The Motto Decoded and the Naming of a University: “開物成務 勵學利民” and the Battle Over “理工 / Polytechnic”

Module: 00 Overview · Sub-file: Motto and Naming History (motto-and-name-identity) A university’s motto and name crystalise its understanding of itself. This article is in two parts. (1) The I Ching origins of the PolyU motto “開物成務 勵學利民”, its multi-layered interpretation, and the four generations of insignia on the Presidential Medallion. (2) The controversy over the Chinese and English names “理工 / Polytechnic”—how “理工” was chosen in 1972, why the University actively retained “Polytechnic” upon gaining university status in 1994, and how red brick evolved from an architectural signature into a brand asset. For an overview of symbols, see symbols.md; for history, see history.md and Pre-Founding History. Data is drawn primarily from PolyU’s official University Identity pages, Council code, Ordinance, and the PolyU glossary.

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# Part One: The Motto “開物成務 勵學利民”

# 1. The Eight Characters: 開物成務 勵學利民

According to PolyU's University Identity page^※ and the Council Code: Motto, Vision and Mission^※, PolyU adheres to the following motto:

開物成務 勵學利民 To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind.

These eight characters can be broken into two pairs:

As noted in the PolyU Glossary: University Motto^※, the phrase “開物成務” comes from the I Ching (Book of Changes), specifically the Xici (Great Appendix), and means to unlock an understanding of the principles governing all things and apply that understanding effectively to get things done. “勵學利民”, sourced from classical texts such as those by Wang Chong, underscores the importance of rigorous scholarship and benefiting the people.

Source Strength: For the eight-character motto, its English translation, the I Ching origin and the Wang Chong sources, see PolyU’s University Identity page, Council Code, and official Glossary page.

# 2. The Depth of the English Translation: Learn + Apply + For Mankind

The official English translation of the motto, "To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind", is built around three key phrases that map precisely onto PolyU’s three-tiered aspiration. To learn (學)—scholarship and the pursuit of knowledge, the fundamental duty of a university. To apply (用)—practical application, the “applied” character that distinguishes PolyU from a purely academic university. For the benefit of mankind (利民)—serving society and humanity, the ultimate purpose of learning and application. The “learn + apply” coupling captures the essence of a “Polytechnic (理工)” precisely: it is not just about acquiring knowledge, but about applying it. This aligns perfectly with PolyU’s “practical, applied” tradition, which runs unbroken from its origins as a trade school through its technical college and polytechnic eras.

# 3. The Presidential Medallion: Threading Together Four Generations of Insignias

PolyU’s perception of its own history is concentrated in the design of its Presidential Medallion. According to the University Identity materials, the medallion strings together the logos from four distinct historical stages of PolyU:

Linking these four insignias on the medallion carries a deep meaning: although the institution’s name and role have changed several times, its unwavering commitment to the motto “開物成務 勵學利民” has remained constant. It is a physical embodiment of PolyU’s historical narrative of “four name changes, one unbroken thread” (for institutional history, see history.md).

Source Strength: The information about the Presidential Medallion linking the four insignia (1937/1947/1972/1994) is from PolyU’s University Identity materials.

# 4. The Motto’s Coherence with PolyU: More Than Words on a Wall

For many universities, a motto is merely “words on the wall”, bearing little relation to daily operations. PolyU’s motto, however, is highly self-consistent with its educational logic: “開物成務” (comprehending principles and applying them) corresponds to its applied, professional education in fields like engineering, design, hotel and tourism, and health sciences. “勵學利民” (rigorous learning for the people’s benefit) mirrors its social services, from service-learning programmes and teaching clinics to the training of rehabilitation and nursing professionals. “Learn and apply” reflects its educational philosophy of “learning by doing”, seen in facilities like Hotel ICON, its teaching clinics, and its campus carbon-neutrality testbed. In short, PolyU’s motto is not a decoration but a faithful depiction of its spirit of “learning to apply and serving society”—a principle in action from the industrial courses of 1937 to today’s space instruments, all embodying the ideal of “開物成務 勵學利民”.

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# Part Two: “理工” and “Polytechnic”—The Origin and Controversy of the Chinese and English Names

# 5. What Does “Polytechnic” Mean? A Pre-Naming Etymological Examination

The word “polytechnic” derives from the Greek polytechnikos—poly (many) + technē (art, skill, craft). Literally, it means “of many arts or skills”. In the context of the British colonial education system, a “polytechnic” designated a specific type of applied technical education institution, distinct from traditional universities. Their focus was on practical programmes—vocational, professional, engineering, and business—aimed at meeting the demands of industry and the professions for trained manpower, rather than on cultivating academic scholars. Britain established a large number of such institutions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (the London polytechnics, for instance).

