Lecture by Dr. Chen Tsung-Yuan in the twenty-eighth talk of the “Tan Lark Sye Lecture Series”
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.
