Albert E. Dien (1931–), Professor Emeritus of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Stanford University, was a distinguished American Sinologist specializing in China’s Six Dynasties period (220–581). He earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, under Peter A. Boodberg, with a dissertation on Yen Chih-tui in the History of the Northern Qi. From 1957 to 1959, Prof. Dien studied Chinese at National Taiwan Normal University with Ford Foundation support, marking the beginning of long-standing academic ties with Taiwan. He later served as founding director of Stanford’s Chinese language program in Taipei (now ICLP), where he compiled teaching materials, including the Glossary for the Shui-hu chuan. He held positions at the University of Hawaii, Columbia University, and Stanford. Upon retirement in 1993, he received Stanford’s Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award and was honored by NTNU. In 2022, he donated over 5,600 multilingual volumes to National Central Library, Taiwan (R.O.C.). The donation spans Chinese, Central Asian, and religious studies, as well as language pedagogy and archaeology, reflecting the depth and breadth of his scholarship.
Dien’s legacy endures through this significant contribution to international Sinology and cross-cultural exchange. This exhibition based on his donation highlights five themes: Six Dynasties Studies, Material Culture, Religious Studies, The Silk Road, and Chinese Language Pedagogy—offering insight into his scholarly legacy and the evolving journey of Western Sinology.
Exhibition Period: Now through November 30
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
(Closed on Mondays and national holidays)
Venue: Matteo Ricci & Pacific Studies Reading Room (6th Floor, National Central Library)