“理工” is the standard Chinese equivalent of this term. “理” refers to the sciences (natural sciences, the mathematical foundations of theory), while “工” refers to engineering and technology (applied practice). Together, the term covers the dual attributes of “theoretical science + engineering application”, fitting neatly with the original meaning of “polytechnic” as an education in multiple practical skills. The word itself already embeds the logic of “application”. This etymology gives “理工” a footing in both academic foundations and practical application in Chinese, distinguishing it from “科技” (science and technology, with a bias toward cutting-edge research) or “技術” (technology, with a bias toward a single craft).

# 6. 1972: How “Polytechnic” Was Selected

In 1965, then-Legislative Councillor Sir Sze-yuen Chung (鍾士元)^※ formally proposed in a LegCo meeting that “the time has come for Hong Kong to consider establishing a polytechnic-type institution.” This is the first documented proposal at the government level to fill the gap in Hong Kong’s professional and technical education using the “polytechnic” institutional model.

At that time, Hong Kong’s economy was undergoing a deep structural shift from entrepôt trade to manufacturing. There was a soaring demand across society for applied professional talent—engineers, technicians, accountants, designers, and the like. The existing institution, the Hong Kong Technical College (founded in 1947), was no longer sufficient in scale or tier to handle this, while the academic orientation of The University of Hong Kong meant it could not produce an adequate supply of “vocational professionals”. The “polytechnic” model was a precise fit to fill the tiered gap between a “technical school” and an “academic university”.

In May 1969, the Polytechnic Planning Committee was formally established^※, chaired by Dr. Tang Ping-yuen, with Chung Sze-yuen serving as a member. The committee researched for nearly three years before submitting its final report to the government. After the government adopted the report, the Hong Kong Polytechnic Ordinance came into effect on 24 March 1972^※. The first Polytechnic Council was subsequently established, with Chung Sze-yuen as its chairman.

On 1 August 1972^※, the Hong Kong Polytechnic (香港理工學院) was formally established, taking over the campus, staff, and students of the Hong Kong Technical College. Its clearly stated mission was to “provide professional programmes and nurture talent to meet society’s demand for professional manpower”. The phrasing of this mission is entirely consistent with the etymological meaning of “Polytechnic / 理工”—applied, professional, and in service to society.

# 7. The Logic of Correspondence Between Two Languages

Hong Kong’s tradition of bilingual legislation means every public institution has a legally enshrined name in both English and Chinese. The 1972 Ordinance established the English name “Hong Kong Polytechnic” alongside the Chinese “香港理工學院”. These are not simple, direct translations of each other; rather, each language selected the most accurate equivalent term within its own linguistic and conceptual system.

It is worth noting that “理工” is not unique to PolyU in the Chinese higher-education sphere—mainland China has many universities named “理工大學” (University of Science and Engineering), such as Beijing Institute of Technology and Dalian University of Technology. Within the Hong Kong higher education system, however, PolyU is the only public institution bearing the name “理工”. The predecessor of City University of Hong Kong (City Polytechnic) proactively removed the “理工” upon elevation, and HKUST chose “科技” (Science and Technology) instead. This makes “理工 / Polytechnic” a unique brand identifier for PolyU in Hong Kong.

# 8. 1994: Why “Retain” Polytechnic Upon University Status?

The collective elevation of Hong Kong’s higher education institutions around 1994 is the crucial backdrop for understanding this decision. According to the UGC’s history page^※, in the early 1990s, several UGC-funded institutions successively acquired self-accreditation status and applied for university titles. This led to the regulator’s formal renaming from the “University and Polytechnic Grants Committee (UPGC)” back to the “University Grants Committee (UGC)”. The removal of the word “Polytechnic” from the regulator’s name signalled the institutional category of “polytechnic” receding from Hong Kong’s official education framework.

Amid this collective elevation, the naming choices of different institutions diverged clearly:

The City Polytechnic of Hong Kong (founded in 1984) chose to drop “Polytechnic” and reposition itself as “City University”, signalling its ambition to be a comprehensive university. PolyU made the diametrically opposite choice: it actively retained “Polytechnic”^※ in front of “University”, forming the composite name “The Hong Kong Polytechnic University”, an uncommon structure globally.

