A Brief Introduction to Centre for Research and Experience of Traditional Chinese Culture of Shandong University
Centre for Research and Experience of Traditional Chinese Culture of Shandong University (hereinafter referred to as the Centre) was planned in early 2009. It was jointly built by Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters and Shandong University. On October 15th 2011, both professor Xu Jialu, Vice Chairman of the ninth and tenth National People’s Congress and Doctor Xu Lin, consultant of the State Council and director-general of Confucius Institute Headquarters, attended the inauguration ceremony and unveiled the nameplate. The Centre is located on the 24th and 25th floor of Zhixin Building on Central Campus of Shandong University, covering an area of 2600 square meters.
The purposes of the Centre include a lot. It explores a way of cultural teaching and cultural communication based on experience, which are supported by advantages of national platforms and universities. In this way, cultural functions can be implemented and social values can be achieved through education. It presents traditional culture in daily life, so as to make Chinese culture life-oriented. It also focuses on comparing and sharing different cultures around the world at the same time. And it tells Chinese stories in an international way, to reinforce cultural presentation, interpretation and communication.
The Experience Hall for Traditional Chinese Culture (hereinafter referred to as the Hall) is a very important part of the Centre. Its main function is to provide courses about traditional Chinese culture based on experience and to achieve cultural communication. There are 16 teaching zones for experiencing with more than 100 teaching points. The overall design of the Hall lays emphasis on presenting, explaining and experiencing Chinese culture in a modern context. The expressions, changes and connotative meanings of traditional culture in modern life are emphasized here. In the end, it helps experiencers to experience, understand and get general ideas about Chinese culture.
The Centre is a comprehensive scientific research institution. Its main subject is Language and Culture Communication, a key discipline in Project 985 authorized by Ministry of Education. It does researches such as modern values and social presentation of traditional Chinese culture, as well as interdisciplinary research of Confucius Institute. In recent years, it has achieved comprehensive developments in ideas, modes, academic studies and social services.
Disciplines and Academic Teams
The main discipline of the Centre is Language and Culture Communication, which started in Shandong University in 2008. The academic leader is Professor Ning Jiming, a member of National MTCSOL Education Steering Committee and a distinguished expert of Confucius Institute Headquarters. At present, an interdisciplinary research team of almost 20 members has been formed, covering disciplines such as Communication, Sociology and Economics. They do theoretical studies while focusing on applied researches and social services.
Achievements of the Discipline
Related with the humanities and social sciences project of Ministry of Education--Research on the Cultural Value and Social Function of Confucius Institute, there have been a group of various achievements including monographs, commissioned research report, journals, doctoral theses, post-doctoral report, theses in authoritative and core journals (more than 30).
Awards and Feature Stories
The Centre was rewarded the First Cultural Innovation Award of Shandong Province, and is one of the ten Demonstration Projects of Honor to Traditional Culture authorized by Ministry of Education. It has been reported by People’s Daily, Guangming Daily and Dazhong Daily.
Social Services and Promotions
A lot of visitors have come to the Centre for research and investigation, including members from state ministries (more than 10), diplomats (from more than 20 countries), university presidents, experts and scholars from both home and abroad and well-known public figures. A lot of significant international exchange projects of Shandong University have been completed here. The ideas and achievements of the Centre have been sent as cultural teaching modules to overseas Confucius Institutes, local governments and dozens of universities in China.
Contact
Add: 27 Shanda Nanlu,Jinan,P.R.China 250100
E-mail: whjd@sdu.edu.cn