To promote holistic education and interdisciplinary learning, Chung Yuan Christian University invited renowned film and television professionals, including Yu-Shan Huang, Chieh-Mei Yang, Rou-Min Huang, and Chih-Chi Lee, to participate in its General Education Celebrity Speaker Series. Through personal insights and cross-media discussions, students gained a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s film and entertainment industry while broadening their artistic perspectives and humanistic awareness.
The Celebrity Speaker Series was organized by Associate Professor Ya-Chen Chen of the Center for General Education and integrated with courses such as Film, Music and Visual Arts, Music and Film Appreciation, and Hakka Literature and Cinema. A total of 11 lectures were held during the 2025–26 academic year’s second semester, attracting nearly 300 students. According to Professor Chen, the series served not only as a gathering of prominent figures from the film and television industry, but also as a masterclass in film aesthetics and professional practice, offering students diverse artistic perspectives through cross-media dialogue and personal life stories.
The opening lecture featured renowned filmmaker Yu-Shan Huang, a longtime advocate of Taiwan’s Women Make Waves Film Festival. Speaking on “Adapting Literature into Film,” she explained how cinematic adaptation goes beyond reproducing the original text by employing visual language, narrative rhythm, and audiovisual design to create new interpretations. Former Director of the Departments of Cultural Affairs of Taipei City and Taoyuan City, Hsiao-Yun Hsieh, shared insights from her experience in cultural administration and film promotion, highlighting how visual storytelling can connect with local culture and address contemporary social issues.
In the area of performance practice, award-winning actors Chieh-Mei Yang and Rou-Min Huang shared their experiences in character interpretation, guiding students to understand that acting extends far beyond on-screen performance and is rooted in close textual analysis, observation of everyday life, and emotional transformation. Veteran actor Chih-Chi Lee, whose work Passing on the Art of Quyi received the Online Popularity Award at the Shanghai Micro Film Festival, discussed the integration of traditional and contemporary performing arts, demonstrating how elements of Peking opera movement and vocal techniques can be incorporated into modern film acting.
The lecture series also explored documentary filmmaking. Hsiao-Hsuan Lin, a Golden Bell Award-nominated director from Hakka TV, examined issues of visual representation and creative ethics in documentary production. Director Ping-Hai Wu approached documentaries as a means of recording history, explaining how interviews, archival footage, and narrative structure can transform fragmented materials into coherent works with clear perspectives and meaningful storytelling.
Students who attended the lectures shared that one of the most memorable messages came from actress Rou-Min Huang, who encouraged them to devote themselves wholeheartedly to what they love, avoid limiting their potential, and embrace new challenges. Another student reflected on how veteran actor Chih-Chi Lee continues to pursue further learning and explore new opportunities at different stages of his life, demonstrating that learning has no age limit and that “it is never too late to start.”
Through the speakers’ creative journeys and personal life experiences, students gained not only a deeper understanding of the film and television industry, but also valuable inspiration on resilience, lifelong learning, and pursuing their passions with confidence.
CYCU emphasized that general education serves as a cornerstone of its holistic education philosophy. Moving forward, the University will continue to integrate academic instruction with arts and cultural resources to create more diverse learning environments. Through these efforts, students will be encouraged to cultivate humanistic values and aesthetic literacy alongside their professional studies, while developing a broader perspective on society and the world.