The logic behind this choice can be corroborated by the objects clause of the PolyU Ordinance^※. The Ordinance states that PolyU exists to “provide application-oriented education, training and research in technical, scientific, commercial, artistic and other fields”. “Application-oriented” is a direct inheritance of the “Polytechnic” spirit. Had the word been removed, that clear positioning statement would need to be filled by another name or vision statement. PolyU chose to lock its positioning directly into its name, making it unmistakable.

On 25 November 1994^※, the Polytechnic was formally granted self-accreditation status by the UPGC, attaining full university status, and its legal name was officially changed to "The Hong Kong Polytechnic University / 香港理工大學".

# 9. PolyU and 理大: The Formation and Solidification of Abbreviations

The full name “The Hong Kong Polytechnic University” is rather long and requires a short form for daily use. PolyU’s official brand guidelines^※ explicitly recommend using “PolyU” as the institutional acronym for all external brand communications. This abbreviation takes the most distinctive element of the full name—the root “Poly” (the core syllable of “Polytechnic”)—and adds a “U” for “University”. It is concise yet preserves an association with the tradition of applied technology.

In Hong Kong government documents, the abbreviations “HKPU” and “PolyU” are sometimes used interchangeably, and the Wikipedia entry notes both are in use. However, PolyU’s official communications invariably use “PolyU”; “HKPU” does not appear in any official branding. This choice differs from the abbreviations of other institutions like HKU, CUHK, and HKUST, which all begin with “HK”. “PolyU” places its institutional character (Poly) before the geographical prefix (HK), hinting that the University considers its “Polytechnic DNA” a more central identity asset than its “Hong Kong geographic identity”.

The Chinese abbreviation “理大” (“Poly-U”), formed by taking the first and last characters of “理工大學”, is a natural truncation that evolved through long-standing convention in Hong Kong’s Chinese media and public. It sits alongside “港大 (HKU)”, “中大 (CUHK)”, “科大 (HKUST)”, and “城大 (CityU)” as part of the shorthand system for Hong Kong’s universities. “理大” is highly recognisable within Chinese contexts and is almost never a source of confusion with other institutions.

# 10. “Red Brick”: How an Architectural Signature Became a Brand

Within PolyU’s brand identity system, there is a unique, non-verbal thread: red brick architecture. According to the official PolyU publication Excel@PolyU^※, when the Hong Kong Polytechnic was formally established in 1972 and began planning its Hung Hom campus, the architecture firm Palmer & Turner, led by architect James Kinoshita (木下一), designed a signature red-brick facade style. The inspiration drew upon the red-brick architecture of traditional universities in the UK and the US, creating a visual identity with both an industrial character and an academic temperament.

This design choice was carried through in all subsequent campus expansions over the decades, making “red brick” PolyU’s most distinctive visual signature. To this day, more than twenty buildings on campus retain red-brick exteriors, and the public often refers to PolyU as a “red-brick university” or “red-brick institution”. The primary palette colour in PolyU’s official brand visual identity guide^※ is “brick red”, taken directly from this architectural tone—a confluence of brand colour and architectural history.

The PolyU emblem^※ itself evolved from the original logo designed for the “Hong Kong Polytechnic” in 1972. The interlocking, rounded-square shapes symbolise the letters “P” (Polytechnic) and “U” (University). It retains a “T” form from the older design, representing “technical excellence”, while its open outline signifies the University’s interaction with the world. The design history of the emblem visually traces the evolution of identity from the “Hong Kong Polytechnic” to “The Hong Kong Polytechnic University”.

# 11. A Comparative Perspective: The Divergence of “理工” and “科技” in Hong Kong

Two naming threads—“理工” (Polytechnic) and “科技” (Science and Technology)—coexist within Hong Kong’s higher education system, each with distinct positioning nuances:

The difference between “Polytechnic / 理工” and “Science and Technology / 科技” is not simply a matter of translation choices. It reflects two different educational philosophies. “理工 / Polytechnic” stresses multi-disciplinary applied technical training and professional education, aimed squarely at industry manpower needs. “科技 / Science and Technology” focuses on frontier scientific research and technological innovation, a research-university positioning that HKUST clearly articulated upon its establishment in 1991. PolyU’s retention of “Polytechnic” in its name after HKUST’s founding can be seen as a deliberate differentiation between the two roles within Hong Kong’s higher education landscape.

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