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At the invitation of Prof. CHAN Sin-wai, Dean of the Ip Ying To Lee Yu Yee School of Humanities and Languages, Dr. Aries Chan, Director of the Office of Global and Mainland Engagement Division, delivered a special lecture titled "My Grandfather, Dieyi Chan" on April 14, 2025. The event attracted a large audience of faculty, students, and cultural enthusiasts from within and beyond the university.
Dr. Chan, as the granddaughter of Dieyi Chan—a renowned publisher, writer, and widely regarded as the "Godfather of Chinese Popular Music"—offered the audience a rare and personal perspective, sharing not only the legendary achievements of her grandfather but also his more tender and heartfelt side as seen through the eyes of his family.
The seminar introduced the legendary life of Mr. Dieyi Chan to the guests. Dieyi Chan (October 17, 1907 - October 14, 2007), formerly Yuandong Chan, was a famous Chinese publisher, writer, and lyricist. In 1933, he founded the 明星日報, the first influential entertainment newspaper in Chinese history. He organized the first popular beauty pageant in Chinese history, which resulted in the election of Die Hu, China's first movie queen. In 1941, he founded and became the first editor-in-chief of 萬象. Dieyi Chan's representative works include 櫻都豔跡 and 蝴蝶夫人. In 1946, he wrote the lyrics for 香格里拉， an interlude for the movie 鶯飛人間. In 1952, he moved to Hong Kong, and in 1961, he wrote the screenplay for the film "A Dream in Red Mansions: Saga of a Nobel Chinese Family" in yellow plum tune. In 1987, he was awarded the Golden Needle Award for the Tenth Ten Greatest Chinese Golden Songs by Radio Television Hong Kong.
He has written lyrics for more than 3,000 songs in his lifetime and has collaborated with composer Min Yao. His works have been sung by Teresa Teng, Tsai Chin, Fei Yu Ching, and A-Mei Chang, among others.
Dr. Chan highlighted that her grandfather's pursuit of beauty and love transcended personal emotions and embodied a profound affection for society and the nation. Her grandfather chose to write song lyrics because he believed that lyrics were the most powerful medium to convey love. In an interview, Dieyi Chan expressed his attitude toward writing love songs: "What I seek is beauty, and what I advocate is love. Love evolves from the affection between youth to the devotion of marriage, and ultimately to love for society and the nation." His vision neither confined itself to romantic love nor underestimated one of humanity's most precious emotions.
His invaluable spiritual legacy continues to inspire the younger generation to strive for personal achievements while also dedicating themselves to the betterment of society and humanity. Many attendees expressed that the event deepened their understanding of modern Chinese culture and the development of popular music, while also fostering admiration for Dieyi Chan's artistic accomplishments and his patriotic devotion.
Many attendees expressed that the lecture deepened their understanding of modern Chinese culture and the development of popular music, while also fostering admiration for Dieyi Chan's artistic contributions and his patriotism.
The Global and Mainland Engagement Division remains committed to promoting cultural exchange and will continue to bring high-quality academic and cultural events to the university community.