Chung Hwa Book Company (Hong Kong)
| Company type | Private limited company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing and distribution |
| Founded | June 16, 1988 |
| Headquarters | Room B, 1/F, North Point Industrial Building, 499 King's Road, North Point, Hong Kong |
| Owner | Sino United Publishing |
| Website | www |
Chung Hwa Book Company (Chinese: 中華書局) is a Hong Kong publishing house and bookstore chain. Founded in 1927, the company has been operating in Hong Kong for over ninety years, dedicated to "promoting Chinese culture and building modern civilization". And it used to print currency notes.[1][2][3][4]
History
In 1912, the Chung Hwa Book Company was founded in Shanghai.[5][2]
In 1927, the Hong Kong branch was established.[3][2]
During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong (from 25 December 1941 to 15 August 1945) in the World War Two, the company used to print currency notes of HK$50 and HK$100.[2]
From the 1950s to 1970s, Hong Kong Chung Hwa released around 850 types of books, more than one-third of which were about Chinese civilization.[1]
In 1979, the Chung Hwa Book Company opened a flagship store in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon.[4][1]
In 1988, the Hong Kong branch of the Chung Hwa Book Company was reorganized and registered as "Chung Hwa Book Company (Hong Kong) Limited", and became a member of the Sino United Publishing.[3][2]
In 1991, the Chung Hwa Book Company's Tsuen Wan Plaza branch opened.[4]
In 2001, the Chung Hwa Book Company's "Slow Reading Time" concept store opened.[6]
In 2012, the Manga Shop was established in Mong Kok. It was a branch of Chung Hwa Book Co. (H.K.) Ltd. specializing in Japanese comic books and a dealer of the Japanese chain Animate.[7]
In 2016, the Chung Hwa Book Company replaced the closed Yip Yi Tong and opened 5 branches at the Hong Kong International Airport.[3][8]
Operations
Chung Hwa Book Company (Hong Kong) has developed into a comprehensive cultural publishing organization that operates multiple businesses such as publishing, retail, and direct sales.[3] There are stores in Causeway Bay Central Library, Yau Ma Tei and other areas.[9] Its sub-brands include Feifan Publishing, Kaiming Bookstore, Animation World, Slow Reading Time, etc.[6][4]
Chung Hwa provides publications on Chinese history and culture, classical works of literature and philosophy, essays on contemporary China, children's readings and dictionaries, and books on popular culture and self-improvement.[10] [3] Among them, the seventh edition of the "New Chinese Dictionary" won the Japanese Good Design Award in 2018.[11][12]
Prizes won
Chung Hwa has won numerous local and international book prizes including:[10]
- Hong Kong Book Prize,
- Hong Kong Publishing Biennial Awards,
- Taipei International Book Exhibition Prize,
- International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) Book Prize,
- Asia Book Awards,
- Japanese Good Design Award.
Controversy
During the Hong Kong Book Fair held in the summer of 2013, the Chung Hwa Book Company was exposed for selling an abridged version of "A Brief History of Hong Kong" (the original English version was compiled by Professor Mark Gould of the Department of History of the University of Hong Kong).[13][14] Zhonghua Book Company responded that there were two versions of the Chinese translation. The complete version was published in Hong Kong and other regions, and the abridged version only produced a small number of sample books for copyright trade and distribution with mainland China. During the Hong Kong Book Fair, due to stocking and display errors, 38 copies of the sample book were sold at the exhibition, and they were later recalled in time.[15]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Xinhua (17 December 2023). "HK's time-honored publishing house promotes culture in ways". China Daily.
- ^ a b c d e Hugh Farmer (22 June 2015). "Chung Hwa Book Company – HK branch opened 1927". The Industrial History of Hong Kong Group.
- ^ a b c d e f 李夢 (Li Meng) (25 April 2017). Daisy (ed.). "【書人書事】植根香港九十年 中華書局編輯談香港出版苦與樂 ([Book People and Book Affairs] Rooted in Hong Kong for 90 Years: A Chung Hwa Book Company Editor Discusses the Joys and Tribulations of Hong Kong Publishing)". Orange News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d "About us" (in Chinese). Chung Hwa Book Company. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ "民间出版机构". 上海出版志 (in Chinese). Shanghai Local Chronicles Office. 5 August 2003. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
- ^ a b "中華書局「慢讀時光」概念店 (Chunghwa Book Company "Slow Reading Time" Concept Store)". U Lifestyle (in Chinese). 12 July 2013. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ 中華書局反傳統夥連鎖店辦「動漫世界」(Zhonghua Book Company breaks with tradition and partners with chain stores to launch "Anime World"). Yahoo! News (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Sing Tao Daily. 2 August 2012.
- ^ "Chung Hwa Book+". Airport Authority Hong Kong. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ "中華門市 (Chung Hwa shops)" (in Chinese). Chung Hwa Book Company. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ a b "Chung Hwa Book Company (Hong Kong): Company Introduction". Soaring Creativity. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "2019 Good Design Award" (in Japanese). G-Mark. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
- ^ 劉耀祥 (9 October 2018). "中華新字典設計 奪「東方設計奧斯卡」獎項 ("New Chinese Dictionary" design wins "Oriental Design Oscar" Award)". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 10 July 2021.
- ^ "中華書局篡改《香港簡史》 (Zhonghua Book Company tampered with "A Brief History of Hong Kong")". Apple Daily. 20 July 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "港大學生會致中華書局公開信 (Hong Kong University Students' Union Open Letter to Chung Hwa Book Company)". VJ Media. 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "三件野蠻事 (Three Savage Things)". am730 (in Chinese). 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
External links
