaobo/

Elegies.jpgReaders_Liu Xiaobo Elegies.jpgdivider 4Collective Memories
Date: Thursday 7 June 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: 序言書室 Hong Kong Reader Bookstore
(7/F, 68 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Collective Memories”, three Cha contributors, Michael O’Sullivan, Jennifer Wong and Xu Xi, each introduced and read 2-3 excerpts of their choosing in response to the theme of the reading. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Tammy’s response to the theme of the reading] [Texts]

Collective Memories.jpgdivider 4Young Hong Kong
Date: Monday 14 May 2018
Time: 7:00 – 8:15 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Young Hong Kong”, three young Cha contributors, Dorothy Chan, Abel Han and Chris Song, each introduced and read four excepts of their choosing pertaining to Hong Kong. They also talked to Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming about their writing, life, aspirations and their expectations about Hong Kong’s future. We also celebrated Chris Song’s winning the Young Artist Award in Literary Arts 2017, presented by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. [Zolima City Mag] [Texts]

young hong kong (1).jpgdivider 4Sayang Singapura 
Date: Thursday 3 May 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Sayang Singapura”, in collaboration with the NUS Alumni Hong Kong Chapter, three Cha contributors originally from Singapore, Kum Hoon Ng, Eddie Tay and Lian-Hee Wee, each introduced and read three excerpts of their choosing on Singapore. The reading served as the prelude to Cha‘s “Writing Singapore” Issue (September 2018), guest edited by Joshua Ip (poetry) and Eddie Tay (prose). It was also the first time we have a reading focusing on an Asian city other than Hong Kong. The speakers also talked to Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming​ about the varied qualities of Singapore.

Sayang Singapura_3 May 2018.jpgdivider 4Nostalgia in the Chinese City: Antony Dapiran and Paul French
Date: Saturday 21 April 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Kubrick 油麻地店
(Shop H2, Cinema Block, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public square street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event, Cha contributors Antony Dapiran and Paul French discussed nostalgia in their work and in the Chinese cities where they have lived and worked for many years. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Nostalgia—from the Greek words nostos (‘homecoming’) and algia (‘pain’ or ‘ache)—a yearning for lost time and place, for a past where one perhaps felt more ‘at home’. We may feel nostalgia for our own past, or for earlier times we could not have personally known. And it seems that nowhere is this more sharply felt than in the rapidly developing metropolises of China. Our cities are sites of collective memory, and collective amnesia. Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing: all suffer forms of the “culture of disappearance”; all have ambiguous—sometimes wistful, sometimes problematic—relationships with the past. Whether in a tourist packed hutong, an old Shanghai-themed café, a G.O.D. store, or gazing at a lone junk sailing on Victoria Harbour—we encounter nostalgia triggers daily. It can be comforting or confusing, positive or negative. It is political and it is personal. Nostalgia is a community, even if those communities are long gone now. [Zolima City Mag]

Nostalgia in the Chinese City.jpgdivider 4Writing In A Time of Uncertainty
Date: Friday 20 April 2018
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Venue: HKBU Phonology Laboratory
(Room OEM708, Oen Hall, Sin Hang Campus, Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event, in collaboration with PEN Hong Kong and the Department of English at Hong Kong Baptist University, Andrei Kurkov, visiting from Ukraine, read with Cha contributors Ilaria Maria Sala and Jessica Yeung. They each introduced and read four excerpts in relation to the theme of the reading. Moderated by PEN Hong Kong’s Vice President and Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Uncertainty.jpgdivider 4Coming of Age in Hong Kong
Date: Friday 15 April 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Bleak House Books
(Unit 2705, 9 Pat Tat Street, Well Tech Centre, San Po Kong, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Coming of Age in Hong Kong”, Cha contributors Nashua Gallagher and David McKirdy discussed poetry, growing up in Hong Kong, identity, the idea of ‘home’, and more. They also read from their poetry collections. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Time Out Hong Kong features a picture of this reading at Bleak House Books.] [Texts]

