30th Hong Kong Book Fair opens next month

25 June 2019 – The 30^th HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held from 17 to 23 July (Wednesday to Tuesday) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. More than 680 exhibitors from 39 countries and territories are expected to gather at this annual summer cultural extravaganza, presenting outstanding books from around the world. Some 310 cultural events, catering to different interests and age groups, will be organised during the fair, including thematic exhibitions at the Art Gallery, seminars hosted by acclaimed writers, and new book parades. Booklovers can indulge in reading, meet authors from all over the world, experience different cultures and get a broader perspective on life.

2019 fair spotlights science fiction and mystery
Benjamin Chau, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director, said: “The Hong Kong Book Fair Cultural Events Advisory Panel selected Sci-Fi and Mystery as the theme of the year for the Book Fair, with the tagline ‘Reading the World • When Fantasy Meets Reality’. We encourage readers to explore the always-fascinating literary genres of sci-fi and mystery, immersing themselves in the captivating plots and finding joy through the written word. We hope these literary works will arouse people’s curiosity and inspire them to enrich their lives by venturing into the unknown.”

Mr Chau added that the genres of science fiction and mystery have long dominated the literary scene in Hong Kong, with local authors showing masterful use of words as they interweave cultural, historical and social issues into their inspiring stories. To echo this year’s theme, the HKTDC will organise an array of seminars and exhibitions to help the public learn more about some of the best sci-fi and mystery authors and their works.

A Literary Journey Across Boundless Dimensions
Aligning with this year’s Book Fair theme, the Art Gallery at the Hall 3 and Hall 5 concourse will feature a thematic exhibition entitled A Literary Journey Across Boundless Dimensions. The exhibition will spotlight Hong Kong’s very own sci-fi and mystery authors, including Lee Man-kin (To Jim), Ni Kuang, Huang Yi, Eddy Lee, Leung For-hing, Albert Tam, Joe Tsui, Chan Ho-kei and Lai Ho. Also on display will be precious memorabilia provided by the authors, including out-of-print works, manuscripts, photos, sketches and film excerpts. The HKTDC will organise a series of seminars and invite some of the leading local science fiction and mystery authors to share their creative experiences and ideas with fans.

30 Years of Literary Delights
This year marks the 30^th edition of the Hong Kong Book Fair, and the Art Gallery will set up a zone named 30 Years of Literary Delights to exhibit treasured photos from the archives, memorabilia from the Art Gallery, and stamps and souvenir covers related to the Book Fair. Highlights include the limited-edition bookmarks created for Hong Kong author Xi Xi’s The Teddy Bear Chronicles and Chronicles of Apes and Monkeys, and photos of Louis Cha, one of the giants of martial arts literature, visiting the Book Fair. The exhibition will take readers down memory lane, exploring the Book Fair’s highlights and changes over three decades: The First Ten Years • Birth of the Book Fair (1990-1999); The Second Ten Years • Soar • Thrive (2000-2009); and The Third Ten Years • Transformation・Inheritance (2010-2019).

Light and Shadows – The Finest Cantonese Artistry
Another Art Gallery exhibition, Light and Shadows – The Finest Cantonese Artistry, will be on show outside the Hall 3 concourse. The HKTDC is collaborating with the Administration of Press and Publication of Guangdong province to showcase Lingnan artworks on loan from various collectors, including paintings, ceramics, Canton porcelain and calligraphy. The HKTDC is also working with National Geographic magazine to exhibit a series of photographs of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao taken by renowned photographers, giving a fresh perspective on Lingnan culture.

In Between Covers – Reminiscences through an Ex Libris
An ex libris, or bookplate, is a small illustrated label that is printed and pasted onto a book to denote ownership – an artform that started in Europe and was later introduced to Hong Kong. To commemorate this nearly lost art that is closely associated with the love of literature and book collecting, the HKTDC is collaborating with the Hong Kong Ex-Libris Association to present In Between Covers – Reminiscences through an Ex Libris, an exhibition at the Art Gallery on the fifth floor. A fine selection of bookplates and inscription machines used to produce ex libris labels, from Hong Kong and various countries, will be showcased along with the Association’s special publications. The Association will also hold lectures to introduce the art of bookplates and teach participants to appreciate, sustain and further develop this disappearing art.

Renowned Writers Seminar Series
The Book Fair will feature an international line-up of writers sharing their insights at eight seminar series. The HKTDC is collaborating with Ming Pao and Yazhou Zhoukan once again to co-organise the Renowned Writers Seminar Series, featuring influential authors from the Chinese literary world, including eminent sci-fi writer Ni Kuang who will interact with readers. Other renowned authors include Yan Lianke, Mai Jia, Liu Zhenyun, Feng Xiaogang, Bai Yansong, Han Song, Xu Zhiyuan, Mao Jian, Zhou Yunpeng, Jiang Fangzhou and Lu Qingyi from Mainland China; Ping Lu, Janejane Chu, Ma Shihfang and Egoyan Zheng from Taiwan; and Wen Ren Yue Yue from Hong Kong.

English Reading and Creative Writing Seminar Series
Looking further afield, the Book Fair will feature an English Reading and Creative Writing Seminar Series to encourage readers to expand their horizons through other languages. Partnering with Book Depository, an international online bookstore, the Book Fair has invited Swedish author Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin and World Fantasy Awards-nominated young British author Emma Newman to speak. In addition, bestselling Canadian author Steven Erikson, whose Malazan Book of the Fallen has sold more than one million copies worldwide, and emerging British author Will Dean will host seminars. There will also be talks from British Betty Trask Award winner Natasha Pulley, supported by the British Council, and Hong Kong-based veteran journalist and author Mark O’Neill.

