[Lecture Review] Tang Ah Chai Presents “The Gorgeous Temple: Hinduism Culture in Malaysia” at Southern University College

On December 18, 2024, the fifth session of the “Foon Yew Village, Southern Dialogue” seminar series, organized by the Culture and Community Service Committee of Southern University College, was successfully held at Lecture Hall 2A in the university’s main building. The seminar featured veteran historian and cultural researcher, Mr. Tang Ah Chai, who is also the CEO of the Yuansheng Foundation. The topic of the session was “The Gorgeous Temple: Hinduism Culture in Malaysia.”

During the seminar, Mr. Tang introduced his latest publication, The Gorgeous Temple: Anthology of Hinduism and Hindu Temples in Malaysia. The book, a culmination of a decade of field research, features 43 essays that delve into the religious history, temple architecture, and cultural practices of Hinduism in Malaysia. It is one of the rare Chinese-language publications dedicated to Hindu studies in the country.

In his presentation, Mr. Tang provided an overview of the history of Indians in Malaya/Malaysia, an introduction to Hinduism, and a detailed exploration of Hindu temples, their architecture, and the cultural traditions surrounding them. Through vivid storytelling and a cross-cultural lens, Mr. Tang highlighted the unique characteristics of Hinduism as practiced in Malaysia and emphasized the importance of promoting inter-ethnic communication and mutual appreciation.

Drawing on personal experiences from fieldwork and community tours, Mr. Tang shared anecdotes that underscored the enriching aspects of cross-cultural engagement. He advocated for leveraging Malaysia’s multicultural environment to foster deeper understanding and highlighted the critical role of learning multiple languages in broadening perspectives. He described the publication of his book as both a milestone in his research journey and a tribute to the enduring relevance of Hindu cultural traditions.

The seminar was co-organized by the Faculty of Chinese Studies at Southern University College, the Southern University College Alumni Association, and the Global Foon Yew Alumni Association, with support from Southern TV. Dr. Bak Jia How, Director of the Research Institute of Chinese Ethnicity and Culture, served as the moderator. The event attracted nearly 200 attendees from within and outside the university, who gained deeper insights into the dissemination and localization of Hindu culture in Malaysia through Mr. Tang’s engaging presentation.

The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where participants eagerly discussed topics raised during the lecture. The lively exchanges highlighted the growing interest in fostering cultural understanding and dialogue. Through initiatives like this seminar series, Southern University College continues to champion inter-ethnic dialogue and academic exchange, providing platforms for the public to explore and celebrate Malaysia’s rich cultural diversity.

【讲座回眸】陈亚才南方主讲《瑰丽的万神庙：印度教文化在大马》专题讲座

2024年12月18日下午，南方大学学院文化与社会服务委员会主办的第五场“宽柔学村，座谈南方”系列讲座于主楼2A大讲堂顺利举行。本次讲座邀请本地资深文史工作者、元生基金会执行长陈亚才先生主讲，题为《瑰丽的万神庙：印度教文化在大马》。

陈亚才先生在讲座中分享了其最新著作《瑰丽的万神庙：马来西亚印度教与印度庙文集》的写作历程与核心内容。这部专书凝聚了作者十年田野调查的心血，涵盖43篇文章，深入探讨印度教的宗教历史、庙宇建筑与民俗文化，是马来西亚少见的中文印度教研究作品。陈先生通过细致的实地考察和人文关怀，以跨文化的视角生动呈现了印度教这一古老信仰在马来西亚的特色之处，包括信仰习俗、庙宇建筑等等。他指出，这本书不仅是对印度教研究的一次创新尝试，更是多元文化交流的桥梁，希望借此书籍促进族群之间的沟通与相互理解。陈先生以亲身经历为基础，讲述其成长背景、田野调查和导览过程中的趣闻轶事，并强调了跨文化交流对个人视野拓展的重要性。他特别提到，在多元文化环境中，多学习一种语言便能打开新的窗口，而这正是马来西亚得天独厚的优势。他坦言，这本书的出版不仅是其研究成果的阶段性总结，更是对印度教信仰和文化研究的致敬。他期待更多有志之士加入这一领域，共同推动马来西亚的多元文化研究。

本次讲座由南方大学学院中华语言文化学院、南方大学学院校友会及全球宽柔校友会联办，南方电视台协力，华人族群与文化研究所所长莫家浩博士担任主持，共吸引近二百名来自校内外的听众出席了此次讲座，通过聆听陈先生的分享，对印度教文化在马来西亚的传播与本地化有了更深入的了解。讲座尾声，听众踊跃提问，交流气氛热烈，为促进多元文化交流注入新的活力。通过举办系列讲座，南方大学学院持续推动跨文化对话与学术交流，为社会大众提供更多了解与欣赏不同文化的机会，进一步彰显了学术机构在促进文化融合中的重要角色。