Dear Colleagues and Students,

The Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (IAS) warmly invites you to attend the upcoming IAS Guest Lecture, titled “What Can Music Bring to the Study of China? Molihua as Cultural Text.” Please find the details below:

Details

• Speaker: Prof. Frederick Lau (Emeritus Professor, University of Hawaii at Manoa; Former Chair and Professor of Music, Chinese University of Hong Kong)
• Moderator: Prof. Xingzhong Yu (Director of IAS, Chair Professor of FLL, UM)
• Date: 9 September 2025 (Tuesday)
• Time: 3:30 – 5:00 PM
• Language: English
• Venue: Lecture Hall, Cultural Building (E34-G011)
• Registration: https://go.um.edu.mo/o1unjhqh
• Students who attend on-site will receive 1 SP and 15 CS for “Knowledge Integration” in the Whole Person Development Award.

Abstract

“Molihua” is a Chinese folk song celebrated both in China and around the world. But what accounts for the global prominence of this seemingly humble regional tune? In this talk, Prof. Lau will explore several pivotal moments in the history of “Molihua.” Prof. Lau will examine the various ways this folk song has been received, recontextualized, redefined, and commercialized both within China and abroad.

Its journey spans from China to England, Japan, and Europe, ultimately establishing it as the most recognized Chinese folk song internationally. Today, it has evolved into a musical and cultural icon for many musicians and composers in China.

Using “Molihua” as a case study, Prof. Lau argues that music and sonic expression are essential for understanding the sentiments and shifting dynamics of Chinese music’s circulation. The changing meanings of “Molihua” illuminate how perceptions of China are shaped by both insiders and outsiders, reflecting broader cultural narratives and identities.

Biography

Frederick Lau is an esteemed ethnomusicologist, flutist, and conductor with a diverse range of scholarly interests encompassing Chinese, Western, and Asian music and cultures. He is the author of Music in China (OUP) and a co-editor of several influential works, including China Sound Abroad: Migration, Mobility and Modernity (CUHK Press), Making Waves: Traveling Musics in Asia and the Pacific (U. of Hawaii Press), Vocal Music and Cultural Identity in Contemporary Music: Unlimited Voices in East Asia and the West (Routledge), and Locating East Asia in Western Art Music (Wesleyan).

Lau also serves as the editor of the book series Music and Performing Arts of Asia and the Pacific at the University of Hawai’i Press. He has held prominent academic and administrative positions, including former chair of the Department of Music, professor of ethnomusicology and director of the Center for Chinese Music Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Prior to joining CUHK in 2018, he was a professor of ethnomusicology and director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and professor of music and ethnic studies at the California Polytechnic State University.

 

All information will be simultaneously released on IAS social media platforms.

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We look forward to seeing you at this event! For more information about IAS, please visit the website at https://ias.um.edu.mo/. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at ias.programme@um.edu.mo.

 

Best regards,
The Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences