As I see it | Hong Kong will miss its most popular philosopher

Lee Tien-ming, who died last week, wrote for the curious and critical reader rather than fellow academics, and local literary fans embraced him

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The library at Chinese University of Hong Kong in Sha Tin, seen on June 20. Lee Tien-ming was one of the university’s most popular lecturers, spending his entire career there. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 9:30am, 3 Dec 2025

Once, when pop diva Faye Wong was seen reading on a plane, the book reportedly on her lap was the perennial local bestseller Art of Thinking by Lee Tien-ming.

Food critic, columnist and media personality Benny Li Shun-Yan reportedly said that after learning of her interest, he introduced Wong to Lee, arguably Hong Kong’s most famous philosopher, who passed away last week at the age of 80.

I remember that some were surprised by Wong’s philosophical interests. Actually, mainland entertainers often have quite sophisticated literary and language standards.

According to her record producers and sound engineers, Wong’s handwriting is beautiful and shows the style of traditional Chinese calligraphy. To help herself better memorise the lyrics, she would write them all out in longhand.

In 2009, movie star Zhang Ziyi was photographed topless while sunbathing with her then beau, the Israeli billionaire investor Vivi Nevo, at an exclusive Caribbean beach resort.

While most people were focusing on the indecent bits, you could clearly see what she was reading in the photos: a biography of Wu Zetian, the great Tang dynasty empress, and her grandson, Emperor Tang Xuanzong.

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