Ng Hong-mun

Ng Hong-mun (吳康民) was an extraordinary educator, patriotic advocate, and public servant whose life of exactly one hundred years left an indelible mark on Hong Kong's educational and political landscape. Born on 9 April 1926 in Hweilai, Guangdong, China, he arrived in Hong Kong with a conviction that education was the surest path to a stronger nation and a more prosperous city. In 1947, Ng walked through the doors of Pui Kiu Middle School as a young teacher — and he would never truly leave. Over the following decades he rose from classroom instructor to Principal and Supervisor, then to Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pui Kiu Education Foundation, guiding the institution's growth into an expansive network of schools. His steadfast commitment to the mission of education became his defining quality: generation after generation of students passed through Pui Kiu shaped by his belief that learning and love of country were inseparable. Beyond the classroom, Ng proved equally tireless in public life. In 1975 he was among the very first Hong Kong deputies appointed to the National People's Congress — representing Guangdong until 1998 and then Hong Kong until 2008 — accumulating more than 32 years of service and earning the distinction of longest-serving NPC member from Hong Kong. He co-founded the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers in 1975, was appointed a Hong Kong Affairs Adviser in 1992, and served on the Preliminary Working Committee from 1993 to 1997, contributing meaningfully to the negotiations that shaped the city's handover. In 1998 the Hong Kong Government recognised his decades of service with the Grand Bauhinia Medal, the territory's highest honour. Even in his final years, Ng remained engaged, writing a regular column for Ming Pao and offering measured commentary on Hong Kong's unfolding political story. In April 2026 the Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce held a banquet to celebrate his centenary — a fitting tribute to a man who had devoted his entire life to the service of the nation and Hong Kong. He passed away peacefully on 18 October 2026 at the age of one hundred. His noble character, his care for students, and his pioneering role in patriotic education will endure in the annals of Hong Kong for generations to come.