The Opening Ceremony of 2017 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists (Zhengzhou)

The Opening Ceremony of 2017 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists (Zhengzhou) hosted by the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China, organized by the Culture Department of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University and Network of International Culturalink Entities, and co-organized by relevant units of Henan Province was held in Zhengzhou University on July 10. Liang Chuan (Director of Policy and Regulation Division, Bureau for External Affairs, Ministry of Culture), Kang Jie (Deputy Director of Culture Department of Henan Province), Xing Ying (Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Zhengzhou University) and Li Rui (Deputy Director of Network of International Culturalink Entities) attended the Ceremony, and Han Guohe (Vice President of Zhengzhou University) was the host of the Ceremony.

The Visiting Program for Young Sinologists (VPYS) is created and first sponsored by Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China (MOC) and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). This program aims at setting up a platform for overseas excellent young experts and scholars to study Sinology, facilitating their co-researches with China-based academic, cultural, educational institutions, groups, enterprises and scholars, as well as helping them achieve academic excellence and international influence. The VPYS was successfully delivered in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and has been well received by participants. In 2017, the VPYS is organized in Zhengzhou (July), Shanghai (September), Xi’an (September) and Beijing (September) successively. 2017 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists Zhengzhou (VPYS, Zhengzhou), from July 9^th (Sunday) -29^th (Saturday).

31 young sinologists from 28 countries attended today’s the Ceremony. Those sinologists work in government departments, research institutions, educational institutions or social organizations of their countries, also have published papers, works or translations about Chinese research. They will have 21 days study on the historical culture of the Central Plains, difference between the past and the present of Zhengzhou, a central and ancient city in the background of “The Belt and Road Initiatives” and other themes. The study will include lectures, seminars and cultural visits.

In order to ensure the study quality, Prof. Liu Qingzhu (famous Chinese archaeologist), Prof. Ge Jianxiong (famous culturist), Prof. Zheng Yanying (famous author), Professor Yu Li (internationally famous Political Science scholar), etc. were invited to deliver lectures to the sinologists, and meanwhile young sinologists were divided into four different seminar groups according to their major, will and interest. Additionally, every sinologist was arranged a tutor to guide them doing the study report. Moreover, social practice, cultural visiting will be arranged, so that the overseas young sinologists can walk into the cultural attractions, factories, countryside, ordinary public communities, etc., of Henan Province.

Xing Ying (Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Zhengzhou University) says at the Opening Ceremony that this opportunity for Zhengzhou University to undertake this 2017 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists (Zhengzhou) is the high trust from the Ministry of Culture and the Culture Department of Henan Province. This program will provide opportunities for the university to achieve its foreign exchange goals in the 13^th Five-Year Development Plan and respond to the development strategies of “the Belt and Road Initiatives”. The university will give full play to its academic and teaching advantages in the humanity and social science areas, and strive to make this program interesting, so that the sinologists from different countries can introduce their feelings and experience in China to their own countries. Xing Ying hopes this program will expand and deepen their range and depth in Chinese research, and improve the fame and reputation of Zhengzhou university in Sino-foreign cultural exchange and international Chinese education.