Chip Tsao - Family and Education

Family and Education

Tsao's family traces their roots back to Guangxi province. His father was the vice chief editor of Ta Kung Pao, a leftwing newspaper in Hong Kong, whilst his mother was also an editor of the same paper. His maternal grandfather was a journalist of the Pearl River Daily. He was raised in Hong Kong's Wanchai district, and began reading early in his life. To attended Pui Kiu Middle School and later Lingnan Secondary School in Hong Kong. During this time, his writing was once published in The New Evening Post. He obtained a Diploma in International Relations from the London School of Economics and in 1980 a BA in English and European Literature from the University of Warwick. However, he states that he never thought about becoming a writer in his youth, and that his parents discouraged him from this career because they felt it would be dangerous.

Tsao is married and has two children. He enjoys reading Chinese poetry to his children. However, Hong Kong media have reported on his alleged infidelity to his wife. The proprietor of an hourly motel in Kowloon Tong claims Tsao is a regular customer there, and in 2004, a reporter for East Week tailed Tsao and an unidentified young woman to said hotel and took pictures of them. Tsao reportedly attempted to flee the scene with his head wrapped in toilet paper to obscure his face while the woman stood in front of the reporter's car to block pursuit.