Professor Ward and Professor KüngThe World Sinology Conference opened on October 30th at the University of Renmen in Beijing China. As the Renman University website notes: "Over 180 domestic and overseas scholars gathered in RUC and discussed on the theme of 'Sinology and Cross-Cultural Communication.'" During the conference, Li Xueqin, a historian from China's Tsinghua University, introduced the origin of Sinology:
Sinology is a result of cross-cultural communications, and the study of it will further promote that communication. It came into being in the 16th and 17th century when Chinese culture and Western culture met each other. People from both sides were keen on learning about each other. Sinology was developed in Western countries on the subjects of Chinese history, culture, language, etc. Meanwhile, Western learning, a late Qing Dynasty term for Western natural and social sciences, was developed in China.
The conference was "aimed at promoting exchanges and cooperation in the international study of Sinology and highlighting the value of Chinese culture in building a harmonious world." Among the scholars present were Professor Graham Ward from the University of Manchester and Professor Hans Küng from the University of Tübingen (pictured above). Professor Ward gave a paper on "Christianity and the State," which explored the role played by the State in the coming of Christianity to China in the 6th century through the Nestorians who were being persecuted in Persia at the time.