The Chuan Han-sheng Lecture this year succeeds the one held on May 24, 2012 in centering round the theme of Chinese economic history which was the late Professor Chuan Han-sheng’s specialty. Prof. Chuan (1912-2001) graduated from the History Department of Peking University before serving as Director-General of Academia Sinica and Researcher of its Institute of History and Philology. He was then Professor and Chairman of the Department of Economics, National Taiwan University, Professor of the History Department and Head of New Asia College, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Director of the New Asia Institute of Advanced Chinese Studies. As an authority in the field, Prof. Chuan was elected Academician of Academia Sinica in 1954. Among his most influential works are Zhongguo hanghui zhidu shi (《中國行會制度史》), Ming Qing jingji shi yanjiu (《明清經濟史研究》), Tang Song diguo yu yunhe (《唐宋帝國與運河》), Hanyeping gongsi shilue《漢冶萍公司史略》, Zhongguo jingji shi luncong (《中國經濟史論叢》), Zhongguo jingji shi yanjiu 《中國經濟史研究》 etc. To commemorate Prof. Chuan's hundredth birthday and commend his academic accomplishment and contribution, the first Chuan Han-sheng Lecture was held at the University of Queensland last year with Prof. David Faure as the Speaker. This year, the second Chuan Han-sheng Lecture to be hosted by the History Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong is one of the activities of the Department in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the University.

Professor Wang Yeh-chien is the Speaker of this year's Chuan Han-sheng Lecture. Prof. Wang obtained his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from the Department of Economics, National Taiwan University and his PhD Degree from the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University. He served as Assistant Researcher of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, Professor of Kent State University, U.S.A., Researcher of the Institute of Economics, Academia Sinica, and Professor of National Chung Cheng University. He also taught at National Taiwan University and National Taiwan Normal University. In 1994, Prof. Wang was elected Academician of Academia Sinica. As a renowned scholar in the field of Chinese economic history, he has specialized in the economic history of the Qing and published Land Taxation in Imperial China, 1750-1911, Zhongguo jindai huobi yu yinhang de yanjin (《中國近代貨幣與銀行的演進》), Qingdai jingji shi lunwenji《清代經濟史論文集》, and other important works.

During his postgraduate years at National Taiwan University, Prof. Wang wrote his Master Thesis on the Jing-Feng Railway under Prof. Chuan Han-sheng's supervision. They also jointly authored the article entitled "Qing Yongzheng nianjian (1723-35) de mijia" (《清雍正年間 (1723-35) 的米價》). If it was because of Prof. Chuan's inspiration that Prof. Wang took up his professional career in the field, the Chuan Han-sheng Lecture this year will also be an opportunity to recollect a beautiful teacher-student relationship.