The second NCKU Museum History Writing Workshop – "A Flourishing History of the University" was successfully held on the 14th-國立成功大學永續發展SDGs

The second NCKU Museum History Writing Workshop, held on the 14th at the B1 Lecture Hall of the College of Management, was successfully organized by the NCKU Museum, in collaboration with the Taiwan Historical Society, National Tainan First Senior High School, and the Higher Education Taiwan Studies Program. This year's theme, "A Flourishing History of the University," built upon the first workshop in 2022, which focused on the core concept of "Collection Universities" and explored the characteristics and spirit of university histories. The second workshop further delved into the birth, evolution, and development of universities in the context of time and space.


In his opening remarks, Associate Vice President and Museum Director Bing-sheng Wu expressed great honor in inviting Mr. Shimazu Yukio, a descendant of the Bayans (Taiwan-born Japanese), to return to NCKU and deliver a special lecture. In 2016, Mr. Shimazu donated two Anping pots, which had been collected by his grandfather, Shimazu Shuutaro, during his time as the district chief of Anping, to the NCKU Museum. Due to the pandemic, Mr. Shimazu had not been able to visit Tainan until this event. The workshop also featured a pre-lecture and discussion with Anping historian Mr. Hsi-tian Lin, and a display of three Anping pots from the Tainan First Senior High School library. Given the close relationship between university collections and history writing, this multifaceted event aimed to inspire new ideas for university history researchers regarding the collection, research, and revitalization of their histories.


Vice President Wu further shared that the NCKU Museum plans to continue hosting activities in a "yearly university history writing workshop and annual university and institutional history symposium" model as part of NCKU's centennial celebrations, wishing that all universities' histories would "flourish."


The workshop kicked off in the morning with a special lecture by Mr. Shimazu Yukio, "The Anping Pot of Tainan," where he shared personal stories about his family's experiences in Anping and the donation process of the Anping pots. The Museum also invited historian Mr. Hsi-tian Lin to give a pre-lecture, offering insight into the Shimazu family's history and the Anping pots, enriched by Mr. Lin's own research. At the end of the lecture, Vice President Wu presented certificates of appreciation to Mr. Shimazu and Mr. Lin for their support.


In the afternoon, Director Cheng-lin Xie of the Tainan First Senior High School library discussed the "Anping Pot Collection at Tainan First Senior High School and Museum Studies Courses," showcasing how history and precious collections can be integrated into educational curricula for students outside universities. Dr. Chi-wei Fan, postdoctoral researcher at the NCKU Museum, then shared the details of NCKU's current project to digitize important documents from the Department of Surveying and Mapping, with a mini-exhibition of selected works. A documentary on the Museum's restoration efforts was also shown, with Deputy Researcher Cai You-hua explaining the restoration process and the discoveries made since 2023, offering valuable insights for future reference.


The first session of cross-school exchanges was hosted by Associate Professor Heng-an Chen of the Department of History. Professors from National Chung Hsing University, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, National Dong Hwa University, and Soochow University shared their experiences with topics such as historical research on schools during the Japanese colonial era, mergers, and university evolutions.


The second session, moderated by Museum Research Group Leader Yin-hsuan Yang, featured presentations by Mr. Wu-xiong Jiang from the Soochow University History Research Committee, Deputy Director Wen-song Chen of the NCKU Museum, and Assistant Manager Li Bo-lin of the NCKU History Group. They discussed the historical research and new discoveries of the university's evolution.


The NCKU Museum noted that the first workshop held in 2022 was online due to the pandemic, making this the first physical event, which added significant meaning. This year's workshop built upon the theme "Collection Universities" from the first workshop and focused on the evolution of universities across time (pre- and post-war periods) and space (within and outside the city walls). As 2024 marks Tainan’s 400th anniversary and 2025 marks the 300th anniversary of the city's walls, NCKU, as a hub for cultural and urban research, hopes to foster discussions on the relationship between the city walls and university campuses, in collaboration with neighboring schools.


The workshop, rich in content, featured keynote speeches, school exchanges, and exhibitions. Attendees also engaged in lively discussions, exchanging business cards and ideas. The event concluded with closing remarks and thanks from Deputy Director Wen-song Chen of the NCKU Museum. A total of 23 schools and 9 related institutions participated in the workshop.