Draft:Arlene Lien

Arlene Lian

Arlene Lien
Born	August 1, 1967 (age 56)
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, and the documentary History of Taiwan. Lien is the daughter of former Vice-President Lien Chan (1996-2000) and the great-granddaughter of Lien Heng.

Biography

Arlene pursued higher education in the United States, focusing on literature and History of Arts at Wellesley College. She obtained a Master’s Degree in Arts Education from Harvard University and a PhD in Arts and Education from Columbia University. Upon returning to Taiwan in 1996, she served as an Associate Professor at the Department of Graphic Arts and Communications, National Taiwan University until 2005. In 1996, she produced the first Taiwanese self-made historical and cultural education documentary, titled “Discoverer”. The documentary received recognition for its cultural and educational value and was recommended by the Ministry of Education. In 1999, motivated by her great-grandfather's legacy, she created the documentary series “History of Taiwan”, covering significant historical periods from Dutch Formosa to the Republic of China era. In 2012, Arlene assumed the position of CEO at the Lien Chen-Tung Cultural and Educational Foundation, where she led experts to publish a vernacular version of “The General History of Taiwan”.

Driven by her interest in history and the arts, Arlene embarked on producing educational materials following her PhD studies at Columbia University in 1994. This initiative resulted in the documentary series “Discoverer”, which aired on several television channels and became a best-seller in Public Television's audio-visual products. The series comprised 91 episodes and covered a wide range of topics, including various civilizations and cultural phenomena. After release, the production was the best seller in Public Television’s audio-visual products for multiple years running. Richie Jen Hsien-chi was the original presenter of the series.

Furthermore, she sought to make the content of "The General History of Taiwan" more accessible. In 1999, she produced and filmed the series “History of Taiwan”, which included interviews with the National Archives of the Netherlands. The documentary was later aired on Public Television Channel and China Television Channel, contributing to the preservation of Taiwanese historical data. The General History of Taiwan authored by Lien Heng consists of 36 volumes covering the period from the Sui dynasty to the 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 the four episodes completed in 2000 and the series was aired in Public Television Channel and China Television Channel. Furthermore, the series “Kangxi Dynasty” (original name: Kangxi Empire) of Mainland China also adopted a scene from “History of Taiwan” during its filming in 2001.

Arlene is deeply committed to preserving Taiwan's cultural heritage and historical legacy, particularly through the writings of her great-grandfather, Lien Heng. Recognizing a gap in historical education, she led a project to create a simplified version of “The General History of Taiwan”, aiming to engage a broader audience. Collaborating with experts from Chinese literature and history fields, the series “The General History of Taiwan: Original Text + Vernacular Annotation” was published in January 2024. The vernacular edition provides a valuable reference for researchers of Taiwanese history and offers an alternative perspective on historical narratives. The book launch event, held on February 7, 2024, was attended by prominent figures and scholars, emphasizing the importance of Taiwanese individuals being knowledgeable about their history. Former Premier Liu Chao-Shiuan praised the transition to vernacular language, noting its accessibility and engaging narrative style. He remarked on the fresh perspective offered by the vernacular edition, presenting historical narratives in a concise and captivating manner.

Personal Life

Arlene is the oldest of three siblings born to Lien Chan and Fang Yu. She married Cheng Hongyuan in 1995. The couple have 3 girls born in the United States.