International Conference on China Studies and Oversea Chinese Books held at PKU

Peking University, Nov. 16, 2010: The International Conference on China Studies and Oversea Chinese Books was held at Peking University (PKU) Hall on Nov. 13 and the Lake View Hotel on Nov.14 respectively. The meeting was sponsored by PKU International Training Base for Scholars of China Studies, convened by Prof. Liu Yucai and Prof. Rong Xinjiang, and attended by nearly thirty experts and scholars from universities, research institutes as well as publishing presses in America, Japan, Sweden, Chinese mainland, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The topics of the conference were about the problems in overseas China research, the spread of overseas Chinese books, and its development in other cultures.

The International Conference on China Studies and Oversea Chinese Books

Prof. Yuan Xingpei from PKU Department of Chinese, Dean of PKU International Training Base for Scholars of China Studies, gave a welcome speech at the opening ceremony. Prof. Yuan pointed out that the research on overseas Chinese books was gaining more and more attention and had become a new academic growth point. So he hoped to strengthen the contact and communication among scholars both at home and abroad to further the study in this field through this conference. Besides, Prof. Yuan gave a brief introduction about the PKU International Training Base for Scholars of China Studies. Founded by the Confucius Institute Headquarters and PKU, the base aims to give play to the overall advantages of disciplines like literature, history, philosophy, and archaeology at PKU and attract famous sinologists from abroad, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan to carry out research cooperation and academic exchanges. The focus of the base is not just introduce the history and present condition of sinologists and China study at home and abroad, but also to promote the spread of ancient Chinese books and contemporary research works to let the Chinese culture join the world. Great achievements have been achieved in the construction of China study library, the translation of academic works, academic exchanges, and the establishment of magazine since its foundation.

Prof. Yuan Xingpei, Dean of PKU International Training Base for Scholars of China Studies, at his speech.

After the opening ceremony, Prof. Yan Shaodang from PKU and Prof. Soren Edgren from Princeton University delivered keynote speeches respectively. Prof. Yan delivered a speech titled "The spread of Chinese Books and Dialogue between Civilizations" to explain the logical process of overseas research of Chinese Books in international sinology. He pointed out that the spread of Chinese books was significant to the formation and development of sinology and the communication between different cultures. Based on the traditional documentation science, the assortment and study of overseas Chinese books should grasp the spread ways of Chinese books in the development of world civilizations, pay attention to the influences of oversea Chinese books to the development of other cultures, and restore the original state of Chinese Classics in multi-cultural dialogues. Prof. Edgren gave a speech of "A Model of Circular Cultural Transfer: Chinese Books Collected by Japan and Their Spread", in which he believed that Chinese Books was the main way to understand Chinese culture and the Buddhism culture. He introduced the great significance of Chinese Books in the development of Japanese culture in literature, philosophy, medicine, architecture, art, and other fields in detail by examples of Chinese books and their imitations by Japan.

In the following meetings, participants held diverse and extensive discussions on "Chinese Books in Japan and China Study", "Chinese Books in Western World and China Study", "China Study in Chinese Books", and "Chinese Books, China Study and the Cultural Exchange between China and Other Countries". The absorbing speeches created a heated debate among the participating scholars.

In the closing ceremony of the conference, Prof. Rong Xinjiang from PKU Department of History, Assistant Dean of PKU International Training Base for Scholars of China Studies, concluded that the participated scholars had shared their thinking and research achievements in the fields of China study and Chinese books fully.

Group photo

After the conference, the editorial board of Newsletter for International China Studies held their first meeting, which was presided over by Prof. Liu Yucai and Prof. Rong Xinjiang. Editors and some delegates of the conference had earnest discussions on the orientation of Newsletter for International China Studies, the establishment of English academic edition and special issues, the construction of the communication platform for international China study, the promotion of Chinese academic development as well as the spread of Chinese culture, and made agreements on many issues.

Translated by: Zhang Hao

Edited by: Su Juan
Source: PKU News (Chinese)