World of Knowledge Seminar Series
Working alongside numerous international partners, the World of Knowledge Seminar Series will again bring acclaimed overseas writers to the fair. KADOKAWA CORPORATION has invited acclaimed Japanese writer and winner of the 2009 Japan Booksellers’ Award Kanae Minato; the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong & Macao has invited science fiction author Bernard Werber; and the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao has lined up Finland’s Selja Ahava.

Furthermore, local celebrities and professionals from different sectors will share their life experiences at the fair, examining a diversity of topics ranging from our ageing population to the arts and cinema. Speakers will include Chen Yi-min, a senior editor at Ming Pao Weekly who received nine special features awards; Maurice Lee, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council; Timmy Yip, the first Chinese artist to win an Academy Award for Best Art Direction; Chinese film critic Ka Ming; Professor Shi Er, author of an acclaimed work of Chinese philosophical literature; Prof Zhang Long-xi, a scholar who specialises in East-West comparative studies; and Prof Joseph Lau, one of the founders of Modern Literature magazine.

Theme of the Year: Sci-Fi and Mystery Seminar Series
Matching the focus of the 2019 Book Fair, the Theme of the Year: Sci-Fi and Mystery Seminar Series will feature leading local science fiction and mystery authors sharing their insights with participants. Hong Kong Science Fiction Club representatives Lee Man-kin (To Jim), Eddy Lee, Jeremy Pak and Pegasus Mak will examine “The Early Development of Sci-Fi in Hong Kong”. Yeh Lee Hwa from Taiwan will host a seminar entitled “From Isaac Asimov to Ni Kuang – My Sci-Fi Journey”. Writers Chan Ho-kei, Albert Tam, “Mong-yat” Jeremy Tse, CuronecoC and Faker will join the “Fiction Writers Roundtable – How Could We Become Sci-Fi and Mystery Literature Writers?” and detail their creative journeys, while writer Chan Ho-kei will speak on the subject “Urban Side Sketches in Hong Kong's Mystery Literature from The Man Who Sold the World”. Furthermore, Eddy Lee and writer Leung For-hing will host seminars titled “Amazing − the Infinite Charm of Sci-Fi Fiction” and “The Growth and Inheritance of the Secret Agent”, respectively, to explore the allure of the sci-fi and mystery genres.

Other seminar series include the Children and Youth Reading Series, where comic artist Ma Sing-yuen, writer Fong She-mei, bestselling Chinese children’s book author Leon Image and many others will talk about children’s education, youth literature and how to attract young people to books. The Personal Development and Spiritual Growth Seminar Series will feature Lilian Lui, veteran early childhood educator, and Feng Tang, author of the Everything Grows trilogy, sharing their heartening stories. At the Lifestyle Seminar Series, Gao Yun, former healthcare advisor to Sir Run Run Shaw, will share wellness tips, while Eddie Chiu, a Hong Kong musician, and Christine Cappio, a French author who has lived in Hong Kong for three decades and who is the wife of the president of the Education University of Hong Kong, will explore ways to enjoy slow living. In the Hong Kong Cultural and Historical Seminar Series, Lei Chin-pang, a cultural critic from Macao, will be joined by Sun Sai-shing, a writer who has traversed Hong Kong’s cultural scene for 40 years, to share their thoughts on local history and culture. For more details and registration for the seminars, please visit the Hong Kong Book Fair website.

In addition, the International Publishing Forum will be held on the second day (18 July) of the Book Fair. Lin Tian-lai, President and General Manager of the Global Views – Commonwealth Publishing Group will host a session entitled “Growth and Innovation in the Publishing Industry” to identify trends and chart the future of publishing. All those engaged in the publishing industry in Hong Kong are welcome to attend.

Alongside the Book Fair, the HKTDC has lined up numerous cultural institutions, libraries, museums, educational institutions, shopping malls, cafes and bookstores to organise more than 340 cultural events from late June to late July under the Cultural July citywide campaign. Members of the public are welcome to sign up and attend these fabulous summertime cultural events.

Just one ticket to access Book Fair and Sports and Leisure Expo
Tickets to the Book Fair are now available for purchase and can be bought during the fair period at the onsite ticket office (more details below). The tickets are also valid for same-day admission to the concurrent HKTDC Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo, which will be held on the fifth floor of the HKCEC.

Now in its third edition, the expo will feature more than 140 exhibitors representing around 160 brands of sports and leisure products and services. Free trials for a range of sport activities will be offered during the expo, including a 3.5-metre indoor rock-climbing wall, ice hockey, freestyle football workshops, a pull-up contest, and the Hong Kong Schools Magic Competition. Leisure activities will include photography workshops and board games.

Multiple celebrity sharing sessions will also be held, featuring a star-studded roster of speakers who include Hong Kong footballer Edmond Yapp; Hong Kong figure skater Maisy Ma; Wong Ho-chung, Grand Slam Champion in the “4 Deserts Race Series”; JoeJoe Fan, former HK Sports Institute elite marathon runner; and Yolanda Ng, Chairperson of the Cultural and Leisure Services Committee of the Wan Chai District Council. In addition, the expo will showcase the award-winning STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) works of students from 150 schools along with an awards presentation ceremony.

The 30^th HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair

Other Art Gallery and Book Fair photos download: https://bit.ly/2INqtgS　

 Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Communications and Public Affairs Department:

Clayton Lauw          Tel: (852) 2584 4287                       Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org
Sunny Ng                 Tel: (852) 2584 4357                       Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org

About the HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly SMEs, in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn