About Us
Department Introduction
The Department of History at National Central University can trace its origins back to the establishment of the Department of Historical Geography at Sanjiang Normal School in the 28th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1902 AD). From the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China period, the name of the institution changed several times, from Nanjing Higher Normal School to Southeast University, until it was officially renamed National Central University in 1928. In 1930 (some sources say 1928), the Department of History was established under the College of Liberal Arts, with Mr. Lei Haizong as its head, becoming an independent unit for historical teaching and research. (During the era of Nanjing Higher Normal School, it was known as the Department of Literature, History, and Geography. In 1938, the Department of History was changed to the Department of History.) With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, higher education became more cohesive amidst the turmoil. In 1938, to cultivate national talents in advanced research, National Central University formally established the institute system. In 1939, it publicly recruited students for five research institutes and seven colleges. In 1941, new institutes were established for liberal arts and medical science. The Institute of Liberal Arts was under the College of Liberal Arts, and the Institute of History had already been established, with Mr. Liu Yizheng as its head, which corresponds to the current master's program of the Department of History. Overall, the history departments and institutes of National Central University have produced many talents. In the field of history, figures like Liu Yizheng, Luo Jialun, Zhang Qiyun, Guo Tingyi, Shen Gangbo, Miao Fenglin, Zhang Guiyong, and Jin Yufu are noteworthy. Many of them are considered representatives of the "Nanjing School," which was as renowned as the "Peking School" at that time. In 1962, National Central University resumed operations in Taiwan. In 1993, the Institute of History was newly established in Taiwan, officially enrolling students, with Lai Zehan as its first director. In the atmosphere of liberalization and localization after the lifting of martial law, the newly established history institute initially focused on the development of Taiwan's history, but later adopted a more balanced and integrated approach. The institute combines old and new academic styles, emphasizes solid training, and aims to train graduate students to engage in research in fields such as Chinese history since the Ming and Qing dynasties and the history of Taiwan, including courses on Ming and Qing history, modern and contemporary Chinese history, contemporary cross-strait relations, the history of Taiwan education, and the history of Taiwan's economy. In recent years, the institute has incorporated the spirit of public history and applied history into its research directions, emphasizing both theory and practice. It pays attention not only to the basic training of historical research but also to cultivating students' awareness of and concern for local society, developing characteristics of public history. Therefore, in addition to research papers, the graduate theses of the institute are also moving towards diversified directions of public history, such as oral history, historical fiction, documentaries, board games, field surveys, etc., to help graduate students develop adaptively, train in practical skills, and achieve the educational goal of balancing academic and employability. (Written by Pi Guoli, December 18, 2022)
Features
The institute's development direction includes the history of the Ming and Qing dynasties, modern and contemporary Chinese history, the history of Taiwan, contemporary cross-strait relations, and public history.
The institute's curriculum design emphasizes both theory and practice, focusing on both the basic training of historical research and cultivating students' awareness of and concern for local society, developing characteristics of public history.
The graduate theses of the institute are mainly research papers, but they are moving towards diversified directions of public history, such as oral history, historical fiction, documentaries, board games, field surveys, etc.
The institute's faculty actively participate in research communities, using National Central University as a platform to promote various historical research. Recent key projects include the Taoyuan Studies Seminar, the Material Culture History Research Group with a Global Perspective, the Academic Workshop of the Science and Technology Department's Humanities and Social Sciences Center, and the Ministry of Education's Teacher Professional Development Program.
The institute frequently holds internal seminars, lectures, thesis presentations, and reading clubs to encourage students to participate in various activities and cultivate their professional skills.
The institute has academic exchange agreements with universities and research institutions both domestically and internationally, assisting faculty and students in active exchanges, visits, and data collection.
The university and the institute offer various scholarships to help students focus on their research.
List of Former Directors of the Institute
1st: Professor Lai Zehan (August 1, 1993 - July 31, 1996) 2nd: Professor Zhang Shengyan (August 1, 1996 - July 31, 1998) 3rd: Professor Wu Zhenhan (August 1, 1998 - July 31, 2001) 4th: Professor Qi Maoji (August 1, 2001 - July 31, 2004) 5th: Professor Wu Zhenhan (August 1, 2004 - July 31, 2007) 6th: Professor Qi Maoji (August 1, 2007 - July 31, 2010) 7th: Professor Wang Chengmian (August 1, 2010 - July 31, 2013) 8th: Professor Li Liyong (August 1, 2013 - July 31, 2016) 9th: Professor Zheng Zhengcheng (August 1, 2016 - July 31, 2019) 10th: Associate Professor Jiang Zhushan (August 1, 2019 - July 31, 2022) 11th: Associate Professor Pi Guoli (August 1, 2022 - present)
Current Situation
The institute operates independently, with a limited number of faculty positions and human resources compared to other departments. Therefore, teachers mainly focus on teaching during the academic semester, offering a rich variety of courses.
To broaden students' horizons, experts and scholars with rich research achievements from both domestic and international institutions are often invited to the institute to give academic lectures.
To enhance teaching efficiency and outcomes, a field trip to historical sites is organized every semester. So far, students have been led to visit historical sites in Nantou, Caoling, Hsinchu, Penghu, Taoyuan, Donggang in Pingtung, Tamsui, Keelung, etc. As for visits to academic research institutions and museums, students have visited institutions such as the Taiwan Provincial Archives, the Taipei Shunyi Museum, the Taipei Guest House, the Taipei 228 Memorial Hall, and the National Taiwan Museum.
In addition, since 2003, the institute has been authorized to establish a part-time master's program and has begun enrolling students, admitting 15 new students each year.
→ Welcome to those interested in historical research in various fields to apply.
Class Schedule of the Part-time Master's Program of the Department of History at National Central University: Monday to Thursday, 18:00-21:00