Donors and Naming Gifts

This article catalogues the major donors and naming gifts of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) from its founding to the present. It belongs to the 00–12 reference area (factual), documenting donors in a neutral/positive light, identified by name as supported by the record, without credibility badges.

Since its establishment in 1911, HKU has long relied on private benefactions; many campus buildings, faculties, endowed chairs, and scholarships are named after donors. This article is divided chronologically into two parts: "Founding and Early Benefactors" and "Major Contemporary Gifts". Naming controversies associated with specific donations (such as debates sparked by the naming of a faculty) are not narrated here; they are routed to the relevant governance/controversy modules.

# 1. Founding and Early Benefactors (1910s–1950s)

# 1.1 Sir Hormusjee N. Mody: Funding the Main Building

According to the HKU Giving page for the Main Building & Loke Yew Hall^※, the Parsi merchant and philanthropist Sir Hormusjee N. Mody was a pivotal founding donor to HKU:

• Initially pledged HK$150,000^※ towards establishing the university;
• He later honoured his commitment, covering the entire construction cost of the Main Building at HK$365,000^※;
• The Main Building opened on 11 March 1912^※ with an inaugural class of 72 students;
• Sir Hormusjee Mody passed away in 1911, before the completion of the building.

The Main Building is the oldest structure on HKU's main campus (see the Campus module).

# 1.2 Loke Yew: The Interest-Free Loan That Saved the University

According to HKU Giving^※, the Malayan Chinese community leader Loke Yew provided crucial, unsolicited help during HKU's early financial crisis:

• In 1915, facing severe financial difficulties, HKU received a donation of HK$50,000 from Loke Yew, along with a 21-year, interest-free loan of HK$500,000^※;
• This support enabled HKU to overcome its difficulties and continue operations;
• In 1956, the University's Great Hall was named "Loke Yew Hall"^※ to commemorate his contribution, with a bronze statue of Loke Yew placed on the second floor.

# 1.3 Fung Ping Shan and Tang Chi Ngong: Chinese Education

The development of Chinese-language education in HKU's early years was greatly aided by two Chinese merchants:

• Tang Chi Ngong: After HKU established its Chinese Department in 1927, the wealthy merchant Tang Chi Ngong donated funds to found a Chinese College. The Tang Chi Ngong Building had its foundation stone laid in 1929 and was completed in 1931^※, opened by the then-Governor, Sir William Peel.
• Fung Ping Shan: In 1929, Fung Ping Shan, co-founder of the Bank of East Asia, wrote to the then-Vice-Chancellor Sir William Hornell, offering to donate HK$100,000^※ to build a Chinese library. Construction of the Fung Ping Shan Building began in 1931, and it was completed in 1932. It now forms part of the University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG) (see the Campus module).

# 1.4 Sir Robert Ho Tung: Lady Ho Tung Hall

According to the official history page of Lady Ho Tung Hall^※, shortly after the Second World War, Sir Robert Ho Tung, in memory of his late wife Lady Margaret Ho Tung, donated HK$1 million^※ to HKU. Lady Ho Tung Hall was established in 1951 and is now one of HKU's four traditional halls of residence, and its only all-female hall (see the Halls module).

# 1.5 Hung Hing Ying

According to information on the Hung Hing Ying Building^※, HKU's Union Building was completed in 1919. In 1986, the building was renamed the Hung Hing Ying Building in honour of the support given to the University by Hung Hing Ying and his family.

# 2. Major Contemporary Gifts (1980s–present)

# 2.1 Sir Run Run Shaw: The Shaw Buildings

According to the HKU Giving page for Run Run Shaw Tower^※, the film magnate and philanthropist Sir Run Run Shaw was a significant benefactor to HKU:

• The Run Run Shaw Building and the Runme Shaw Building on the main campus were officially opened on 14 October 1985^※;
• The 11-storey Run Run Shaw Tower and the Run Run Shaw Heritage House on the Centennial Campus opened in 2012.

# 2.2 Li Ka-shing: The 2005 HK$1 Billion Gift to Name the Medical Faculty

According to an HKU press release from May 2005^※:

• In 2005, the businessman Li Ka-shing donated HK$1 billion^※ to HKU;
• The University's Council unanimously approved a proposal to name the Faculty of Medicine as the "HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine"^※;
• The HKU press release stated that naming an entire faculty after a donor was "unprecedented" for the University.

Verification of the "Largest Single Gift" Designation (a cross-check): Multiple media outlets and the Li Ka Shing Foundation describe this as the largest single philanthropic donation HKU had received at the time. Note: the official HKU press release itself only described the faculty naming as "unprecedented" and did not directly use the phrase "largest in Asia"; some Chinese-language media reports relaying it as "Asia's largest single donation" are expressing a media characterisation. According to the Li Ka Shing Foundation website^※ and numerous media reports, the gift was paid out over multiple years and directed towards biomedical sciences, clinical training facilities, and international collaborations. This database adopts the careful formulation: "the largest single donation HKU had ever received at the time."

Li Ka-shing made subsequent donations: according to a 2023 HKUMed news item^※, in 2023 Li Ka-shing donated a further HK$30 million to support HKUMed's application of artificial intelligence in teaching.

The naming discussion/controversy triggered by the 2005 medical faculty naming is not elaborated here; for related content, see the Medical Faculty and governance modules.

# 2.3 Other Major Contemporary Donors

The table above is an overview. For precise amounts and years for some gifts from donors such as Cheng Yu-tung and Lee Shau Kee, sources vary; for exact figures, please refer to the HKU Annual Report and the HKU Funds and Research Funds list^※. Where this database could not confirm details, they are marked as pending verification.

# 3. The System of Named Benefactions

Many of HKU's buildings, faculties, endowed professorships, scholarships, and funds are named after donors. According to the HKU Calendar Funds list^※, the University maintains a large number of donor-named funds and research funds. A full list of named buildings can be found on the HKU Giving named buildings page^※. This system has been in continuous operation since the University's founding (Mody's Main Building) and is the backbone of HKU's fundraising culture.

# 4. Unconfirmed / Pending Verification

• Precise amount of Cheng Yu-tung's 2008 donation: Media relay a figure of approximately HK$400 million, but no HKU official source has been found confirming the exact amount and designated use. Marked as pending verification.
• Itemised amounts and years for Lee Shau Kee's donations to HKU: Facilities at HKU are named after him, but this database has not confirmed the exact amounts of individual gifts. Marked as pending verification.
• Itemised amounts for naming gifts to individual halls of residence: See the Halls module (10-colleges); this article only lists the named affiliations.

# See Also

• Finances — Annual donation income and matching grants
• Alumni Network and Advancement (06-people) — Matching Grant Scheme and fundraising
• Campus Module (05-campus) — Named buildings
• Halls Module (10-colleges) — Named halls