Preamble

Never did I imagine that a decade after my retirement from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, I would find myself organizing an international phenomenology symposium in the ancient city of Kyoto. This gathering emerged not from careful planning, but from a moment of recognition—when someone reminded me of our pioneering role in the phenomenological movement, beginning with that first international conference we hosted in Hong Kong in 1996. Nearly thirty years have since passed, witnessing the extraordinary flowering of phenomenological thought not only in Hong Kong, but across East Asia.

Yet time has exacted its toll. Cherished friends have departed this world, leaving empty chairs at our philosophical table. We have all grown older, our hair grayer, our steps perhaps less certain. The familiar lecture halls of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, once our natural gathering place, now seem distant and inaccessible. How precious, then, is this opportunity to reunite once more, to rekindle the flames of our phenomenological fellowship.

When I reached out to our distinguished colleagues—Bernhard Waldenfels, Elmar Holenstein, Rudolf Bernet, David Carr, Tom Nenon, Steve Crowell, Jeff Malpas, and dear Lubica Ucnik—their responses filled my heart with warmth and hope. Each embraced this vision with enthusiasm. Yet sorrow shadows our joy: Tom, who had promised to join us, passed away this year, making our gathering all the more poignant and necessary. Health considerations prevent Steve and Jeff from traveling to Kyoto, though they will grace us with their presence and insights through the digital realm. Bernhard, burdened by the weight of years, has instead entrusted me with an original paper in German, a gift to be shared at our opening session.

The presence of Toru and Junichi, my philosophical companions for over two decades here in Kyoto, alongside their brilliant younger Japanese colleagues, enriches our symposium immeasurably. A new generation of Hong Kong phenomenologists joins us too, carrying forward the torch we lit years ago. Our Korean friend Peter Ha completes this remarkable circle of minds.

Formally, the Hong Kong Society of Phenomenology—which I founded in the twilight of the twentieth century—exists now only in memory. It fell dormant when the Research Centre for Phenomenology at CUHK assumed its activities. Though merely nominal today, it represents the enduring spirit of Hong Kong's contribution to phenomenological thought.

We initially conceived this as a conference, but reflection led us to embrace a more ancient and noble tradition—the symposium, as Plato envisioned it. This shall not be another sterile academic gathering of the sort that have occasionally wearied us in our careers. My deepest wish is for this symposium to unfold in an atmosphere of warmth and genuine philosophical friendship, unburdened by excessive formality. Let there be ample time for drinks and those precious conversations that spark between kindred spirits.

My profound gratitude extends to the Research Centre for Intercultural Phenomenology at Ritsumeikan University for graciously providing our venue, and to The Phenomenological Association of Japan for their partnership in this endeavor.

No institutional funding supports this symposium—it exists solely through the extraordinary generosity of JT, without whom none of this would have been possible. My deepest appreciation flows to Ching Yuen, whose dedication has brought this vision to life through meticulous organization and management. Unlike the conferences of our CUHK days, where an entire team supported such undertakings, we work here with minimal administrative assistance in Kyoto. I humbly apologize for any shortcomings that may result.

This symposium is a tribute to phenomenology itself — the golden thread that binds our diverse lives and minds together. It honours our departed friends, whose ideas ensure their voices live on. Above all, it celebrates the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the institution that nurtured our philosophical journeys and sent us out into the world as ambassadors of thought. However, I deeply regret that this symposium is not taking place on campus, and that various colleagues who were due to speak or organise are absent for political and personal reasons. The absence of phenomenologists from China is equally regrettable. I would like to pay tribute to them and express my gratitude, especially to Kwok-ying, Tze-wan and Ping-keung, as well as to the Department of Philosophy staff.

In this historical space of Kyoto – where medieval East Asian wisdom encounters present-day global insight and where there is neither East nor West and equally neither men nor women, when strong humans from different parts of the Earth meet – let us gather not merely as scholars, but as pilgrims of understanding, united in our quest for truth and meaning based on phenomenal experiences and rational reflections guided by Hume’s and Kant’s as well as by Husserl’s, Heidegger's and Merleau-Ponty’s philosophical works.

Chan-Fai

August 6, 2025, St Albans, UK