Community Events

The Center for Taiwan Studies not only deals with the events within institutions, but partners with our neighbouring communities and highlights events that helps to further capture a window of Taiwanese culture.

Past Events

Inaugural Ceremony for Professor Nancy Guy, Chiu-Shan and Rufina Chen Chancellor’s Endowed Chair in Taiwan Studies

11012025 Nancy Inaugural Ceremony

The UC San Diego community gathered to celebrate Professor Nancy Guy’s inauguration as the Chiu-Shan and Rufina Chen Chancellor’s Endowed Chair in Taiwan Studies, recognizing her outstanding contributions to music scholarship and Taiwan Studies.

The ceremony, hosted by Jason Chien, Program Analyst and Manager of the Center for Taiwan Studies, opened with Dean Cristina Della Coletta (Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities; Chancellor’s Associates Chair in Italian Literature) welcoming guests and highlighting the importance of endowed chairs in advancing global scholarship.

Pei-Chia Chen, Faculty and Academic Coordinator of the Chinese Language Program, delivered remarks on behalf of Chiu-Shan and Rufina Chen, whose generous endowment made the chair possible. Professor Ping-Hui Liao, Endowed Chair of the Chuan Lyu Foundation and Founding Director of the Center for Taiwan Studies, reflected on the Center’s growth and the enduring value of Taiwan Studies at UC San Diego.

Professor Nancy Guy, Co-director of the Center for Taiwan Studies and Professor in the Department of Music delivered her inaugural address "'I use this song to protest': Music and world shaping in Taiwan." Continuing Guy's long-standing interest in the ecocritical study of music, her talk introduced environmentalist tropes in Taiwanese music, concentrating on works that address the environmental degradation caused by the island's petrochemical industry.

"The ceremony was also graced by the presence of several distinguished Taiwanese American leaders and community representatives. Among them were FAPA National President Dr. Su-Mei Kao, Executive Director Anny Hsiao, California–San Diego Chapter President Alex Hung, and At-Large Board Member Vivian Fu, alongside Isaac Finestone, Program Officer of the San Diego Diplomacy Council. Representing the local Taiwanese community, Dr. Ping Wang and Martha Chen-Falch attended on behalf of the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of San Diego, reflecting the strong partnership between UC San Diego and the broader Taiwanese diaspora in advancing cultural and academic exchange.

Date: November 1st, 2025 / 12:00–2:00 p.m.
Location: Atkinson Pavilion, Ida and Cecil Green Faculty Club

SD Taiwan Festival - Presented by Taiwanese American Professionals

The festival is back! The Center for Taiwan Studies is proud to present the second ever rendition of the event hosted by Taiwanese American Professionals! Come join us as we revitalize the fun spirit of Taiwan through demonstrations of dance, music, food, and so much more! Last year, with efforts in conjunction with San Diego's sister city, Taichung, the event broke 800+ attendees! Continue to be on the lookout as more news and updates on the event as the festival continues to grow bigger and bigger!

When: August 16, 2025

Where: Naval Training Park, San Diego

Padres Game: Taiwan Heritage Celebration

Celebrating the heritage and identity of Taiwanese people surely can't leave out one of the most important sport in both Taiwanese and American history right? The San Diego Padres has dedicated their game against the Red Sox towards the celebration of Taiwanese heritage! This theme package includes an exclusive Padres baseball cap with the theme of Taiwan, featuring a stylish design of Taipei 101.

When: August 10, 2025

Where: Petco Park, San Diego

National Boba Day

For the second year in a row, the Center for Taiwan Studies is proud to present the National Boba Day Workshop! Join us at the Muir Room in Price Center to learn about boba's origins and history, and see a live demonstration of Taiwanese milk tea and boba being made right in front of your eyes! Afterwards, enjoy a free cup of handmade boba milk tea as a commemoration of the holiday!

