The School of Humanities and Social Science (SHSS) and the Centre for Greater China Studies (CGCS) jointly organised the Distinguished Professorial Lecture on ‘Performing the Socialist State’ on 17 May 2021. It was a great honour to have Professor Xiaomei Chen, Distinguished Professor of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Davis, to give the lecture. The event was well attended online or in person by students from the University of California as well as SHSS students and staff of the HSUHK. In the lecture, Professor Chen offered a quick review of her forthcoming book, Performing the Socialist State: Moments, Crisis and Success of Modern Chinese Theater and shared the historical elements, artistic elements, ideological elements and also cultural policy elements in the shaping of the modern Chinese Theater. Professor Chen wished to visit SHSS and exchange with our students and teachers when the pandemic is over.