HomeMy WebLinkAboutID-2843-ProcCity of Palo Alto (ID # 2843)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Special Orders of the Day Meeting Date: 5/14/2012
May 14, 2012 Page 1 of 1
(ID # 2843)
Summary Title: Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room Proclamation
Title: Proclamation Recognizing the Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room
From:City Manager
Lead Department: City Clerk
Attachments:
·Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room (DOC)
Prepared By:Ronna Gonsalves, Deputy City Clerk
Department Head:Donna Grider, City Clerk
City Manager Approval: ____________________________________
James Keene, City Manager
CITY OF PALO ALTO
PROCLAMATION
Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room
WHEREAS,the Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room was founded on October 10, 1981,by Mr.
Ernest Hung and his wife Grace,with their personal collection of 1,600 books, in an effort to share
their knowledge of Chinese history and culture.Today, with the donations from many Chinese
Americans, members of the community come browse and borrow from the 14,000 volumes of books
and magazines representing 5,000 years plus of Chinese history, art and literature; and
WHEREAS,Mr. Hung taught classes at the Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room, free of charge,
on the Chinese Language, Chinese History, and Chinese Culture. Today,many community
volunteers maintain Hua Kuang, and teach classes in U.S. Citizenship, Chinese Painting, Flower
Arranging, Knitting and Music Keyboard; and
WHEREAS,Mr. Hung scheduled monthly round table discussions with subject experts on a wide
range of topics such as Minority Groups in China, Chinese calligraphy, Mrs. En Lai Chou, China's
History in Brief, and Hua Kuang's treasures of Ancient Chinese Literature. Today,Hua Kuang
continues to host seminars on topics ranging from history to health, "1949 Era of China's History",
and "How to Hear Better and Live Longer”,and
WHEREAS,the Hungs'vision of the Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room serving as a "root-
finding" place for Chinese Americans came to life through Mrs. Hung's painstaking work to create
a bibliography of 4000 prominent figures in 20th-century China to guide people to information
regarding historical figures; and
WHEREAS, Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room has recently collaborated with the Palo Alto Art
Commission to create a symbol and Chinese wording for the new sculptures at the Palo Alto Culture
Center and Main Library. For more information about the reading room and its services,the
community is encouraged to visit its website at www.huakuang.yola.com.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Yiaway Yeh, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto, on behalf of the City
Council do hereby recognize and commend the Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room for its valuable
contributions to the Chinese American Community during its 30 year history.
Presented: May 14, 2012
______________________________
Yiaway Yeh
Mayor