美國普林斯頓大學榮休教授余英時先生（1930-2021）為享譽國際的歷史學大師，曾獲得國際人文學最高榮譽克魯格獎（Kluge Prize）。余先生的研究領域為中國史，特別是中國思想史，他有廣泛的比較歷史視野和跨學科學識，並長年就文化與公共議題進行反思和評論。
余先生自1970年代起，便與臺灣建立密切關係，在許多方面影響深遠。余先生於2021年8月1日辭世，為了紀念這一位標誌性的學者和思想家，並在國立臺灣大學建立國際級的漢學與相關研究園地，特成立本中心，以連結國內外人才，促進國際交流，推動人文相關研究的成長與人才培養。
本中心於2023年8月29日通過成立，主要工作預計有三項：國際學者訪問計畫、國內外研究生研修獎助，以及辦理國際漢學講座。本中心關注的範圍為漢學及相關人文學領域，也將視時機和議題，舉辦國際學術活動，推動研究計畫。
本中心的成立基金係由馨昌股份有限公司鄧傳馨董事長捐助。本中心將在鄧董事長捐款的基礎上，謀求長期發展，成為臺灣與國際人文學術的重要元素。。
Ying-shih Yü (1930-2021), emeritus professor of Princeton University, passed away on August 1, 2021. He was an eminent historian and recipient of the Kluge Prize, one of the highest honors in the humanities worldwide. Professor Yü’s research field is Chinese history, especially Chinese intellectual history. With deep knowledge in diverse disciplines and broad comparative perspectives, he produced outstanding and original works on a wide range of subjects. He was also a public intellectual, reflecting and commenting on issues of contemporary importance throughout his life.
Since the 1970s, Professor Yü had a close relationship with Taiwan, and was influential in many ways. For the purpose of commemorating this exemplary scholar, promoting international exchanges in China-related fields, and advancing humanistic research in Taiwan, National Taiwan University has established this center. The project was approved on August 29, 2023.
The core function of our center will lie in providing a platform for international cooperation and dialogue among humanities scholars in China-related fields. For this aim, we will offer a program of international visiting fellows, scholarships for visiting Ph.D. students, and an international lectureship in the honor of Professor Ying-shih Yü. We will also hold international conferences, workshops, and lectures, and as this center develops, support research projects, including those related to Professor Yü.
The founding funds of this center were donated by Mr. Chual-Hsin Teng (鄧傳馨), Chairman and Executive Director of Thin Chan Corporation. With the support of Mr. Teng’s generous donation, our center will pursue long-term developments so that it can make important contributions to the humanities community in Taiwan as well as internationally.