Secondary schoolers learn about TCM and the community through a BSocSc(SCS) capstone project
In the final lesson of the capstone project, secondary school students create a community map under the guidance of students from the BSocSc(SCS) programme. The map highlights TCM-related facilities near the school. The photo features members of the capstone project, participating secondary school students including ethnic minority student Hamid (fourth from right back row), Mr Chan Chi-wai (third from right back row), the project’s coordinator from the partner school, and Ms Ho Pui-yiu from SSPS (second from right back row), who has provided logistical support for the project. Also in the photo: Ms Chang Ka-yu from EdUHK (far right wearing a mask) is a TCM graduate who has provided advice about TCM knowledge throughout the project. Dr Francis Mok Ka-tung, far left, is the programme leader of BSocSc(SCS) during Professor Stephen Chiu’s sabbatical leave.
A staff member at a Chinese medicine clinic teaches secondary school students about the various aspects of operating a TCM shop. Among the audience is ethnic minority student Hamid. The locally born and rise Pakistani shows great interest in Chinese culture.
Students from Salesians of Don Bosco Ng Siu Mui Secondary School experience how TCM physicians and pharmacists work at a TCM clinic. A student from the secondary school weighs Chinese herbs using a traditional scale according to a prescription at the clinic.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been practised in Chinese society for thousands of years. Founded on the underlying concept of Yin and Yang of Chinese philosophy, TCM has evolved over centuries drawing on knowledge accumulated by generations of practitioners. This rich heritage has contributed to treating ailments and maintaining health among Chinese people. In recent decades, TCM has gradually regained its former popularity in Hong Kong.
Five students from the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sociology and Community Studies (BSocSc(SCS)) programme at the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies (SSPS) designed their capstone project to explore the growing interest among Hong Kong people in TCM. Through various learning activities from February to May, students from the partner secondary school have developed a better understanding of TCM. By increasing knowledge and interest in TCM, the project aims to enhance its inclusion in society, particularly among the younger generation and ethnic minorities.
In total, ten lessons were included in the capstone project to familiarise secondary schoolers with TCM. To deepen the learning results, the lessons included not only classroom lectures, but also off-campus visits and experiential classes. Chan Yat-fung from the partner Salesians of Don Bosco Ng Siu Mui Secondary School found the visit to Hong Kong Jockey Club Lo Wai Chinese Herb Garden particularly impressive. “The garden is located at Lo Wai Village, Tsuen Wan, very close to my school. The garden curator taught us properties and functions of different medicinal herbs. I learnt that some are toxic and should not be used for oral medication. In the last lesson, we learnt how to use herbs to make ointment for burns and mosquito bites, a practical and interesting application of TCM,” the F.4 student from the secondary school said.
Chan Yat-fung, first from left, Zeng Weijie, second from left, and their classmates listen attentively to the explanation by a curator from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Lo Wai Chinese Herb Garden about the properties and functions of different medicinal herbs.
Zeng Weijie, left, and Chan Yat-fung are two of the 12 students from the partner Salesians of Don Bosco Ng Siu Mui Secondary School taking part in the TCM familiarsation capstone project run by a group of BSocSc(SCS) students.
The project sparked my interest in TCM. I want to pursue further study in this area after secondary school.
A total of 12 students from the secondary school in Kwai Chung participated in the TCM familiarisation capstone project. Zeng Weijie, another participant, found the learning experience at a traditional Chinese medicine clinic in the school’s neighbourhood most memorable. “It has a multi-drawer cabinet typically found at any other TCM clinics. I learnt how to get raw herbs from the cabinet and then weigh them using a traditional weighing scale (Cheng 秤 in Chinese) according to a prescription. In another lesson, we learnt how to make Chinese herbal fragrance from aromatic herbs. The project sparked my interest in TCM. I want to pursue further study in this area after secondary school,” he said.
Angela Kwong Wing-sze, a BSocSc(SCS) student and member of the capstone project, instructs secondary school students on the procedures for making ointment from Chinese herbs.
Secondary school students study materials on the properties and functions of Chinese herbs. They learnt to make ointment that can heal burns and mosquito bites using the herbs.
Mr Chan Chi-wai, who taught the “Health Management and Social Care” (HMSC) subject before leaving the school in September, is the project coordinator from the partner school. He noted that students seldom skipped lessons, indicating their enjoyment of the project. “Lessons were engaging. In one lesson, students not only learnt the different functions of Chinese medicinal soups, but also tasted them. In another lesson about Chinese massage, students experienced the ancient therapy firsthand by practicing on each other,” said Mr Chan.
Ethnic minority students, mainly from Pakistan but also from India, Nepal, and the Philippines, have a strong presence at Ng Siu Mui Secondary School, making up around a quarter of its student population. One of the project participants from the secondary school is Hamid (許孝文), a locally born and rise Pakistan who can speak fluent Cantonese. “Hamid has a great interest in Chinese language and history. He is very active in the TCM familiarisation project. In the Chinese massage lesson, he volunteered to be the patient for practicing,” Mr Chan said.
Members of the TCM familiarsation capstone project pose for a photo before the Hong Kong Jockey Club Lo Wai Chinese Herb Garden, from left to right: Suky Kan Shuk-ying, Rene Yiu Shuk-wai, Jasmine Wong Tsz-yan, Angela Kwong Wing-sze, and Tony Li Chi-kit.
Members of the capstone project guide students in simple stretching exercises to alleviate body stiffness. Tony Li Chi-kit is on the far right.
SSPS student Tony Li Chi-kit from the BSocSc(SCS) programme is a member of the five-member team undertaking the TCM familiarisation capstone project. He thanked his professors at SSPS and TCM practitioners from Chinese Medicine For All, a charity dedicated to providing TCM services for the impoverished, for their valuable counsel. “In the BSocSc(SCS) programme, we learnt about sociological theories like social support and community engagement. Our team applied this knowledge to design a capstone project that helps secondary schoolers understand their community through the lens of Chinese medicine. To solidify the learning, we asked them to create a community map in the final lesson showing TCM-related facilities near the school,” Chi-kit explained.
Chi-kit's team included Suky Kan Shuk-ying, Rene Yiu Shuk-wai, Jasmine Wong Tsz-yan, and Angela Kwong Wing-sze. They aimed to make their capstone project knowledge-based and experiential in nature. Their efforts were highly appreciated by Mr Chan and his students. Mr Chan's students mentioned that the project broadened their knowledge about Chinese medicine and strengthened their community ties. “All ten lessons of the project are well designed. In the Chinese medicinal soup lesson, EdUHK students taught the class about the importance of seasonality in TCM and how to use herbs and ingredients to make season-specific soups for nourishment. I also appreciate the use of real-world settings like the herb garden and Chinese medicine clinic to teach TCM, adding fun to the learning,” said Mr Chan.
Mr Chan Chi-wai, the project’s coordinator from the partner school, remarks that the students’ consistent attendance indicates their enjoyment of the capstone project. He appreciates the design of the project, which utilises real-world settings like herb garden and Chinese medicine shop for educational purposes.
When EdUHK students held TCM promotional activities at my school, the ethnic minorities were eager to attend.
As a community-oriented activity, the project also aims to enhance the utilisation of TCM among Hong Kong people, particularly among young people and ethnic minority who are presumably less accepting of TCM as an alternative to Western medicine. Mr Chan is optimistic about this. “In today’s Hong Kong, young generation has knowledge of various degrees about TCM. At least, many of them know that TCM has health-enhancing functions, though they are still unaware of its medicinal abilities. Many ethnic minority students at my school have heard about the TCM concept of ‘hot’ and ‘cool’. When EdUHK students held TCM promotional activities at my school, the ethnic minorities were eager to attend,” Mr Chan said.
As a programme requirement, BSocSc(SCS) students must choose between designing and managing a capstone project and an honour project. This year, four capstone group projects were run by 28 students and one student managed an individual capstone project. Besides the TCM familiarsation project, there was a project where secondary school students created a Sham Shui Po-themed board game under the guidance of our students. With the help from BSocSc(SCS) students, students from the partner secondary school organised a game-experience day for an entire grade of primary schoolers.
In another Lung Yeuk Tau community art project, BSocSc(SCS) students led primary school students to learn about historical and cultural heritages along the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail in Fanling. In the fourth project, EdUHK students organised an exhibition about the social services provided by the Sisters of Precious Blood, a catholic order famous for its orphanage and boarding home care for children. Besides these group projects, a student conducted an oral history project interviewing elderly residents from Sai Wan Estate in Kennedy Town.
I believe our students have gained valuable experience in leading community initiatives and tackling real-world problems through these capstone projects.
BSocSc(SCS)’s programme leader Professor Stephen Chiu Wing-kai said, “All capstone projects emphasise experiential learning and community-based approach. Learning by experiencing leads to a deeper comprehension and broader perspectives, while also developing problem-solving skills. The community-based approach connects academic study with community involvement, preparing students for real-life settings. I believe our students have gained valuable experience in leading community initiatives and tackling real-world problems through these capstone projects. These are the most valuable lessons that BSocSc(SCS) students take home, which will benefit their future endeavours,” said Professor Chiu.
Please click here to understand BSocSc(SCS) programme, and read related story at SSPS students lead secondary school students in designing a board game to understand Sham Shui Po
