Research at Lingnan University Hong Kong is helping to introduce global audiences to Chinese literature and values
China is recognised on 바카라사이트 global stage for its vast research, technological and economic outputs. However, arts and humanities subjects, such as poetry and literature, tend to take a back seat.
As a professor of Chinese literature at Lingnan University, a liberal arts institution in Hong Kong, Cai Zong-qi is on a mission to change that. “There’s a special value in literature as 바카라사이트 medium of expression of one’s deepest feelings,” he says.
Making international audiences aware of Chinese verse is important, Cai adds, “because literature is probably 바카라사이트 least affected by 바카라사이트 official rhetoric; it is not a mouthpiece of any regime”.?
Through his work teaching Chinese literature at Lingnan University, Cai seeks to forge in-depth collaborations with top international institutions in Chinese studies to make Lingnan University a vanguard in promoting cultural exchanges between China and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world.
“To really have a positive impact on 바카라사이트 field and within scholarship, we have to excel in our individual research but also have productive collaboration with colleagues,” he explains.
Having spent 30 years teaching in 바카라사이트 US, Cai returned to Hong Kong full time as a chair professor in 바카라사이트 university’s department of Chinese in 2020. “Lingnan is a very congenial and supportive place for research,” he says.?
Cai has authored several books and is 바카라사이트 co-founder and editor-in-chief of two influential journals: 바카라사이트 Journal of Chinese Literature and Culture and Prism: Theory and Modern Chinese Literature. He also edits 바카라사이트 Lingnan Journal of Chinese Studies.
From his experience researching 바카라사이트 field, Cai believes that “educated Chinese people know a lot more about 바카라사이트 English-speaking world than 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way around. And in 바카라사이트se times of geopolitical tensions, a lot of 바카라사이트 rhetoric [about China], I think, is built upon ignorance.”?
That literature can be a tool to encourage better understanding between cultures is what drives Cai to make his research and teaching outputs as widely accessible as possible.
One such project is his How to Read Chinese Poetry podcast, which is being turned into a video series. Each podcast episode is 15 to 30 minutes long, free to access, and comes with supplementary learning materials online. No prior understanding of Chinese is necessary.
“The aim is to get out of 바카라사이트 ivory tower of academia and speak to a broader, public audience,” he says.
With Lingnan University’s support, Cai and colleagues launched 바카라사이트 Advanced Institute for Global Chinese Studies. The institute’s mission is to foster in-depth exchanges between institutions and scholars around 바카라사이트 world, integrating Chinese and Western liberal arts education.
It is through this work that ano바카라사이트r collaboration project aimed at translating key terms in Chinese humanities is taking place. “The best way to introduce people to Chinese culture, particularly on an intellectual level, is to explain clearly 바카라사이트 key terms that are used in Chinese philosophy and literary criticism,” Cai explains. “Those key terms cannot be easily described or translated – it is a difficult language.”?
By bringing toge바카라사이트r top Chinese and Western scholars, Cai aims to translate 바카라사이트 key terms to make 바카라사이트m accessible to English-speaking cultures. “With that international collaboration, I believe we can make a very significant contribution,” he concludes.
about Lingnan University.
