Academician Lecture Series Concludes Successfully: Professor Wang Fansen Analyzes Historical Trends
The final session and closing ceremony of the History and Culture Academician Lecture Series, organized by the Department of History at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), concluded successfully on February 27 at the NTNU Extension and Continuing Education Center. The keynote speaker for this session was Academia Sinica Academician, Professor Wang Fansen, who delivered a lecture titled 'Wind: Examining the Formation of Historical Trends.' He provided an in-depth analysis of the factors driving historical trends, their rise and decline, and their broader historical context.
A Grand Closing Ceremony with Academic and Cultural Highlights
To celebrate the successful completion of the lecture series, Vice President Sung Yao-Ting and History Department Chair Ng Yau-nang William formally announced the closing of the event. Vice President Yin Yong-Xiang presided over the book-signing session with Academician Wang Fansen, while students Hsu Yu and Chen Yan-Zhang from the Department of Music gave a captivating musical performance, adding a cultural flourish to the occasion.
Exploring the Concept of 'Wind' in Historical Trends
Professor Wang began his lecture by referencing Gong Zizhen’s On Wind (釋風), examining the unique significance of “wind” in Chinese traditional culture. He likened historical trends to typhoons—powerful forces that sweep through history, shaping what we call 'tradition.' Drawing on the perspectives of scholars Liu Xianxin and Liu Yizheng, along with historian Thomas Kuhn’s paradigm shift theory, Wang emphasized the historian’s responsibility to 'observe trends and discern patterns'—to keenly analyze the emergence and transformation of historical movements.
Identifying himself as a 'historian by nature,' Wang noted that his primary concern lies in the behavioral characteristics that shape historical developments. He argued that historical events are not merely the result of conscious decisions but are also influenced by irresistible societal currents—akin to an inevitable flu epidemic. The ebb and flow of these movements reveal the defining characteristics of different eras.
The Interaction of Internal and External Factors in Historical Trends
Wang further elaborated that historical trends emerge from the interplay between internal factors (individual behavioral tendencies) and external factors (societal and environmental changes). When these elements intersect, they give rise to historical “winds.” He described such trends as complex and multidimensional, shaped by intersecting forces rather than singular causes. Their formation depends on two key conditions: mechanisms of transmission and critical thresholds (or tipping points). Citing Liang Qichao, he explained that trends only solidify when the right circumstances align. He further illustrated this with the phenomenon of Taiwan’s past obsessions with “Black Tulips” and “Portuguese Egg Tarts,” highlighting that historical trends often spread in leaps rather than through linear growth.
The duration of these trends varies, Wang explained, and only when opportunity and contingency align do they become influential historical forces. He stressed that such movements are neither inherently good nor bad, nor do they follow a progressive trajectory dictated by social Darwinism. Rather, they are organic products of their time.
The Role of Historical Figures in Shaping Trends
Beyond the interplay of internal and external factors, Wang highlighted the role of historical figures in amplifying and steering trends. Figures such as Chiang Kai-shek and Confucius actively shaped their eras through conscious efforts in promotion, persuasion, and action, fostering specific ideological communities. As these communities expanded, they gradually influenced broader historical currents and, at times, even global history. Wang noted that 'wind' gradually accumulates into a shared intellectual atmosphere, layering historical thought across time and shaping each era’s unique cultural landscape.
Scholarly Trends and Their Influence on History
Within this framework of historical movements, academic trends (xuefeng, 學風) play a pivotal role. Wang cited late Qing China as an example, where external crises deeply impacted society, prompting internal intellectual movements—such as evidential scholarship (kaojuxue, 考據學)—to merge with political realities, reshaping the broader historical discourse.
He cautioned against blind conformity to prevailing academic trends, emphasizing that even historians are not immune to the influences of their time. The rise of the New Cultural History trend in historiography, he argued, is one such example—though it will eventually fade like all trends. The key, Wang advised, is to avoid 'following the wind' uncritically and resisting the constraints of rigid frameworks (格套思考). Only by maintaining independent critical judgment can historians truly 'observe trends and discern reality,' gaining a clearer understanding of historical developments.
A Foundation for Future Academic Dialogues
At the conclusion of the event, History Department Chair Ng Yau-neng William reflected on the initial vision for the lecture series—bringing esteemed academicians to NTNU to engage with students and faculty in meaningful academic exchanges. He emphasized that the success of this series lays a strong foundation for organizing other Academician Lecture Series in the future.
Wu extended his heartfelt gratitude to President Wu Cheng-chih, Vice Presidents Sung and Yin, the faculty and students of the History Department, and the administrative staff, particularly Commissioner Ou Yong-Zhi, for their invaluable support in making the event a success. He also announced that the department will soon launch the Excellence Lecture Series, aiming to provide a continuous platform for high-quality academic discussions, fostering deeper dialogues and advancements in historical scholarship.(Written by: Campus Correspondent Hu Jia-Xuan, History Department, Class 116 / Edited by: Zhang Shi / Reviewed by: Hu Shi-Ze)