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 Cambridge University Chinese Society, commonly referred to as CUCS or ChiSoc, is the oldest society in Cambridge established by students of the Chinese ethnicity. The ChiSoc logo is the Chinese character of the word 'Sword' in bright red, which is essentially enunciated the same way as the river name 'Cam'. It not only reiterates the fact that we belong to and are proud to be part of this elite university institution; the robust word that is 'Sword' also symbolizes and manifests our virtues of progression, vigour and passion.
Founded by a group of enthusiastic and visionary students from Hong Kong in the late 1950s - at a time when the Western World's perspective of China was largely incomplete and twisted - the Society took upon itself the grand task of promoting amongst fellow Cambridge students the understanding of the culture, history, philosophy and society of the Chinese. Although the member base in the initial few years was small and diverse, it organized many events, from lively debates to festive dinners, introducing to students of all races and nationalities our fascinating culture whilst demonstrating strongly the spirit of unity amongst our fellow members.
From the 1980s onwards, the number of Chinese students studying in Cambridge expanded exponentially, courtesy of increasingly favourable economic and political circumstances in both Hong Kong and China. The consequent surge in membership numbers, coupled with the growing understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture throughout the world, propelled a shift in the primary emphasis of the Society towards the welfare of its members.
 The Society now has close to 300 active members, mainly from Hong Kong and China but also containing Chinese from other places scattered across the globe. ChiSoc prides itself on being one of the most successful and vibrant Chinese societies in the United Kingdom. Our aspirations are multifold. Firstly and most importantly, we strive to enrich and enhance the Cambridge experiences of our members through organizing a series of meaningful and fun events, strengthening bonds and forging lifelong friendships between our members whilst promoting the spirit of unity and cooperation. Secondly, we aim to provide a warm and encouraging environment for Chinese students to integrate into the University community and to develop close links and friendships within this racially diverse university. Thirdly, we endeavour to share with the university our unique heritage that we are extremely proud of, and to bring students of all races and ethnicities closer to our fascinating Chinese culture.
We also aim to maintain a close Alumni network for those who have come before us and whose footsteps we follow today. We boast over 1000 lifetime members, including many distinguished Alumni, such as the Honorary Dr. Li Kwok Po GBS JP, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bank of East Asia, and Wong Yan Lung, the current Secretary of Justice of Hong Kong.
Strengthened with our past and equipped with a clear vision, each year's Committee looks forward to continuing with this grand and meaningful tradition that is ChiSoc.
Kelvin Chiu
President
Cambridge University Chinese Society 2006-2007
You can download the CUCS Constitution here.
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