[ENG] Submission Call: Under a Hong Kong Moon—Chronicles of the Unseen
Hello, HSUHK Students, Staff, and Hidden City Writers!
We are thrilled to let you know that there would be a precious opportunity to get published in our prestigious literary journal The Kaleidoscope Chronicle. The theme of the upcoming issue in 2026 is “moon.”
The moon has long been a silent witness to human longing, a solitary companion to poets from Li Bai to Percy Shelley. It is a symbol of the unreachable, the introspective, and the eternally cyclical. Hong Kong, a city perpetually resituating its identity with the rhythmic persistence of lunar phases, holds countless stories in its constant yet changing light.
The Kaleidoscope Chronicle is a literary journal proudly hosted by HSUHK’s Department of English. In 2025, its inaugural issue 2025: The Year of Hans Christian Andersen has marked a magnificent success in capturing HSUHK’s newest literary voice. To continue the creative spirit of HSUHK students and staff, our second issue is now inviting creative and academic works that are both mystically mundane and profoundly mysterious, which illuminate Hong Kong’s hidden narratives. From the saying that “the moon seen in a foreign land is rounder than seen at home” to the revised colloquial “the moon is always roundest when seen at home,” Hong Kong, like the moon herself, has witnessed the waxing and waning of loneliness and companionship. We invite you to explore this landscape and contribute your voice to an ancient yet modern conversation.
We welcome all types of creative works and academic writing related to or inspired by the “moon.”
We encourage narrative magic that builds immersive worlds where time and space become flexible. Submitted works can include, but are not limited to:
- Short Stories & Novellas: up to 8 A4 pages, singled-spaced;
- Memoirs & Creative Non-Fiction: up to 8 A4 pages, singled-spaced;
- Poetry: up to 3 poems, 6 A4 pages in total;
- Video Essays (which might dissolve boundaries between the personal and the mythological): 5-15 minutes;
- Hybrid & Experimental Forms: as you can imagine;
- Academic Essays & Reviews: 2,000-5,000 words for academic essays, or 1,000-2,000 words for reviews, acceptable formats include student essays or project papers that follow the MLA documentation style;
- Artworks: photographs, drawings, paintings, cartoon illustrations, and any other related works.
Submission Guidelines:
- Submit your work(s) to engjournal@hsu.edu.hk by 17:00, 31 January 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.
- Indicate your submission category, student number, name, degree programme and School in your email. If your works are in textual format, we will accept Word document only. If the works are images, we will accept JPEG files no larger than 3 MB.
- Include a 100-word author/artist bio to introduce yourself.
FAQ
What are the incentives of the open call?
All selected writers will receive a complimentary copy of the beautifully printed journal. The e-journal will be registered with ISSN and DOI*, a credential that can significantly enhance your writing career. Your work will also be included in the permanent collection of the HSU library database.
*DOIs may only be applicable to certain articles.
Who will be reviewing my work?
All submissions will be reviewed by the editorial board of The Kaleidoscope Chronicle, which consists of teaching staff from the ENG faculty.
When will I be notified of the submission result?
All selected works and unsuccessful submissions will be notified the latest by the end of June, 2026.
By weaving these threads together, The Kaleidoscope Chronicle offers a precious platform for you to retell a story under a Hong Kong moon or the other moons of your version, transforming personal intimacy into a transcendent, enduring light.
For any enquiries, please contact us at engjournal@hsu.edu.hk. We look forward to reading your chronicles!
Best regards,
Department of English
The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
eng.hsu.edu.hk
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