Shiu-ying Hu Collection

Collection

Identifier: HK CVU ua/1009

Staff Only

The Shiu-Ying Hu Collection contains certificates, correspondence, photographs, printed materials and publications, manuscripts, field notes that document the professional life of the late Dr. Shiu-ying Hu.

Dates

1933-2013

Creator

Hu, Shiu-ying (Person)

Language of Materials

Chinese and English

Conditions Governing Access

Access to the Collection is restricted by legal requirements, written agreements with the donor(s) and policies of the CUHK University Archives. Users are required to sign the request form to access the collection. Records containing personal data which might constitute intrusion of privacy are not available for access. Please contact the University Archives regarding access to the Collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers are responsible to abide by the law of copyright and privacy. The copyright in the Collection may be held by the creators, donors or any other persons. Researchers must obtain written permissions from the copyright holder(s) and the University Archivist prior to publishing any materials in the Collection. The Collection may contain materials with personal, sensitive or confidential information that is protected under privacy law. Researchers must note that the disclosure or use of certain information pertaining to identifiable individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals or concerned parties may have legal ramifications for which The Chinese University of Hong Kong assumes no responsibility.

Extent

1.7 linear feet

Additional Description

Biographical / Historical

Dr. Shiu-ying Hu (1905–2012) was a trailblazing Chinese botanist whose lifelong commitment to botany left a lasting impact on academic and medicinal botany. Born in China in 1905, she graduated from Ginling College in 1933 and earned her Master of Science from Lingnan University in 1937. She became the first Chinese woman to receive a scholarship from Harvard University, completing her Ph.D. in 1949 under Professor E.D. Merrell, with a focus on the genus Ilex (Aquifoliaceae).

In 1968, Dr. Hu joined The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) as a senior lecturer in Biology, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, and Senior College Tutor at Chung Chi College. At CUHK, she advanced botanical education and research by establishing the university’s first Herbarium and specimen research laboratory, laying the foundation for systematic plant studies and the preservation of Hong Kong’s botanical heritage. Her efforts greatly enriched CUHK’s academic resources and supported the growth of Chinese herbal medicine studies. In 1999, she was named an Honorary Professor of Chinese Medicine.

Renowned for her meticulous fieldwork, Dr. Hu identified and cataloged over 185,000 plant specimens and published more than 160 scientific papers. Her expertise in plant taxonomy earned her the nicknames “walking botanical encyclopedia” and “Holly Hu,” reflecting her deep knowledge of Ilex and other plant families, including Hemerocallis, Paulownia, Compositae, Orchidaceae, and brocade ferns.

For over three decades, Dr. Hu maintained a strong academic connection between Hong Kong and Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum in Cambridge, contributing through teaching, research, and mentorship. Even after retiring from teaching in the early 1990s, she continued her scholarly work, preparing three manuscripts for publication.

Her contributions earned her significant recognition, including the Bronze Bauhinia Star from the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2001 for her outstanding service to science and education, and an honorary fellowship from CUHK in 2002.

Dr. Hu passed away in Hong Kong on May 22, 2012, at the age of 102, leaving behind a profound legacy in botanical discovery and academic excellence.

Reference:
https://syhuherbarium.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/about-professor-shiu-ying-hu/
https://hollisarchives.lib.harvard.edu/repositories/15/resources/9201

Arrangement

Organized into series:
1. School Records, 1933-1949;
2. Correspondences, 1972-1989;
3. Field Notes, 1984-2007;
4. Books and Manusciprts, 1930, 1971-1972;
5. Reference Materials, 2005-2013

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Transferred from Shui Ying Hu Herbarium, 2023. The accession number associated with this Collection is 20230101. Some reference materials are collected by Library staff in various occasions.