攝影：廖卓安
（with English version below）
香港樹仁大學
第四十四屆畢業典禮
贊辭
鍾景輝博士
榮譽文學博士
以下贊辭由黃仲鳴博士撰寫，並由梁天偉教授於典禮上宣讀
二零一一年，鍾景輝獲頒「萬寶龍國際藝術贊助大獎」，表揚他在戲劇方面的成就，各界咸稱實至名歸，並以「寬實清和」四字來嘉評。「寬」，是律己甚嚴、待人以寬；「實」是務實，指他腳踏實地工作；「清」指謙虛；「和」是和諧，指他平易近人，不愠不怒。這四字，着重於他的為人處世，對他在事業上的成就，欠深入的評價。
鍾景輝是儒者，無論做人之道，為業之道，他都遵從「儒」這字。香港樹仁大學頒予榮譽文學博士學位給他，正是基於他是個「博禮知書」的儒者。
博，是博識。
鍾景輝的學問是從實踐中得來的。從一九五零年在培正中學紅藍劇社演出《刻薄成家》開始，他便認定這一生已「嫁」給了戲劇。其後，入讀中大前身的崇基書院英文系，留學美國奧克拉荷瑪浸會大學，主修演講及戲劇，再負笈耶魯大學戲劇學院，修讀藝術碩士課程，都是朝這志願而努力。他一邊讀一邊鑽研舞台演出，這良好的學習經驗，為他未來「戲劇大師」這稱譽奠下基礎。
回港後任教浸會大學，都和戲劇、演技有關，並加入香港業餘話劇社。
一九六七年，任無線電視高級編導、節目經理，除負責短篇劇、娛樂節目外，還提議開展長篇劇製作。跟著成立香港電視劇團。一九七六年投身麗的電視，七七年受聘為香港話劇劇團藝術總顧問。一九八三年任香港演藝學院戲劇學院的創院院長，直至二零零一年。其間，演出、執導的舞台劇屢番獲獎。
演藝學院離休後，加盟無線拍電視劇，邁入人生另一階段。不言倦，退而不休，鍾景輝這名字，已由學院派走進大眾視域。他是「百變演員」，不再是局限於舞台上的「藝術」。
鍾景輝的「博」，正是融合雅俗的「博」。他滿腹的「識」，是學院薫陶和實踐出來的。
禮，是謙和。
認識鍾景輝，和鍾景輝交談過的人，都有這一感覺：他是個君子。對任何一個人，他都是一個君子。對學生，他不是一位教師，而是一位導師；不強迫學習，只循循善誘。對同輩與後輩，他永遠保持謙虛、微笑。他不是在做戲，而是真切的在做人。
有人問他：當你在演話劇時，看到台下有觀眾在打呵欠，在睡覺，你有何感想?
又問：你授課時，有學生在玩手機、睡覺時，你有何反應？
鍾景輝一言答覆：我會自我反省。
成為大師後，人更謙虚，從不氣焰凌人，目中無人。
鍾景輝受教的主要是西學，但中國傳統的「禮」，很少有人可以學到、做到。
知，是慧眼識英雄，識自己。
一九七一年，創辦無線藝員訓練班。
一九八三年，任演藝學院戲劇學院院長。
這兩個職位，他訓練了一大批戲劇專才，為香港演視話劇界提供了生力軍，點綴了無限光輝。重要的是，他獨具隻眼。一九七三年的藝訓班，伍衛國本已落選了，是他重新「檢」出來的。七四年，是他力排六位評審的建議，將周潤發錄取。又如杜琪峯，本是無線的打雜；鍾景輝覺得他是可造之才，所以不收學費、不用面試直入藝訓班，事後證明鍾景輝沒有走眼，杜琪峯也沒讓恩師失望。這種事例很多，在在顯出鍾景輝的「知」人。
他是影視戲劇界的伯樂。
雖然在電視台工作，鍾景輝醉心的始終是舞台劇。戲劇就是魔術，能將舞台變出千姿百態，人間景象。戲劇使他入魔，戲劇使他一直往前，至老不離不棄。戲劇使他有自知之明，戲劇使他不斷奮發前進，戲劇就是他的人生。
早在中學時期，他就立志成為戲劇人。他有自知之明，為了補自己的不足，為了要出國深造，為了要接觸外國文學，所以苦讀英文，要從外國戲劇中取經。
書，是知識，是學識。
中學時期，鍾景輝接觸到俄國戲劇大師史坦尼斯拉夫斯基後，自此對戲劇知識、表演藝術，即孜孜不倦追求。鑽研莎士比亞、莫里哀、曹爾頓．懷爾德、阿瑟．米勒、田納西．威廉斯、Peter Shaffer等作品。他的舞台劇，幾乎來自西方文學作品，正是他當年苦讀英文所得的成果。大學時，已自行翻譯外國劇本，可見他是如何的鍾愛這些外國大師的作品。他鑽研和演繹他們的作品。一九八零年更導演了香港首個以粤語演出的百老滙音樂劇《夢斷城西》。
書是他學問的養分，是他成功之源。
鍾景輝以身教、言教來點亮了香港戲劇，那熠熠的成就，堪稱獨步。於今已年逾八旬，他仍有雄心，仍在栽培後進。他說：「六十歲未老，七十歲是初老，八十歲是真老。」但，「我不怕老，我覺得一個人一直老，便能一直成長。一直成長，便能一直學習。一片樹葉也待落葉的時候，才能發放出最燦爛的色彩。」他這一片未落的樹葉，已綻出耀眼的光華。「人生真是很美好的，因此我會用有限的時間做最多的事。」對生命的執着，對事業的堅持，成就了鍾景輝一生的美麗。
胡副校監閣下，香港樹仁大學頒予榮譽文學博士給他，是對他的褒揚，和肯定他對香港演藝事業的輝煌貢獻。
HONG KONG SHUE YAN UNIVERSITY
The 44th Graduation Ceremony
Citation
Dr. CHUNG King-fai
Doctor of Letters, honoris causa
A citation translated by Dr. KUNG Chi Keung
In 2011 Dr. CHUNG King-fai was conferred the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in theatre and the dramatic arts. All agreed that he richly deserved the accolade and commended him for his qualities of ‘broadmindedness (kuan), solidity (shi), modesty (qing), and congeniality (he)’. Dr. CHUNG was praised for his forbearance towards others while exercising strict self-disciple, and for his pragmatic and committed work attitude; he was also applauded for his modesty and easy-going personality. Those four words – kuan, shi, qing and he, albeit aptly describing his character traits, are yet not adequate to describe his many professional achievements throughout his illustrious career.
