The opening ceremony of Chinese Cultural Subjectivity, World Vision: Centennial Symposium on the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning and the Inheritance and Development of Chinese Civilization took place at the Tsinghua University Auditorium on Tuesday, September 9.
At the opening ceremony, several authoritative figures delivered keynote speeches, including Sun Chunlan, President of the International Confucian Association; Xu Qingsen, Member of the CPC Leading Group and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education; Qiu Yong, Secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee; and Zhang Zhiqiang, Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Also among the speakers was Chen Lai, who serves as Vice President of the International Confucian Association, Distinguished Professor of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, and Dean of the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning. The event was chaired by Peng Gang, Vice President of Tsinghua University.
Sun Chunlan addresses the opening ceremony.
Sun Chunlan noted that the century-long history of Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning has always been closely linked to the pressing issues of Chinese civilization in modern times. A hundred years ago, the Academy consciously undertook the historical mission of carrying forward Chinese civilization and restoring cultural confidence, making important contributions through a new research paradigm and outstanding achievements in talent cultivation.
Since its reestablishment, the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning has focused on the country's top priorities, advancing the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s outstanding traditional culture. It has actively contributed Tsinghua’s wisdom to the development of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, demonstrating the sense of mission and responsibility of Chinese studies in the new era.
According to Sun Chunlan, accelerating the creation of an independent knowledge system in China's philosophy and social sciences is not only a crucial part of cultural development but also a necessary prerequisite for advancing the prosperity of Chinese culture and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on the new journey in the new era.
Sun Chunlan emphasized the need to thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture, with a focus on putting the “two integrations” into practice. These “two integrations” refer to blending the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and fine traditional culture. She further stressed to always uphold the cultural lifeblood, and to adhere to Marxism as the guiding principle. She stressed the importance of grounding efforts in the great practice of Chinese path to modernization, while exploring the development of original knowledge, concepts, methods, propositions, and theories.
Sun Chunlan called for efforts to preserve China’s cultural roots, thoroughly explore the profound philosophical ideas, humanistic spirit, educational concepts, and moral values embedded in China’s outstanding traditional culture, and further transform these precious cultural elements into intellectual resources that underpin the development of an independent knowledge system.
Sun Chunlan also called for extensive engagement with international philosophy and social sciences, fostering a knowledge production framework that integrates Chinese and Western traditions and connects the past with the present. She emphasized promoting the global dissemination of Chinese scholarship through international academic exchanges and dialogues among civilizations.
Sun Chunlan emphasized proactively advancing the deep integration of modern information technology with humanities research, expanding innovative pathways for an independent knowledge system, and continuously generating major landmark achievements.
The opening ceremony
Sun Chunlan stated that the International Confucian Association looks forward to further deepening cooperation with Tsinghua University, the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning, and a broad range of experts and scholars, courageously shouldering new cultural missions, and jointly making greater contributions to building up China's cultural strength and advancing the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Xu Qingsen stated that the century-long practical exploration of the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning profoundly demonstrates that only by rooting itself in China can the cultural foundation of an independent knowledge system be solidly established. Only by addressing the questions of the times can the innovative vitality of the system be stimulated and only by embracing a global perspective can its international influence be expanded.
Xu Qingsen hoped that the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning would build on its profound academic heritage and distinctive educational characteristics, contribute to the development of a philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics, and help build a leading country in education and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Qiu Yong remarked that the centennial journey of the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning represents not only a diligent history of scholarly pursuit, but also a spiritual continuum in the inheritance of Chinese cultural traditions.
Qiu Yong stated that looking to the future, the Academy should earnestly study and thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, and further deepen the principle of being “Chinese Cultural Subjectivity” while broadening its “World Vision”. Qiu Yong emphasized that the Academy should innovate while inheriting tradition, uphold integrity while embracing openness, and ensure that the humanities and sciences advance together, with tradition and modernity in harmony.
Qiu Yong stressed that in the grand historical process of building a strong nation and realizing national rejuvenation, the Academy should continue to write magnificent chapters on “saving the nation through culture,” “loving the nation through culture,” and “strengthening the nation through culture,” while continuously contributing Tsinghua’s strength to the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Zhang Zhiqiang said that the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning’s century-long history is one of constantly writing and researching to pursue the great way. Zhang Zhiqiang pointed out that making scholarship a means of exploring the path of civilization across different eras has become a tradition of the Academy.
Chen Lai noted that the Academy will adhere to the principle of“Chinese Cultural Subjectivity, World Vision ” and shoulder the mission in this era of promoting the “creative transformation and innovative development” of Chinese culture.
The symposium aims to review the illustrious history of the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s outstanding traditional culture.
Descendants of Liang Qichao and Wang Guowei, along with representatives from the hometowns of the Academy’s four eminent scholars, attended the opening ceremony, while more than 200 scholars took part in the roundtable forums and parallel sessions.
Following its founding in 1925, the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning brought together four eminent scholars—Liang Qichao, Wang Guowei, Chen Yinque, and Zhao Yuanren. This ushered in a golden era for Tsinghua’s humanities disciplines, established an academic tradition of combining Chinese and Western scholarship while pursuing excellence, and cultivated numerous outstanding talents, profoundly influencing the development of modern and contemporary Chinese academy.
Although it was suspended in 1929, its spirit has continued to guide the development of humanities at Tsinghua University and the broader field of Chinese humanistic studies.
Since its reestablishment in 2009, the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning has adhered to the principle of “Chinese Cultural Subjectivity, World Vision ”, responding to questions of our times. It has been committed to promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s outstanding traditional culture and building an independent Chinese humanistic knowledge system. The Academy has achieved remarkable accomplishments in academic research, talent cultivation, and interdisciplinary integration.
Editors: Li Han, JP