Coming of Age.jpgdivider 4Nine Dragon Island: Eleanor Goodman and Lucas Klein
Date: Wednesday 28 March 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Kubrick 油麻地店
(Shop H2, Cinema Block, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public square street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Nine Dragon Island”, contributors Eleanor Goodman and Lucas Klein discussed poetry, translation, and the writing of China—alongside readings from their recent and forthcoming books, including Goodman’s Nine Dragon Island (Enclave/Zephyr, 2016) and Iron Moon: Chinese Worker Poetry (White Pine, 2017), and Klein’s October Dedications: The Selected Poetry of Mang Ke (Zephyr, 2018) and translations of Li Shangyin (NYRB, 2018). Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Texts]

Goodman and Klein.jpgdivider 4Wandering Translators: Natascha Bruce and Jeremy Tiang
Date: Friday 16 March 2018
Time: 5:00 – 6:15 p.m.
Venue: HKBU Phonology Laboratory
(Room OEM708, Oen Hall, Sin Hang Campus, Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Wandering Translators”, Cha contributor and translator Jeremy Tiang, visiting from Brooklyn, read with Hong Kong-based translator Natascha Bruce. They also discussed how their travels have affected their translation practice. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Wandering Translators.jpgdivider 4We Live For Poetry:
A Joint Cha and Voice & Verse Reading
Date: Friday 9 March 2018
Time: 7:30 onwards
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)

Cha turned TEN in 2017. To celebrate the occasion, selected poems from the ten-year history of Cha (November 2007-October 2017) are published in a special feature of the Hong Kong-based print poetry magazine, Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine聲韻詩刊, in March 2018. The poems are selected from over 900 published in the past decade in Cha, and they are some of the editors’ favourites, many of them pertaining to Hong Kong. We are happy to see a gathering of our dear writers and friends. (See the selections here.) In this Cha Reading Series event, in collaboration with Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine 聲韻詩刊, ten Cha contributors—Chan Lai Kuen, Henrik Hoeg, Akin Jeje, Lucas Klein, Arthur Leung, Michael O’Sullivan, Jason S Polley, Tegan Smyth, Wawa and Lian-Hee Wee— read their work from the feature and some new, unpublished work. Moderated by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Zolima City Mag]

We Live For Poetry.jpgdivider 4Crossing Cultures and Languages
In collaboration with the Mexican Consulate General in Hong Kong
Date: Friday 2 March 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Mexican Consulate General in Hong Kong
(2506-09 Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai)
{Readers’ bios}

In collaboration with the Consulado General de México en Hong Kong, this special Cha Reading Series event featured the Mexican poet Aurelio Asiain and three Cha contributors: Jason Y. Ng, Collier Nogues and Eddie Tay. Damián Martínez Tagüeña, Consul-General of Mexico in Hong Kong, gave a short remark. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

crossing cultures and languages.jpgdivider 4Political Urgency: Hong Kong and the World
{Download the poems}
Date: Friday 2 February 2018
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: PAUSE 小息書店
(11/F, Cheung Lee Commercial Building, No.137-143 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Political Urgency”, contributors Akin Jeje and Jason S Polley each introduced and read eight poems of their choosing that comment on the current political state of Hong Kong and the world. Moderated by Cha‘s co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Texts]

Political Urgency_Akin Jeje and Jason S Polley.jpgdivider 4Everyday Sensibility: Chris Song and Christophe Tong
Date: Friday 26 January 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Swing A Cat
(Rear Shop, G/F, 241 To Kwa Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event, Cha contributors Chris Song 宋子江 and Christophe Tong 唐睿 read in Cantonese and English on the theme of “Everyday Sensibility” (人之常情). They also had a conversation on writing, life and Hong Kong with moderator Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Cha邀請了「書寫香港」專輯 (“Writing Hong Kong”, Cha, Issue 38) 作者宋子江和唐睿，在九龍進行朗誦會。朗誦會由何麗明主持，主題是「人之常情」。宋子江和唐睿二人以廣東話或英文朗誦各自的作品，及與何麗明對談寫作、生活和香港。