In both his life and his craft, Dr. CHUNG has followed the precepts of a true gentleman. While being a celebrated master of his craft, he yet maintains an attitude of modesty. In awarding him the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, the Hong Kong Shue Yan University honours Dr. CHUNG for his ‘erudition (bo), propriety (li), discernment (zhi) and learning (shu)’.
Erudition means broad knowledge.
Dr. CHUNG has not only acquired his knowledge through study, but even more importantly, through practice. Starting from his performance in the production of The Miser for the Red Blue Drama Society of his alma mater, Pui Ching Middle School back in 1950, he welcomed his fate of being ‘married’ to the theatre. After studying in the English Department of Chung Chi College, one of the three original colleges that later formed the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he furthered his studies overseas at Oklahoma Baptist University, majoring in speech and drama. Later he enrolled in a Master of Fine Arts program at Yale University’s School of Drama. During his studies, he delved deeply into the craft and techniques of stage performance. This excellent learning experience helped lay the foundation for building his future reputation as ‘Master of the Dramatic Arts’.
After returning to Hong Kong, Dr. CHUNG took up teaching at the Hong Kong Baptist University. The subjects he taught were all related to drama, the theatre and the craft of performance. He also became a member of the Hong Kong Amateur Drama Society.
Dr. CHUNG joined Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) in 1967 as Manager (Program and Production) in charge of skits and entertainment programs. He proposed the idea of launching long-running TV drama series. Shortly afterwards he founded the Hong Kong Television Troupe. In 1976, he worked for Rediffusion Television (HK) Limited. A year later he was hired as Principal Artistic Consultant of the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre. In 1983 he became the founding Dean of the School of Drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). He held that post until 2001. In those intervening years he acted in and directed a number of theatre productions, and won a number of awards for his work.
After retiring from HKAPA, Dr. CHUNG entered the next phase of his life by rejoining TVB, where he was responsible for television drama productions. And he remains active even in retirement. An ‘actor of many faces’ he is equally celebrated in academia and the public arena.
Dr. CHUNG’s knowledge and practice blends both refined and popular elements. This is what is meant by ‘broadness’ in his knowledge. Likewise, both his academic training and the experience he has gained by putting this training into practice constitute the breadth and depth of his knowledge and understanding of the dramatic arts.
Propriety means humility.
