On May 12, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS) at BNU-HKBU United International College (UIC) invited Prof. Paul A. Van Dyke, a renowned scholar and retired professor from Sun Yat-sen University, to deliver a lecture on “Chinese Seamen and Passengers and their Global Adventures-1780s onwards”. The lecture was hosted by Dr. Wei Chin Wong, Associate Professor of Chinese Culture and International Communication (CCGC) program and was supported by FHSS Dean Prof. Tzeki Hon, Prof. Jocelyn Ford, Dr. Jianing Chen, Dr. Zhixiang Yang, and students who enrolled the course “Chinese Diaspora and Transnational Migration”.

Prof. Paul A. Van Dyke  delivers a speech

Prof. Paul A. Van Dyke has made significant contributions to the study of Canton trade and world maritime history. Prior to his retirement in 2020, he has been nominated as the “One-Hundred Talents” research fellow at Sun Yat-sen University. Prof. Van Dyke has spent decades to analyze primary sources that are now deposited in different languages that span across Europe, North America, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia from the 17th to the 19th century. His expertise is reflected in his mastery of eight research languages, including Dutch, Danish, Swedish, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese.

During his lecture at UIC, Prof. Van Dyke shared many important records of Chinese seamen and passengers who were aboard foreign ships in the 18th century. His extensive knowledge and the use of primary sources provided valuable insights into the experiences of Chinese individuals that were unknown to the global maritime era.

Prof. Paul A. Van Dyke combines the original resources with animation for his presentation.

The lecture was well-received by the academic community at UIC, and was an excellent opportunity for students and faculty members to engage with a prominent scholar in the field of Chinese diaspora and transnational migration. Prof. Huang Chao and Dr. Javier Chavara from the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Creative Industry, Jinan University in Guangzhou also attended the lecture with a group of their postgraduate students. The presence of scholars and researchers from various institutions further gracing the significance and impact of the lecture on the academic community.

During the Q&A session, both teachers and students eagerly ask questions

Group photo

Acknowledgments:

· “Branding the Greater Bay Area”- “Rushing to the Top” Key Construction Project

· FHSS Special Teaching and Learning Grant

Reporter: Peici ZHANG

Photographer: Kasy WEI, Connie LI

Editor: Dr. Wei Chin WONG