Everyday Sensibility.pngdivider 4Un-bordering the Border: Mariko Nagai and Collier Nogues
Date: Friday 19 January 2018
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: Kubrick 油麻地店
(Shop H2, Cinema Block, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public square street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon)
{Readers’ bios}

This Cha Reading Series event featured contributors Mariko Nagai, visiting from Japan, and Collier Nogues. They read on the themes of border, border-crossing, borders within borders, and more. Moderated by Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

Mariko and Collierdivider 4When you Come to the Gates of Go
Date: Wednesday 6 December 2017
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Venue: 序言書室 Hong Kong Reader Bookstore
(7/F, 68 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “When you Come to the Gates of Go”, academics and translators Lucas Klein and Chris Song each presented and performed five poems of their own choosing, either in Chinese or English, which have been translated from another language. There was also a discussion on poetry, translation and identity. Moderated by Cha‘s co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. [Questions]

Lucas Klein and Chris Song.jpgdivider 4Take Ten: Jason S Polley and Lian-Hee Wee
Date: Monday 4 December 2017
Time: 4:00 p.m. onwards
Venue: HKBU Phonology Laboratory, Room OEM708, Oen Hall, Sin Hang Campus, Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong {information}
{Readers’ bios}

In “Take Ten”, academics and poets Jason S Polley and Lian-Hee Wee each presented and performed ten poems of their own choosing. They told us the stories behind these poems and how their lives have been defined or inspired by these poetic works. Moderated by Cha‘s co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming. This was a collaboration between HKBU English Department and Cha Reading Series.

Take Tendivider 4Live from Hong Kong: Shirley Geok-lin Lim and James Shea
Date: Saturday 2 December 2017
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Venue: Centre For Community Cultural Development 社區文化發展中心
(L205-208, 30 Pak Tin Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event “Live From Hong Kong”, world-renowned writer of poetry, fiction, and criticism Shirley Geok-lin Lim, visiting from America, read with Hong Kong-based poet, translator and academic James Shea. Moderated by Cha‘s co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

CRS_Shirley Lim_James Shea.jpgdivider 4Adventures in Poetry: Viki Holmes and Kate Rogers
Date: Friday 1 December 2017
Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Venue: The House of Hong Kong Literature 香港文學生活館 
(1/F Foo Tak Building, 365-367 Hennessy Road, Wanchai / 灣仔軒尼詩道365號富德樓1樓)
{Readers’ bios}

In this Cha Reading Series event, contributors Viki Holmes and Kate Rogers read from their latest poetry collections, Girls’ Adventure Stories of Long Ago (Chameleon Press, 2017) and Out of Place (Quattro Books, 2017), respectively. They also shared their experience of writing and life with Cha‘s co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming.

possible.jpgdivider 4Writing Poetry in/and Hong Kong:
A Morning with Louise Ho, Tammy Ho Lai-Ming, Jason S Polley and Eddie Tay
Date: Friday 24 November 2017
Time: 11:30 a.m. onwards
Venue: E-Zone, Chinese University of Hong Kong
{Readers’ bios}

This was a collaboration between CUHK English Department and Cha Reading Series. More about CUHK Department of English Research Seminars: http://www.eng.cuhk.edu.hk/research.php?cid=3

Writing Poetry in:and Hong Kong.jpgdivider 4.pngAn Intimate Evening with Joshua Ip
Date: Saturday 4 November 2017
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Venue: CCCD Artspace － 碧波押 Green Wave Art
(G/F, 404 Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
{Readers’ bios}

In the first Cha Reading Series event, Joshua Ip, of Sing Lit Station, read with award-winning poet Nicholas Wong, and Cha co-editor Tammy Ho Lai-Ming and Reviews Editor Eddie Tay. They read poems centring on the idea of ‘intimacy’.

Screen Shot 2017-09-20 at 08.53.55Photo of Joshua Ip by Jon Gresham

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