今日上海
全球汉学家齐聚上海参加世界中国学大会 - 2025年10月14日
Global Sinologists gather in Shanghai for China studies conference
Global Sinologists visit the Shanghai Museum East on Monday. Global Sinologists gathered in Shanghai on Monday as the second World Conference on China Studies kicked off with inspiring tours showcasing the city's technological advances, cultural inheritance and governance.
During the tours, scholars and experts from home and abroad with diverse backgrounds visited several iconic landmarks including the Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai Museum East and an innovation center on humanoid robots.
Dario Famularo, an Italian scholar who has lived and researched in China for over 10 years, expressed excitement about the tour.
"China is a diverse country and a very exciting place to be because it's always changing year by year, and many new technologies become part of daily life. Compared to where I come from in Europe, modernization goes faster here," said Famularo.
With a focus on fields such as the history of Sinology and Sino-Italian cultural exchanges, Famularo believes that China's global relevance is growing, and people around the world should learn more about Chinese culture as an important part of humanity.
"We live in a world that is very globalized. I think that multicultural awareness is very required to build a more harmonious way of life and to build a peaceful world … Chinese traditional culture is alive and rich because it is a living culture that is always changing alongside Chinese modernization," he added.
Meeting Sinologists from across the world, the 35-year-old lecturer at Sichuan International Studies University also emphasized the critical fundamental role that Sinologists play in building global Chinese culture and helping make dialogues with other cultures.
Emily Wilcox, a professor of modern languages and literatures, Chinese studies at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, joined the gathering on the invitation of Beijing Language and Culture University and was impressed in other perspectives.
"I think one of the biggest misconceptions (the West has about China) is that many people in the West believe that people in China are unhappy. And actually, I think people in China are very happy, as they have a lot of conveniences, safety and basic social services. I think that Western people should learn from that," said Wilcox.
She also praised China's strong investment in the arts, which has provided stability and resources for artists to create.
As a scholar of modern and contemporary China with a focus on performing arts, media and cultural history, she hopes to bridge Sinologists, especially scholars from Global South nations, through cultural and art exchanges at the event.
Global Sinologists visit an innovation center on humanoid robots in Shanghai on Monday.
Jocelyne Kenne from Cameroon, who is visiting China for the first time, is excited to learn more about China. Now a research associate at the University of Giessen in Germany, Kenne has been working on a range of interdisciplinary topics including migration and China-Africa relations.
"China is one of the most attractive countries. I was quite shocked to see how many Chinese are now in Africa. In Cameroon, we see Chinese doctors, lecturers and shopkeepers who are teaching the Chinese language and culture. That's fascinating," she said.
In particular, Kenne highlighted that China has been playing a critical role in helping African countries develop infrastructure. "We need each other, and the cooperation (between China and Africa) is going deeper and deeper."
Running till Wednesday, the conference aims to promote mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations. It will gather about 500 renowned scholars and experts from home and abroad to engage in in-depth discussions and exchanges around a wide range of topics.
Source: China Daily
