Arlene Lien

Arlene Lian

Arlene Lien
Occupation	Educator, Professor and Producer
Education	B.A. Wellesley College M.A. Arts in Education, Harvard University Ph.D. Arts in Education, Columbia University
Notable works	Associate Professor, Department of Graphic Arts and Communications, National Taiwan University Producer of the cultural and educational documentary "Discover" Producer of the cultural and educational documentary "History of Taiwan" Producer of the vernacular version of "The General History of Taiwan"

Arlene Lien (born August 1st, 1967) is a Taiwanese educator, producer and professor, best known for her translation of Lien Heng’s The General History of Taiwan, her production of the “Discoverer” series as well as that of documentary of “History of Taiwan”. Lien is the daughter of former Vice-President Lien Chan (1996-2000) and the great-granddaughter of Lien Heng.

Important Events

Lien pursued advanced studies in the United States, majoring in literature and History of Arts in Wellesley College. She earned a Master’s Degree in Arts Education from Harvard University, and a PhD in Arts and Education from Columbia University. After Lien returned to Taiwan in 1996, she was appointed as Associate Professor at the Department of Graphic Arts and Communications, National Taiwan Normal University. She left the position in 2005. In 1996, Lien had produced the first set of Taiwanese self-made historical and cultural education documentary, entitled “Discoverer”. The documentary was awarded with fine cultural and educational programs, and recommended by the Ministry of Education. In 1999, in order to fulfill the legacy from her great grandfather, Lien produced the documentary series entitled “History of Taiwan”, which includes a great number of precious historical data from the period of Dutch Formosa to Republic of China. In 2012, Lien’s three daughters were born. She also assumed the position as CEO of the Lien Chen-Tung Cultural and Educational Foundation. Lien leaded experts to publish a vernacular version of “The General History of Taiwan.”

Production of series of “Discoverer”, “History of Taiwan" and the vernacular version of "The General History of Taiwan."

Lien developed an avid interest in history and the arts, she was determined to produce cultural and historical educational materials after she earned PhD from Columbia University in 1994. The result was a documentary series entitled “Discoverer” which started filming at the end of 1996. The documentary aired in Public Television Channel, Taiwan Television Channel, and CTI Television Channel. The series was aired till the end of 2000, then the DVD format was released. “Discoverer” is the first set of Taiwanese self-made cultural and historical education documentary The series contain 91 episodes and 12 topics, including “Origins of Human Civilization”, “Origins of Western Civilization”, “Origins of Chinese Civilization”, “Origins of Muslim Civilization”, “Origins of India and the Buddhist Civilization ”, “Rise and Fall of Roman Civilization”, “Origins of Christian Civilization”, “The Silk Road”, “Lost Civilizations”, “Centuries of Art”, “Modern Europe”, “Origins of Russian Civilization”, “Origins of Japanese Culture”, etc. The documentary was awarded with fine cultural and educational programs, recommended by Ministry of Education, and after release, the production had been the best seller in Public Television’s audio-visual products for consecutive years. Precious scenes, such as the scene of Twin Towers of New York, the US, which were destroyed during 911, were recorded in the series “Discoverer”. Richie Jen Hsien-chi, the famous star, was the original presenter of the series.

The General History of Taiwan authored by Lien Heng consists of 36 volumes covering the period from Sui dynasty to Japanese Occupation. Lien was determined to excerpt from the book’s essential content, so she produced and filmed the series “History of Taiwan” in 1999. “History of Taiwan” has four episodes, entitled “Dutch Period”, “Immigration Period”, “Japanese Occupation” and “Republic of China”. The filming of four episodes completed in year 2000 and the series was aired in Public Television Channel and China Television Channel. The documentary recorded a great number of Taiwanese historical data (including interviews with National Archives of the Netherlands), and the series “Kangxi Dynasty” (original name: Kangxi Empire) of Mainland China also adopted the scene authorized from “History of Taiwan” during its filming in 2001.

Arlene is deeply committed to preserving the cultural heritage and historical legacy of Taiwan, particularly through the writings of her great-grandfather, Lien Heng, who authored “The General History of Taiwan.” Recognizing the diminishing presence of this vital historical resource in modern educational materials, Arlene endeavors to make “The General History of Taiwan” more accessible to a wider audience. Arlene then led a project to introduce a simplified and easy-to-understand vernacular version of “The General History of Taiwan”, aiming to connect children and Taiwanese people alike with the beauty of their homeland. In collaboration with a team of around twenty experts from Chinese literature and history fields, the series “The General History of Taiwan: Original Text +Vernacular Annotation” was published in print in January 2024. The release of the vernacular edition of “The General History of Taiwan” provides a valuable reference for researchers of Taiwanese history, offering an alternative to solely relying on Western historical accounts. The set of “The General History of Taiwan: Original Text + Vernacular Annotation” comprises three volumes, which is published by the Wu-Nan Book Inc4. This edition marks the original text accompanied by vernacular annotations. In the foreword to the vernacular edition, former Chairman of the Taiwan Provincial Government, Premier of the Executive Yuan, Vice President, and Chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), Lien Chan, stating that “The General History of Taiwan” spans approximately 1,290 years of historical events, renowned for its elegant and graceful prose. He emphasized the book's embodiment of a natural and touching national spirit, patriotism, and local sentiments, expressing a firm determination to uphold Chinese culture and sincere enthusiasm for society and the people. On February 7, 2024, the Lien Chen-Tung Cultural and Educational Foundation and the Lien Ya-Tang Educational Foundation jointly organized a book launch event for “The General History of Taiwan: Original Text + Vernacular Annotation.” Former Vice President Lien Chan attended the event accompanied by his wife, Lien Fang Yu, while Arlene Lien, CEO of the Lien Chen-Tung Cultural and Educational Foundation, along with Lien Yong-Hsin and Lien Sheng-Wen, were entirely present. Also in attendance were former Premier Liu Chao-Shiuan, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Chien Foo, former President of the Examination Yuan-Kuan Chung, and scholars involved in the book's compilation, such as Wu Kun-Tsai and Wu Ke. Lien Chan remarked that the publication of the vernacular edition is eagerly anticipated, as it will enable a deeper and more accurate understanding of Taiwan's history, land, and people across society. In the book launch event, Arlene Lien emphasized the importance of Taiwanese people being knowledgeable about their own history, especially as current textbooks tend to overlook crucial aspects. Former Premier Liu Chao-Shiuan echoed this sentiment, highlighting the necessity for Taiwanese individuals to be well-versed in the history of Taiwan. Attending the book launch event for the new edition of “The General History of Taiwan,” Liu praised the transition from traditional, often complex classical Chinese to vernacular language, finding it both accessible and engaging. He remarked on the fresh perspective offered by the vernacular edition, presenting historical narratives as concise anecdotes that shed light on significant figures and events in Taiwan's history, making it a captivating read.