Evolution of the Center

Center for Haishan Research was formally established in August, 2015. Recalling the whole process of establishment, I think it’s occasional but inevitable.

I still remember that the neighborhood chief of NTPU District intended to hold a symposium together with NTPU to promote the cultural and historical research in Sanxia and Yingge area at the beginning of 2014. However, the local county and city councilors are usually elected at the end of year, so the school authorities hesitated and worried that if the academic activity and election are conducted simultaneously, the qualitative change may occur in the pure academic activity. At that time, I acted as the director of the Department of History and President Fu-jiing Shiue asked for my opinion. My opinion is relatively simple. Perhaps, initiators have the political motivation. However, as long as the propaganda activity is not carried out in school and the symposium can really promote the local research, we might as well take this opportunity to preliminarily gather together the workers in the fields of literature and history in Sanxia and Yingge area to discuss the conception of research and activity. In May, 2014, we held “Haishan Research Initiative Symposium” to actively offer advices with the guests. Thus, we initially had the idea to establish Center for Haishan Research.

Haishan region includes Sanxia, Yingge, Tucheng, Shulin, Xinzhuang, Zhonghe, Yonghe, Banqiao, Taoyuan Daxi, etc. Located in Sanxia, NTPU is the most important institution of higher education in Haishan region and has the unshirkable responsibility to repay hometown, realize social responsibility and promote the research, teaching and service in Haishan region. There are numbers of talents and abundant research energy in NTPU. If they can be integrated to develop “Haishan Research” together, its achievement and position will be irreplaceable. In terms of NTPU’s own conditions, it is inevitable to establish Center for Haishan Research.

Under my vigorous promotion, Center for Haishan Research was established when I acted as the director of the Department of History. To meet with President Chih-chin Ho’s gracious consent, I was appointed as the first Director of the Center. In this case, I have a close relationship with the Center, but I have made little contribution to it. First of all, I would like to show my gratitude to former president Fu-jiing Shiue. Mr. Shiue is from Sanxia and his heart is certainly filled with homeland feelings. Above all, he knows clearly that local education is the tendency of national education and research development. “Haishan Research” is of great significance to NTPU. Therefore, during my term of office, I strongly promoted the establishment of Center for Haishan Research. Dean Ching-kang Liu of College of Humanities supported this idea unreservedly throughout the process. He has not only planned the vision but also developed the organizational research methods, so his contribution cannot be left unrecognized. Of course, the largest contributor to establish the Center must be Mr. Chien-jung Hung who is from the Department of History. Since the “Haishan Research Initiative Symposium” was held, Mr. Hung has devoted himself to the establishment of the Center. He has always tried his best to do anything, ranging from short, medium and long term development direction to the formulation of specific teaching and research plans. He can be called the initiator of the Center.

At present, the work in the Center for Haishan Research focuses on the historical culture, but the Center belongs to not only humanities but also sociology, law, commercial science, public affairs, computer science and information engineering, etc. The so-called saying “You can see different views in different angles” reveals the true face of Lushan, so is academic research. The Center is hoped to become a platform for interdisciplinary communication. Only when the talented persons in different fields work together, the teaching, research and service can be conducted more abundantly, diversely and deeply. Although Center for Haishan Research is engaged in local research, it is also expected to be a transoceanic, international and global research center. Currently, we have obtained the research plan of “Yingge Village Document” in Japanese occupation from Toshiba Foundation and meanwhile we have signed MOU with SSK of JeJu National University, ‎Republic of Korea. We are looking forward to carrying out more multinational cooperation plans in future to make “Haishan Research” step onto international stage.