In order to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Republic of China’s victory in the War of Resistance against Japan, the Humanities Research Center at National Chengchi University (NCCU) has arranged to hold a series of workshops particularly focusing on some turning points or key years in the history of modern China. The Humanities Research Center invites scholars and experts in different academic disciplines to give lectures to depict history from various angles and also retrospect those unforgettable historical events.

The first workshop entitled “Key Years in the History of Modern China: Unforgettable 1945-1949” was held successfully in the Howard Civil Service International House on October 21, 2015. Many domestic important scholars in the field of history of modern China were invited to attend the workshop and participate in discussions. These guests were as follows: Academician Yu-fa Chang (Academia Sinica), Professor Wei-kai Liu (Department of History, NCCU), Professor Whei-ming Chou (Department of History, NCCU), Dean Ming Lee (College of International Affairs, NCCU), Distinguished Professor Chung-chian Teng (Department of Diplomacy, NCCU), Associate Professor Hong-yi Lien (Department of Diplomacy, NCCU), Chairperson Tung-fa Lin (Department of History, the Fu Jen Catholic University), Chairperson Wei-chen Yang (Department of History, National Chung Cheng University), Adjunct Professor Pen-ren Chen (Department of Japanese Language and Literature, Chinese Culture University), Dr. Ji Chou (Member of Advisory Board of Chung-hua Institution for Economic Research), and Professor Shih-hsiung Chow (formerly servicing at Institute of China and Asia-Pacific Studies, National Sun Yat-sen University). Besides, in the workshop Mr. Wei-jen Hu, a senior

In the next workshop which will be held at NCCU on December 23, the main topic will focus on the 823 Artillery Bombardment (also called the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis) which broke out in Kinmen and nearby islands in 1958. The 823 Artillery Bombardment should be seen as the last battle of armies between the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China. After this bombardment, the period of hot war ended, and a long period of cold war followed. During this period, the most competitive and fierce conflicts occurred not in battlefields but in international politics. In this workshop, scholars will discuss and illustrate how the 823 Artillery Bombardment which lasted for 44 days influenced the future cross-strait relations.