On November 25-26, the 1st International Seminar on Tibetan and Himalayan Studies, organized by the School of Foreign Languages and Center for Foreign Tibetan Studies, was held in Chongyu Building, Yanta Campus of SNNU. 65 experts and scholars from China, Russia, the United States, Japan, Mongolia and other countries and regions attended the two-day academic conference.
Prof. Dang Huaixing, vice president of SNNU, Prof. Andrei Bazarov from the Institute of Buddhist and Mongolian Studies of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Shen Weirong, Chang Jiang Scholar of the Ministry of Education and professor of the Chinese Department of Tsinghua University, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. The opening ceremony was hosted by Prof. Wang Qilong, Chang Jiang Scholar of the Ministry of Education, Dean of School of Foreign Languages of SNNU and director of Center for Foreign Tibet Studies.
Prof. Magsarjav Gantuya from National University of Mongolia, Prof. Uyunbilig from Renmin University of China, Prof. Xie Jisheng from Zhejiang University, researcher Zha Luo from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Prof. Xiong Wenbin from Sichuan University, Yinjiabu from Northwest Minzu University, Prof. Zhu Lishuang from Lanzhou University, IWATA Keisuke, a distinguished research fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and Chinese and foreign young scholars, staff and students of School of Foreign Languages attended the seminar.
Prof. Wang Qilong warmly welcomed leaders and scholars to attend this seminar. The scholars were introduced to the work carried out in the past two years by Center for Foreign Tibetan Studies of SNNU and the close-range planning of the Center in the next few years. It is hoped and appreciated that experts of Tibetan and Himalayan studies at home and abroad will continue to support the work of Center for Foreign Tibetan Studies. Prof. Wang wished that everyone in the next two days an academic weekend full of exchanging, sharing and gaining.
In his speech, Prof. Dang Huaixing first expressed his warm welcome on behalf of SNNU to the guests and friends. He pointed out that in recent years, under the leadership of Prof. Wang Qilong, School of Foreign Languages has developed rapidly and has achieved a series of achievements. He stressed that the establishment of Center for Foreign Tibetan Studies in SNNU was an important means of strengthening the university's characteristics and serving the country's strategy. At the same time, the Center has greatly promoted the development of related disciplines in SNNU and provided strong support to the consultation of Tibet affairs of China. He believed that in the current era of globalization, academic research must also have a global perspective. As the saying goes, the stones of other mountains may serve to polish the jade of this one. With the constant optimization of academic conditions and environment in China, the research results of foreign Tibetan studies have been comprehensively organized and grasped, and it is imperative to promote competition, dialogue and cooperation in Tibetan studies at home and abroad from a higher level. The convening of the “International Seminar on Tibetan and Himalayan Studies” is a sign that Center for Foreign Tibetan Studies of SNNU follows the academic trend and moves into the field of higher international Tibetan studies.
Prof. Dang Huaixing, vice president of SNNU, delivered the speech
Prof. Bazarov briefly reviewed the Tibetan literature collected by the Institute of Buddhist and Mongolian Studies of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences where he was working, as well as the personnel and status of the Institute, and shared with the participating experts the relationship between the Institute and Center for Foreign Tibet Studies of SNNU. He looked forward to the prospects for in-depth cooperation between the two sides and expressed expectations regarding the ongoing cooperation and exchanges.
Prof. Andrei Bazarov of the Institute of Buddhist and Mongolian Studies of
the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences delivered the speech
Prof. Shen Weirong stated in his speech that it was of great significance for SNNU to vigorously support and promote the development of Center for Foreign Tibetan Studies. Considering current Tibetan studies in China and related research abroad, he commented that the Center should undertake its academic mission in putting the current hot spot, the Himalayan studies, as one of the central topics of the conference. He spoke highly of Prof. Wang Qilong for his efforts in the development of the Center in the past two years and in training talents and scholars in Tibetan studies. In the end, he expressed his good wish for the success of the conference.
Prof. Shen Weirong, Chang Jiang Scholar of MOE
and professor of the Chinese Department of Tsinghua University, delivered the speech
After the opening ceremony speeches, a ceremony was held for new publications. Firstly introduced was the English journal “Journal of Tibetan and Himalayan Studies”(JTHS),edited by Professor Wang Qilong, director of Center for Foreign Tibetan Studies, and Professor Leonard W.J. van der Kuijp, head of Department of South Asia, Harvard University, and published by Boston Bilingual Media & Publishing in the United States.JTHSaims to create an excellent exchange platform for domestic and international Tibetan studies, promote the cooperation of scholars of Tibetan studies at home and abroad, and introduce the achievements of China's outstanding Tibetan studies to the Tibetan learning community abroad.
Cover and back cover of “Journal of Tibetan and Himalayan Studies”
The second series introduced in the launching ceremony was the first episode of "Foreign Tibetan Studies Research Journal" edited by Professor Wang Qilong and published by Shanghai Classical Books Publishing House. Published in the series are books on academic history, trends, figures, writings, research achievements, and the latest achievements of Tibetan studies and studies in the related fields abroad. In the "Translation Collection" column, readers can find Chinese translations of Tibetan studies in international academic circles. The aim is to provide a high-quality academic exchange platform for scholars in Tibetan studies and related fields at home and abroad and to promote the prosperity and development of Tibetan Studies, Buddhist Studies and Himalayan Studies.
Cover of "Foreign Tibetan Studies Research Journal"
At the ceremony, Prof. Wang Qilong presented as the gifts the first volume of the “Journal of Tibetan andHimalayanStudies”and the first episode of the “Foreign Tibetan Studies Research Collection” to the experts and scholars. He also hoped that the scholars present could continue to support the development of the Center and two periodicals.
This seminar covered a wide range of topics, and high-level achievements were shared among scholars. Altogether ten sections and topics were included: keynote speeches, translation studies of the Buddha-Ban religion, translation studies of text languages, culture and history of the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties, Tibetan political history in the Qing Dynasty, Tibetan history since the late Qing Dynasty, archaeological and artistic plateaus, anthropology in Tibet, a review of 100 years of Tibetan history and cross-cultural travel and understanding. More than 60 scholars attended two days of academic discussions on relevant topics, and achieved fruitful results. It also attracted extensive attention from scholars both at home and abroad.
At the closing ceremony, Prof. Xie Jisheng from Zhejiang University, Professor Uyunbilig from Renmin University of China, and researcher Zha Luo from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences fully affirmed the prospects of the Himalayan studies and made suggestions and expectations for young scholars. They called for all the young and promising scholars to continue their academic research and make due contribution to Tibetan and Himalayan studies.
The closing ceremony was hosted by Mr. Ma Zhengping, Party Secretary of the School of Foreign Languages. Prof. Sha Wutian of the School of History and Culture of SNNU and Prof. Wang Qilong, organizer of the conference, expressed sincere gratitude to all the experts and scholars attending the conference. It is hoped and appreciated that experts of Tibetan and Himalayan studies at home and abroad will continue to support the work of Center for Foreign Tibetan Studies in SNNU.
The conference ended on the afternoon of November 26, 2017.
(Translated by YANG Dongmin)
