Over 220 Sinologists from around the globe are attending the
three-day World Sinology Convention, which began yesterday. The
convention is jointly organized by the Ministry of Education's
Chinese Language Council and the Renmin University of China.
The convention will seek expert opinions in investigating how
the study of Chinese culture can help bridge cultural gaps in an
ever-changing world. Its findings will go toward fostering Chinese
language studies around the world, State Councilor Chen Zhili said at the opening ceremony
yesterday, particularly at the 140 Confucius Institutes that exist
in 52 countries and regions.
Xu Lin, Chinese Language Council's director, also revealed that
the State Council's Office of Academic Degrees Committee had
decided to create a Master's degree in Chinese language
international education in several universities. Graduates from
this program will then be sent to work in Confucius Institutes
abroad.
The assembled sinologists will analyze whether China will retain
its traditions, and whether Chinese traditional way of thinking
could help lessen the clash of civilizations, Helwig
Schmidt-Glintzer, a professor at the Munich University in Germany
said at yesterday's session.
Famous mainland scholars such as Tang Yijie, Pang Pu, Liu Mengxi
and Le Daiyun will be in attendance to carry out in-depth exchanges
with foreign guests.
The theme of the convention is "Dialogue of Civilizations and a
Harmonious World," which will be sub-divided into five parts
for experts to discuss: "Sinology study as a dialogue of
civilizations," "changes of China's image in the field of
Sinology," "Chinese traditional culture: interpretation and
influence," "Sinologists" and "history of Sinology." Domestic
Sinologists will discuss the topics of "20th century's Chinese
literature in the eye of Sinologists," and "Sinology's
self-estimation" among others.
Yesterday's ceremony also saw the launch of the Sinology Reserch
Center and the Renmin University's Research Institute for the
International Promotion of the Chinese Language.
(China Daily, China.org.cn, March 27, 2007)