Register Here! -> https://forms.gle/tny54kTbCrZbGZAF7

Taiwan Regional Club: Triton 5k Hike

Join the Taiwan Club for the Triton 5K Hike, a fun and active way to connect with fellow UC San Diego alumni, students, and parents in Taiwan! This 5K hike will take us from Jiantan MRT Station to Dazhi, where we’ll conclude the event with a lunch gathering at Chili’s Dazhi.

When: March 8th, 2025; 9:45 AM - 2:00 PM

Where: Chili's Dazhi

Cost: Marathon is free, lunch is self paid

Registration: https://web.cvent.com/event/ab502726-021b-4f69-873d-4c75059aa364/summary <- Please visit this link to register!

Culture Stands with CTS

On January 14, the UCSD Center for Taiwan Studies, in collaboration with the United Taiwanese Association, hosted the *Culture Stands with CTS* event at the Sun God Lawn. This vibrant celebration showcased Taiwanese culture through traditional games, interactive challenges, and delicious boba. Attendees participated in activities such as spinning tops (扯鈴) , diabolo（陀螺）, bamboo dragonflies (竹蜻蜓) , and jianzi （毽子）, earning rewards while immersing themselves in Taiwan’s rich heritage. The event highlighted the Center’s commitment to cultural exchange and was a testament to the power of collaboration.

Of Color & Ink: Chang Dai-Chien After 1949

Presented by the Center for Taiwan Studies at UCSD and the San Diego Chinese Art and Cultural Society, we invite all to the award-winning documentary, "Of Color & Ink: Chang Dai-Chien After 1949". Discover the famous Chinese artist Chang Dai-Chien who underwent one of the most complex, unique, and wild journeys on his path to his master artistry and the impactful history he left despite being on this rocky road. The documentary will be held in Price Theater on January 18th, 2025. A New Years' Celebration Performance will start at 1:20 PM to 1:50 PM performed by the Formosa Generation Family Chamber Music. The documentary screening lasts from 2:00 PM to 3:40 PM, and a "Meet The Director" segment will last from 3:40 PM to 4:10 PM. UCSD staff, faculty, and students with their school ID are able to watch free!

Chinese Studies Calligraphy Workshop 2024

The Center for Taiwan Studies is proud to partner with the Chinese Studies and Library Departments at UC San Diego for a 2nd rendention of the beloved Calligraphy Workshop! Learn to control brush strokes, learn the history and significance of calligraphy, and inherit the artistry of this beautiful writing form.

Date: November 18th, 2024; 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Geisel Library, Classroom 1
Link for free Registration.

25th San Diego Asian Film Festival

Date: November 7-16
Location: View Schedule and Locations here.
Tickets are available online here.

The San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF) is celebrating its 25th anniversary from November 7-16, 2024. Hosted by Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts), the festival will feature over 170 films from more than 35 countries in 35 languages. Some of the big venues this event will have includes the Regal Edwards Mira Mesa, the San Diego Natural History Museum, and the Museum of Photographic Arts. Highlights of the event includes 22 exclusive premiers, 30+ Q&A panels with filmmakers, and dozens of screenings of films dedicated to the representation of their cultures.

In addition, the Center for Taiwan Studies alongside the Chuan Lyu Foundation, and Taiwan Academy are co-sponsoring the Taiwan division of the film festival.

The Center for Taiwan Studies is proud to present a horror-comedy film directed by the distinguished John Hsu, fifth time winner of the Golden Horse awards, Dead Talents Society. A hilarious twist on the traditional classics of Taiwanese horror figures, Hsu's direction of the film and the talents of the actors and actresses bring this new world of the supernatural to life, highlighting the struggles of what it means to stay true to oneself.

Invisible Nation at AMC Mission Valley 20

Date: November 11th, 7:00 PM PST
Location: 1640 Camino Del Rio, North, San Diego, CA 92108 United States
Sign up is available here.

An all new documentary directed by award-winning Vanessa Hope, where she dives deep into the former president Tsai-Ing Wen, where Hope observes on the many achievements, movements, and balances that the former president had to decide through to prevail the island while maintaining interests from both the United States and China.