Taiwan 2021 Lecture Series: “Taiwanese Consciousness” in Transformation: Retrospect and Prospect

In his lecture, Professor Chun-chieh Huang will discuss the meaning of “Taiwanese consciousness” and show how it has evolved through a complex historical, cultural, and political context. Professor Huang will trace its evolution from the arrival of early Mainland Chinese in the seventeenth century, followed by the Japanese occupation of 1895–1945, the authoritarian Kuomintang rule from 1945 to 1987, when martial law was lifted and Taiwan entered “the Phase of Post-Martial Law” (1987–2008) characterized by democratization and the emergence of a “new Taiwanese consciousness” and “the awakening of individuality”. He will conclude his historical overview by analyzing the transformation of the “new Taiwanese consciousness” since 2008 against the background of the changing relations between Taiwan and Mainland China. Finally, Professor Huang will discuss the character and future prospects of “Taiwanese consciousness”.

Professor Chun-chieh Huang is a leading scholar in the field of Chinese thought, especially Confucianism, and also a prominent public intellectual. In particular, he is known for his studies of Mencius and of “East Asian Confucianisms”. He is currently a distinguished Chair Professor at National Taiwan University (NTU), Honorary President of the Chinese Association for General Education, and a member of the Academia Europaea. He has published 27 books in Chinese and four books in English, and some of his works have been translated into English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Slovene. More information about Professor Chun-chieh Huang and his achievements can be found on his personal website: http://huang.cc.ntu.edu.tw.