Preserving the Flight of the Dodo: A Fundraising Charity Auction for the Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library

"The Dodo is an extinct bird that once lived on our island..."

In his essay The Dodo, the late poet Dai Tian recalled a stern warning from his French teacher: the Dodo, though beautiful and endearing, could not survive the tide of environmental change and eventually faced extinction. This is more than a biological tragedy; it is a cultural warning. If things are not properly preserved, they too will vanish in the torrent of time.

Recently, the Archives Association of Ontario (AAO) highlighted the March Open House and the Hong Kong Special Collections of the Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library (RCLCHKL) at the University of Toronto. This year, the AAO conference theme—Object Lessons: Continuing Care for the Physical in a Digital World—explores how we must protect "physical artifacts" in an increasingly digital age. This serves as a timely reminder of the Library’s mission: it is a fortress standing against time to safeguard our collective memories.

Previously, we introduced three fundraising initiatives for the Library, one of which is the "Dai Tian Legacy Charity Auction." A titan of contemporary poetry, Dai Tian (1935–2021), born Dai Chengyi, was a native of Dapu, Guangdong, born in Mauritius. He graduated from National Taiwan University, where he studied under the renowned Hsia Chih-an alongside literary greats like Pai Hsien-yung and Wang Wen-hsing. He later earned his M.A. from the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program. Upon returning to Hong Kong, he co-founded the "Poetry Workshop," inspiring generations of writers. Throughout his career, he served as Editor-in-Chief for the USIS and an editor for Reader’s Digest. Dai Tian immigrated to Canada in the 1990s and passed away in Toronto in 2021.

Following his passing, part of his literary estate was entrusted to his close friend, the acclaimed screenwriter and author Ms. Joyce Chan. While many of his books have already been rehomed, Ms. Chan has graciously selected a meaningful portion of the remaining collection for this fundraiser to support the Library’s preservation efforts. The centerpiece of this auction is a limited first edition of The Dodo (1980), published by Su Yeh—one of only 1,000 copies ever printed.

About Su Yeh Publications

Founded in 1979, Su Yeh was a literary collective established by iconic Hong Kong writers such as Xi Xi, Ye Si, and Ho Fuk-yan. In a highly commercialized city, Su Yeh remained dedicated to "pure literature" as a non-profit, offering a space of immense creative freedom. Their publications—including classics like My City—deeply recorded Hong Kong’s identity and urban culture. Su Yeh symbolizes a grassroots cultural persistence, guarding the city’s soul through the written word.

About The Dodo

Dai Tian’s prose is celebrated for being concise, sharp, and deeply poetic. His representative collection, The Dodo, reveals a profound love for life beneath a calm, philosophical surface. In the title essay, he recounts how his French teacher compared him to the extinct Dodo to inspire him to cultivate the inner strength needed to withstand the "extinction" brought by changing times.

This is precisely why we have chosen the Dai Tian Legacy Auction as a key pillar of our fundraising efforts. Dai Tian’s works are more than just text; they are "physical artifacts" of a lived history. If we do not collect and guard them, these records may truly follow the fate of the Dodo and vanish in the sands of the diaspora.

How to Participate

Please send your bid (Starting bid: CAD 100) via email to hello@toreadbooks.com with the subject: "Silent Auction Bid: The Dodo."

Deadline: May 4, 2026, 23:59 (EST).

The highest bidder will be notified individually and must complete their donation directly through the University of Toronto’s official platform. Delivery details will be coordinated afterward.

Recognition

The winning bidder will receive the auctioned book, an official tax receipt issued by the University of Toronto, and a certificate of appreciation.

Official Donation Link: go.utlib.ca/rclchkl-donate

(Please select the Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library Fund)