【28th Talk】Dr. Chen Tsung-Yuan: “The Sarawak Hakka Lion Dance: Folk Art, Politics, and Identity”
Upcoming Event
|
Introduction |
The twenty-eighth talk of the “Tan Lark Sye Lecture Series” will take place soon. This talk features Dr. Chen Tsung-Yuan from Tamkang University as main speaker. Dr. Chen will deliver a presentation on the topic of the Sarawak Hakka Lion Dance. Historically, there has been limited systematic research on this cultural phenomenon in Sarawak, with a significant crisis of inheritance following World War II. However, in the 1980s, a resurgence occurred alongside the burgeoning of lion dance arts in Malaysia, garnering favor among both younger generations and various ethnic groups. This lecture will explore the development characteristics of the Sarawak Hakka Lion Dance through the lenses of folk art inheritance, ethnic politics, and Hakka identity. Dr. Chen will argue that within Malaysia’s diverse society, the continued existence and promotion of the Sarawak Hakka Lion Dance face challenges of cultural inheritance on the peripheries, while also exemplifying inclusivity, creativity, and adaptability in the pursuit of broader recognition. |
|
Speaker |
Dr. Chen Tsung-Yuan (Assistant Professor, Department of History, Tamkang University; Director, Southeast Asian History Research Center) Dr. Chen Tsung-Yuan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Tamkang University and the Director of the Southeast Asian History Research Center. He previously served as an Associate Professor and Director of the Indonesia Research Center at the College of International Relations/Institute of Overseas Chinese Studies at Huaqiao University. He has contributed to publications such as Overseas Chinese Studies Journal and Blue Book on Overseas Chinese. Currently, he is the Editor-in-Chief of the "Asia-Pacific and International Studies Series" for Hongye Culture, the Executive Editor of the "Development Studies Series" for Jiulou Publishing, and an Executive Editor for Translocal Chinese: East Asian Perspectives (also known as Overseas Chinese Studies). His research focuses on East and Southeast Asian history, particularly the Chinese communities in Borneo. His academic articles have been published in journals such as Development and Change, Taiwan Sociology Quarterly, and Taiwan Journal of East Asian Civilizations. He has also written, edited, or translated over ten works, including Development and Beyond, The Fugue of Development, and The Temples and Mediums of the Mountain Mouth Area in Indonesia. |
|
Moderator |
Dr. Lew Siew Boon (Assistant Professor at the International Education College of New Era University College) Dr. Lew received her PhD from the National University of Singapore and is currently an Assistant Professor at the Institute of International Education, New Era University College, as well as the Head of the International Academic Exchange Office. Her main research interests include folklore and folk culture, and the history of Chinese communities in Singapore and Malaysia. She has published several works, including Discovering the Goddess of Mercy in Swee Nyet Temple of Pulai, Kelantan and Hakka in China and Southeast Asia: Cross-Regional Field Work and Essays (co-authored). She has also published more than 20 academic papers. |
|
Information |
Date: 24 April 2024 (Wednesday) |
Trailer (Video)
Lecture Postscript
The 28th session of the "Tan Lark Sye Lecture Series," organized by the Institute of International Education, New Era University College (IIE, NEUC) and the Tan Lark Sye Institute, was held on 24 April. The guest speakers for this event was Dr. Chen Tsung-Yuan from Tamkang University. It was attended by more than 120 people.
Dr. Chen Tsung-Yuan, is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Tamkang University, and serves as the Head of the Southeast Asian History Research Office. He previously held the position of Associate Professor at the School of International Relations/Institute of Overseas Chinese Studies at Huaqiao University, where he also served as the Director of the Indonesian Studies Center.
This lecture was titled " The Sarawak Hakka Lion Dance: Folk Art, Politics, and Identity." The speaker used the case study of the Hakka lion in Serian, Sarawak, to explore its development through three key threads: the transmission of folk art, ethnic politics, and Hakka identity. Dr. Chen observed that, due to widespread education and intermarriage, the boundaries between dialect groups have been blurred, prompting the younger generation of Hakka people to explore their ethnic roots and identity. The younger generation is reviving the once-faded Hakka lion dance in the region to strengthen their connection to Chinese and Hakka culture. The event was moderated by Assistant Professor Dr. Lew Siew Boon from NEUC. It received enthusiastic feedback, with the audience actively participating in the Q&A session and eagerly engaging in discussions.
