Chen Yung-fa

Humanitas Visiting Professorship in Chinese Studies (2012-2013)

The Humanitas Visiting Professorship in Chinese Studies is one of the leading voices in the study of China within the U.K. Ambitious in its scope, the initiative holds Visiting Professorships that engage with many aspects of a country and culture that has become of increasing global importance, yet has not traditionally received the study it merits. The Visiting Professorship in Chinese Studies is hosted by St Catherine’s College, Oxford. It has been made possible by the generous support of Sir David Tang.

Chen Yung-fa is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Modern History at Academia Sinica in Taipei, Taiwan, and Professor of History at the National Taiwan University.

Professor Chen’s first lecture, entitled Maoist Rectification during Wartime, threw new light on Mao’s devastating campaign against party adversaries and his subsequent rise to power within the party leadership.

In this talk, Professor Chen painted a fascinating picture of Mao as a canny strategist, revealing the genius of Mao’s mobilization of high ranking cadres and existing discontent to pressure and ultimately discredit his adversaries.