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Fakulti Sastera yang keempat. Di bawah kepimpinan leadership the History Department of Universiti
Profesor Dato’ Wang Gungwu, Jabatan Sejarah Malaya grew to become the most famous History
Universiti Malaya telah berkembang manjadi Department in Asia; it was also recognized as
Jabatan Sejarah yang paling terkenal di Asia. one of the best in the world. Among the national
Malah, ia juga diiktiraf antara yang terbaik di dunia. historians who served under his leadership are
Antara tokoh sejarawan negara yang lahir di bawah the late Professor Datuk Zainal Abidin Abdul
kepimpinan beliau adalah Allahyarham Profesor Wahid, the late Professor Tan Sri Dr. Khoo Kay
Datuk Zainal Abidin Abdul Wahid, Mendiang Tan Kim, the late Professor Chandran Jeshurun,
Sri Profesor Dr. Khoo Kay Kim, Mendiang Profesor Professor Lee Kam Hing and Professor Jeyamalar
Chandran Jeshurun, Profesor Lee Kam Hing dan Kathirithamby-Wells.
Profesor Jeyamalar Kathirithamby-Wells.
Throughout his academic life, Professor
Profesor Wang telah menunjukkan kepimpinan Wang has demonstrated strong and outstanding
akademik yang luar biasa. Beliau telah menerbitkan academic leadership. This is clearly manifested
beberapa karya utama iaitu Nanhal Trade (1958) through his publications. His works entitled
dan penulisan beliau bertajuk A Short History of Nanhal Trade (1958) and A Short History of the
the Nanyang Chinese (1959) yang masih menjadi Nanyang Chinese (1959) are still used as basic
rujukan asas kepada kajian mengenai China dan references for discussions about China and the
masyarakat Cina di rantau Dunia Melayu. Chinese community in the Malay World.
Pada tahun 1963, beliau menerbitkan karya In 1963, he published a book entitled The
bertajuk, The Structure of Power In North China Structure of Power In North China during the Five
during the Five Dynasties, iaitu kajian beliau Dynasties. He also published one of the earliest
mengenai tiga (3) Sultan Melaka yang paling awal. works on the first three rulers of Melaka. Both
Karya ini turut menjadi bahan asas kepada kajian works remain important references on China and
lain mengenal Kesultanan Melaka seterusnya.
on the study of Melaka to the present day.
Apabila Malaysia ditubuhkan, Profesor When Malaysia was established in
Wang telah menghasilkan sebuah karya bertajuk, September 1963, Professor Wang published an
Malaysia: A Survey (1964) sebagai satu usaha untuk edited volume entitled Malaysia: A Survey (1964)
menerangkan Malaysia kepada negara dan dunia. as an effort to explain Malaysia to our country
Kesarjanaan beliau terus terbukti dengan teks and the world. His scholarship continues to be
syarahan perdana beliau yang bertajuk “The Use of proven with the text of his inaugural lecture,
History” (1968), diterbitkan semula dalam pelbagai entitled “The Use of History” (1968), being
bentuk penerbitan sehingga hari ini. republished in various platforms up to this day.
Profesor Wang turut terlibat di peringkat Professor Wang also showed his
kebangsaan dengan usaha beliau bersama Dewan commitment to developing the discipline
Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) dalam menetapkan of history at the national level through his
istilah sejarah dengan mempengerusikan involvement with the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
jawatankuasa tersebut pada tahun 1967 hingga (DBP) historical terminology committee, which he
1968.
chaired from 1967 to 1968.
Pada penghujung tahun 1968, Profesor Wang At the end of 1968, Professor Wang moved
telah berhijrah ke Australian National University dan to the Australian National University where he
telah dilantik sebagai Profesor dan kemudiannya was appointed Professor and later, Director of
sebagai Pengarah Research School of Pacific and the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
Asian Studies (RSPAS). Tempoh ini merupakan yang (RSPAS). Professor Wang’s achievements during
sangat aktif dalam kerjaya akademik beliau. Dengan this time were considerable. Building on his
asas yang terbina semasa berada di Universiti foundation from his time at Universiti Malaya,
Malaya, Profesor Wang telah memberi tumpuan Professor Wang focused on the study of the
kepada kajian ke atas Masyarakat Cina Seberang Chinese community (Chinese Overseas). He

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