A writing competition for HKU students
National Treasure StoriesWriting Competition
Your story about a cultural object could be published alongside contributions by museum directors and other experts.
Expected submission period
1 November 2026
to 31 January 2027
Open to all currently registered HKU students.
Begin with an object. Tell your story.
National Treasure Stories invites HKU students to write from their own observations and imagination, drawing on the details, histories and people associated with cultural objects. Selected student works may be published in an anthology alongside contributions invited from museum experts and other distinguished writers.
Shortlisted authors will be invited to a writing workshop led by an editor of Ming Pao Monthly to develop and revise their work. Revised entries will be considered for the Outstanding Work Award. Shortlisted full-time students may also visit the Hong Kong Palace Museum; full-time students receiving the Outstanding Work Award may additionally visit the Palace Museum in Beijing.
Collection of the National Palace Museum Image: Wikimedia Commons / The Yorck Project (public domain)
Competition rules and schedule
1Eligibility
Entrants must be registered HKU students on the date of their initial submission. Full-time and part-time students from all faculties and years may enter. Entries must be submitted individually, with one entry per person.
2Categories
A. Poetry and verse: write about a national treasure in a form of your choice, including classical or modern poetry, ci or fu. Maximum 500 Chinese characters. Entries must be written in Traditional Chinese.
B. Story writing: write a narrative about a national treasure, such as a five-minute short-film script (submit the script only; filming is not required), flash fiction or a short story. Maximum 3,000 Chinese characters. Entries must be written in Traditional Chinese.
Entrants may use reliable written, photographic or video sources; they need not have seen the object in person, nor must it currently be on display. Known facts about the object must be accurate, and verifiable sources must be listed at the end. The creative statement must identify the main historical basis and fictional elements.
Titles, punctuation, creative statements, object information, sources and revision notes do not count towards the limit. The same limits apply to initial and revised submissions.
3Originality
The work must be the entrant’s own. Plagiarism, submission under another person’s name, ghostwriting and use of generative AI to write the main text are prohibited. If generative AI assists research or proofreading, briefly disclose its use in the creative statement.
4How to submit
Submit a Word file using the online form. Submitting an entry constitutes registration. The form asks for your name, faculty, programme, mode of study, HKU email and student ID number. The manuscript must include a title, main text, creative statement, object information and sources; revised submissions must also include revision notes. Do not include names or identifying details in the manuscript, to allow anonymous judging.
Schedule and awards
Submissions are expected to open on 1 November 2026 and close on 31 January 2027. Shortlisted students will be invited to the writing workshop and may submit a revision for the Outstanding Work Award. The expected stages are listed below.
| Stage | Expected timing | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Registration and submission | 1 November 2026 to 31 January 2027 | Prepare your entry in accordance with the rules and submit the Word manuscript and required information via the online form by 31 January 2027. Submission completes registration. |
| Shortlist notification | February 2027 | Shortlisted students will be notified by email and invited to the workshop. Please check your HKU email for details. |
| Writing workshop | Early March 2027 | A Ming Pao Monthly editor will lead a workshop on writing and revision. Some shortlisted works may be used as examples; the precise deadline for revisions will be announced at the workshop. |
| Revision and resubmission | Mid to late March 2027 | Within two weeks of the workshop, shortlisted students may submit a revision with a note of no more than 200 Chinese characters explaining the main changes. Those who do not resubmit retain the shortlist award and associated benefits. |
| Results | April 2027 | Revised entries enter the final selection; 6–8 authors will receive the Outstanding Work Award. After further editing, winning works may be included in the planned anthology. |
| Museum visits | October 2027 to March 2028 | Shortlisted full-time students may visit the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Full-time Outstanding Work Award recipients may also visit the Palace Museum in Beijing. Dates and itineraries will be announced separately; see the travel award conditions below. |
Awards
Shortlist award (approximately 20)
An invitation to the writing workshop; full-time students may also join the organiser’s Hong Kong Palace Museum visit.
Outstanding Work Award (6–8)
A chance to be included in the planned anthology; full-time students may also join the organiser’s visit to the Palace Museum in Beijing. Recipients retain all shortlist award benefits.
Travel award conditions
All eligible students may enter the selection, but travel awards to the museums in Hong Kong and Beijing are limited to full-time students. Part-time students remain eligible for the awards, workshop and relevant publication opportunities.
The visits are expected between October 2027 and March 2028; dates and arrangements will be announced later. A recipient unable to attend on the organiser’s dates will be deemed to have waived that travel award; no alternative dates can be arranged. Other awards and benefits remain unaffected.
Other terms
- Entries will not be returned after submission.
- Entries must be original and unpublished in any form, including newspapers, books, online platforms, social media, personal blogs and other public channels.
- Entries must not have been entered in a similar competition, won an award, been published or publicly displayed.
- The organiser may disqualify an entry involving plagiarism, copyright infringement, submission under another person’s name or other dishonesty.
- Entrants must ensure that their work contains no defamation, discrimination, obscenity, violence, false statements, privacy infringement or other content that violates Hong Kong law.
- The organiser has the right to use entries for project-related publicity, reproduction, publication, display, exhibitions, education and promotion without further payment.
- The organiser may recommend revisions to selected works and make necessary changes for publication, editing, proofreading and layout.
- The judges’ and organiser’s decisions are final and may not be contested.
- The organiser reserves the final right to interpret the project and its rules.
Let the stories of cultural objects
continue through your writing.
Submissions expected to open 1 November 2026
Deadline: 31 January 2027
Submit via Google Form
Complete the registration details and upload your Word manuscript. Submission completes registration.
