The Lily Pond in 1982

When it comes to Chung Chi campus scenery, the most widely known is the Lily Pond. This area was originally a low-lying farmland and water diversion channel in Ma Liu Shui Village. In the late 1960s, due to the Chung Chi campus expansion project and the construction of Pond Cresent, it turned into a mudflat and swamp. The University once planted lotus and water lilies there to beautify the environment, hence the name “Lily Pond”. In the late 1970s, the Lions Club of Kowloon Central donated the Lions Pavilion to the University and put it up beside the Lily Pond. It has become a Chung Chi landmark.

In the mid-1990s, aiming to improve students’ study and community living environment, Chung Chi launched a major renovation to beautify the Lily Pond. The College Board of Trustees allocated more than three million Hong Kong dollars to support this project. The renovation covered dredging pond mud and water, adding paths around the lake and two stone bridges to facilitate teachers’ and students’ access to the campus. Various flowers, plants, and trees were planted along the lake, and benches and streetlights were provided for people to take a walk and relax. The southeast corner of the lake was reserved as a lily pond, and a small duck pond was set up next to the Lions Pavilion. A fountain was installed at the center, and a variety of fish and ducks were raised to boost vitality. The renovation was completed in 1997, and the Lake reopened on the 46th Anniversary of Founder’s Day.

The College named the original Lily Pond “Lake Ad Excellentiam ” to echo the College motto, “In Pursuit of Excellence” and to encourage Chung Chiers to strive for continuous improvement. The facilities in the Lake have subtle implications. For example, the trail hugging the shoreline of the Lake is called “Philosophy Path”, inspiring students to ponder over the meaning of life as philosophers do while walking along the path; the “Arch Bridge” and the “Crooked Bridge” imply the ups and downs and twists and turns in life; the duck pond is called “Yang de chi ” as the Cantonese pronunciation of “de ” (which means “virtue” in Chinese) sounds like that of the English word “duck”, which means “thinking about virtue cultivation when seeing a duck in the pond”.