Dr. CHUNG is a gentleman to all those who know him well or have had the opportunity to talk with him. Indeed, he is a gentleman to everyone. To his students, he is not a teacher but a mentor, never forcing them to learn but guiding them along with patience. Towards both his peers and young people, he is always humble and wears a smile. This is not acting, but the genuine understanding of a gentleman regarding how to make others feel respected and at ease.
When asked questions like: “How would you feel if you were performing onstage and saw someone in the audience yawn or fall asleep?” Or “How would you react if you were lecturing in class and students were playing with their mobile phones or dozing off?”, he offers the same direct answer:
“I would do some soul-searching and self-reflection!”
Since becoming a master in his field, he is even more modest, always treating others courteously and respectfully regardless of his lofty position.
Although Dr. CHUNG received most of his training in the West, few have learned the traditional Chinese codes of proper conduct and practice it as well as he.
Discernment means the ability both to recognize talent and to know thyself.
In 1971, Dr. CHUNG launched the TVB Artiste Training Class.
In 1983, he became Dean of the School of Drama at the HKAPA.
Holding these two important positions, Dr. CHUNG was able to train a vast pool of theatrical talents and helped inject new vitality into the local drama and theatre circles, increasing the brilliance of the field. Even more important is his keen ability to detect real talent. For example, although actor Lawrence NG Wai Kwok failed to be selected for the TVB Artiste Training Class in 1973, Dr. CHUNG recognized his potential and mentored him, helping him to become the famous star that NG is today. In 1974 he accepted CHOW Yun Fat as a student against the advice of six other members in the judging panel. Another example is Johnnie TO Kei Fung. When Dr. CHUNG met him, TO was doing odd jobs at TVB. But Dr. CHUNG found in him great artistic potential and allowed him to enroll in the training class tuition-free. TO’s glittering career as a well-known film director and producer again proves Dr. CHUNG’s uncanny discernment and TO has certainly not disappointed his mentor. There are many similar examples underscoring Dr. CHUNG’s ability to recognize and foster talent.
He is a true connoisseur of talent in the film and television industry as well as the theatre.
Although Dr. CHUNG has contributed a great deal to television drama, it is the theatre that remains closest to his heart. Drama is magic; it transforms the stage into an enchanted world of gesture and expression. Dr. CHUNG has always been enchanted by the theatre, and remains committed to it even in his golden years. The theatre enables him to know himself, spurring him to unceasingly forge ahead. In short, the theatre is his life
As early as his high school days, Dr. CHUNG was determined to dedicate himself to the theatre. He always knew his own mind. To prepare for studying overseas, Dr. CHUNG worked hard on his English, and as a result was able to delve deeply not only into theatre studies but also into Western literary studies as well.
Learning means knowledge and academic training.
In high school Dr. CHUNG became familiar with the work of the Russian master of theatre Konstantin STANISLAVSKI. Since then he has assiduously and tirelessly gained theatrical knowledge and skills in the performing arts, delving deeply into the works of such masters as SHAKESPEARE, MOLIERE, Thornton WILDER, Arthur MILLER, Tennessee WILLIAMS and Peter SHAFFER. His plays at the time were almost exclusively adapted from Western literature, the fruits of spending years diligently polishing his English. In university, he began translating foreign plays, a testimony to his profound love of those foreign masterpieces. Moreover, he went a step further by doing thorough research on these works and adapting them for use in local contexts. In 1980, the Broadway musical, West Side Story, was performed on stage in Cantonese for the first time under his directorship.
Western literary works became both the nourishment of his learning as well as the wellspring of his success.
Dr. CHUNG lights up the Hong Kong theatre as an exemplary role model in both words and deeds. His glittering achievements are unique. Now in his eighties, he has a burning ambition as he continues his work of nurturing and grooming young talent. He observes that “At 60 you are not yet old; at 70 you are just beginning to get old; it is only at 80 that you are old”. But, he adds, “I’m not afraid of getting old. Getting old means one continues to grow. Growing keeps a person going and enables him to keep on learning”. He continues, “It is always the case that only when a leaf falls on the ground will it show its brightest colour”. However, far from being a fallen leaf, Dr CHUNG continues to show his dazzling brilliance and vitality. He muses that “Life is really good, and I will use whatever time life can still afford me to do my utmost”. His zest for life and his insistence on always making the best of his career have brought Dr. CHUNG a beautiful life.
Professor HU, for his brilliant contributions to Hong Kong’s performing arts industry as well as to commend him as a remarkable gentleman, I take great honour in presenting to you Dr. CHUNG King-fai for the award of the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa
