The teaching of Chinese as a Second/Foreign Language (CSL/CFL) has a long-existing history. Previous studies mainly focused on pre-Ming/Qing Dynasties that date back centuries, which reflects the societal perception of the term “history”. However, with the rapid development and constant change of the society, incidents that occurred two or three decades ago have already become unknown to the latecomers. In hopes to document, clarify, and explore these valuable resources, the first International Conference on the Developmental History of Chinese as a Second/Foreign Language was held at National Tsing-Hua University in 2020, and has accommodated more than 60 studies. This year, we welcome scholars and researchers to participate in the second conference that will be held at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. The temporal scope of this conference aims at incidents before the last century (1990s). Following standards in historical research, submitted proposals should be factually-based and supported by sufficient historical evidence. Through this conference, we hope to contribute in the documentation and preservation of CSL/CFL history for the future generations.

The year of 2023 marks the 103rd year anniversary of teaching Chinese at the University of Hawai'i (UH). We want to take this opportunity to celebrate UH’s achievement and contributions as one of the first institutions of higher education outside Asia to offer courses and degree programs in Chinese language, history, philosophy, and other fields. We want to honor the Chinese studies and Chinese language education pioneers' at UH and beyond who inspired many institutions worldwide to diversify and globalize their programs. In recognition of the historical achievements, the celebration also will provide insights for envisioning the future of the field in the next century.