生命的韌性

鄭學仁笑言自己的人生是「540 度華麗轉身」，他指的是生命的三個轉向：先是從新傳本科畢業後投身中樂團職業演奏，其後入職公共圖書館，退休前擔任香港中央圖書館總館長，退休後卻又因緣際會在大學教授中國音樂；「每次轉身都是180度，加起來還不是540度？」三個範疇截然不同，他幾次形容這些轉向並非刻意為之，而是「命運的安排」。命運是如何揀選了他？

故事由本科講起，鄭學仁形容自己是「新聞系的逃兵」，因為在第一年就發現自己「對音樂很狂熱」。如是者他花大量時間副修音樂，畢業後順理成章接受中樂團邀請，擔任演奏樂師，「當時樂團沒有大學生的，我是異數。」惟樂團其後經歷人事變動，加上家人反對從事音樂，他只得忍痛請辭。

「為什麼任職圖書館？這又是命運。」他坦言成為公務員旨在圓爸爸心願，「好歹算是份穩定職業嘛。請我就去做，但其實從小對圖書館興趣不大，現在得天天待在圖書館，我經常笑說這是『報應』。」入職後他以為要放棄音樂了，但因為館內具備音樂知識的同事不多，於是館方有意無意間一直安排他處理不同與音樂相關的工作，「也是一份音樂緣把我留下了在這裡。」

他開始進修圖書館學，事業穩步發展，退休前為香港中央圖書館總館長；後期更獲派在中央圖書館建立重要特藏，收集香港音樂的歷史文獻，「我們之所以這樣做，因為除了中央圖書館，應該沒其他地方有資源做這件事，這是一項文化使命。」他在中樂團的經歷派上用場，大量珍藏由他昔日樂團交往的前輩捐贈而來，「我們收集了很多珍貴的第一手資料，對於日後研究香港音樂歷史是非常重要的。」

他作為館內少數具專業音樂背景的人，終於明白命運安排的用意，「很高興可以在音樂及圖書館的跨領域上，留下了一鱗半爪。」他說他修讀的音樂圖書館學博士學位，是他生命中兩個專業的「完美結合」。但話說回來，一切與新傳有何關連？鄭學仁形容本科四年是「開竅的過程」，新聞和論文寫作訓練培養他對社會的觸覺及關心、思考分析的能力，學會分辨是非、擇善固執，建立正面人生觀、鍛煉生命的韌性，從而影響他一生。

「你不能控制命運，面對不喜歡或不適合的環境，很多人會選擇埋怨，但我相信，要麼不要做，要麼便要做到最好，以正向思維面對任何逆境，你總能有所得著。」他信命，也信努力：「當你沒有選擇放棄，遇上機會的時候，就能有所成就，這也是我大半生的經歷。」

簡介：
鄭學仁，1984 年於香港中文大學新聞與傳播本科畢業，畢業後在香港中樂團擔任職業笙演奏樂師；其後加入前市政局公共圖書館，退休前為香港中央圖書館總館長；現為香港浸會大學音樂學院兼任講師。

The Resilience of Life

Jim Hok-yan Chang laughs when he describes his life as a “540-degree magnificent turn.” He’s referring to three major career pivots: graduating from journalism school only to become a professional Chinese orchestra musician, then joining the public library system where he rose to Chief Librarian of Hong Kong Central Library, and finally—after retirement—finding himself teaching Chinese music at university. “Each turn was 180 degrees,” he chuckles. “Add them up and you get 540 degrees, right?” The three fields couldn’t be more different, yet he insists these weren’t calculated moves but rather “fate’s arrangement.” So how exactly did fate choose him?

It all started during his undergraduate years. Chang calls himself a “journalism school dropout”—not literally, but in spirit. Within his first year, he discovered he was “absolutely passionate about music.” He ended up spending most of his time on music as a minor, so when a Chinese orchestra offered him a position after graduation, it felt natural to accept. “Back then, the orchestra didn’t have any university graduates—I was the odd one out.” But the orchestra went through personnel changes, and with his family strongly opposing a music career, he reluctantly had to quit.

“Why the library? That was fate too,” he says. Becoming a civil servant was really about fulfilling his father’s dream. “It was at least a stable job, you know. When they offered it to me, I took it. But honestly, I’d never been particularly interested in libraries as a kid. Now here I am, spending every day in one—I always joke that it’s karma.” He figured he’d have to give up music entirely, but it turned out the library had few staff members with musical knowledge. Almost without realizing it, management kept assigning him music-related projects. “I guess it was that musical connection that kept me here.”

He threw himself into studying library science, and his career took off. By retirement, he had become Chief Librarian of Hong Kong Central Library. In his later years, he was tasked with creating special collections at the Central Library, specifically focused on preserving Hong Kong’s musical heritage. “We took this on because honestly, apart from the Central Library, no other institution has the resources for this kind of work. It’s a cultural mission.” His orchestra background proved invaluable—many precious items came from donations by musicians he’d known during his performing days. “We’ve assembled some incredibly rare firsthand materials that will be crucial for anyone studying Hong Kong music history.”

As one of the few librarians with serious musical credentials, he finally understood what fate had in mind. “I’m really happy that I was able to leave some mark in the space where music and libraries intersect.” His doctoral degree in music librarianship, he says, represents the “perfect marriage” of his two professional worlds. But what does any of this have to do with journalism? Chang sees his four undergraduate years as “when everything clicked.” The training in journalism and academic writing sharpened his awareness of society, taught him to think critically and analytically, helped him distinguish right from wrong and stick to his principles, built his positive outlook on life, and strengthened his resilience—all of which shaped who he became.

“You can’t control fate,” he reflects. “When people find themselves in situations they don’t like or that don’t suit them, many choose to complain. But I believe you should either not do something at all, or do it to the absolute best of your ability. Face any challenge with a positive mindset, and you’ll always come away with something valuable.” He believes in both fate and effort: “When you refuse to give up, opportunities will come your way, and that’s when you can really achieve something. That’s been my experience for most of my life.”

Profile:
Jim Hok-yan Chang graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communication from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1984. After graduation, he served as a professional sheng (Chinese reed instrument) player at the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. He later joined the former Urban Council Public Library system and served as Chief Librarian of the Hong Kong Central Library before retirement. He is currently a Part-time Lecturer at the Academy of Music, Hong Kong Baptist University.