On Thursday, 19 February 2026, the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS) successfully hosted two public lectures as part of its Lunar New Year Lecture Series, welcoming more than 150 attendees across the day’s events. Both lectures formed part of the Dublin City Council Dublin Lunar New Year Celebrations 2026, highlighting TCAS’s active contribution to the city-wide cultural programme.
The lunchtime lecture, held at the Trinity Long Room Hub and co-organised with the TCD Department of History, featured Dr Isabella Jackson. Her talk traced the development of classical Chinese gardens from their earliest recorded forms in 400 BCE to the present day, examining their symbolism, philosophy, and cultural significance.
The evening lecture, held in the Synge Theatre and co-organised with the Maynooth University Department of Chinese, featured Joseph Clarke (寇哲风), a TCAS alumnus and current PhD candidate in Chinese Studies at Maynooth University. Clarke examined the global cultural and ideological legacy of Bruce Lee and the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. He explored how Bruce Lee transformed martial arts into a global symbol of identity, resistance, and intercultural dialogue, reshaping perceptions of kung fu in both Western and Chinese contexts. The event concluded with a live Jeet Kune Do demonstration, bringing theory and practice together in a dynamic finale that engaged the audience and underscored the embodied dimensions of cultural exchange.
Together, the two lectures showcased the breadth of TCAS’s interdisciplinary engagement with Asian studies - from classical aesthetics and material culture to modern media, philosophy, and global cultural power. The strong attendance and lively discussions throughout the day reflected growing public interest in Asia-related scholarship in Ireland.