The 2024 Conference on Wang Yangming Mind Philosophy took place in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang province, on Oct 31. Sun Chunlan, president of the International Confucian Association (ICA), addressed the conference's opening ceremony.

Themed "Wang Yangming Philosophy and Mutual Learning among Civilizations", the conference was jointly hosted by the ICA, the China Philosophy History Association and the Shaoxing municipal government. Experts and scholars specializing in studies of Wang Yangming's philosophy from countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and Singapore, participated in the event.

Over the five years of its existence, Sun said the conference has gradually become a significant academic event for experts and scholars specializing in studies of Wang Yangming's philosophy and fans of the associated culture, both domestically and internationally. The conference has played a positive role in promoting and disseminating Wang Yangming's Philosophy of Mind worldwide and in inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture, she said.

Sun emphasized the importance of actively practicing the Global Civilization Initiative, drawing wisdom from fine traditional cultures, including Wang Yangming's Philosophy of Mind, and vigorously promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

Sun noted that, the ICA, with its mission to promote the intellectual essence of Confucian culture and all other fine traditional cultures, and contribute to world peace and common development for all countries and the progress of human civilization, is looking forward to cooperating with more insightful people to promote the development of Wang Yangming's philosophy in the new era, and contribute wisdom and strength to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

During the opening ceremony, Zhao Cheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee; Shi Huifang, secretary of the CPC Shaoxing Municipal Committee; Yang Guorong, president of the China Philosophy History Association; and Dai Jianwei, Party secretary and director of the Cultural Communication Center of the Guiyang Confucius Academy, all delivered speeches.

Seven scholars, including Chen Lai, vice-president of the ICA and a senior professor of humanities at Tsinghua University, and Dong Ping, vice-council chair of the ICA, director of the Jishan Wang Yangming Research Institute in Zhejiang province and a Qiushi chair professor at Zhejiang University, took part in the conference as well as its associated Jishan Forum.

Sun conducted a survey on the inheritance and development of Southern Confucian culture in Quzhou, Zhejiang, on Nov 1.

She visited the Family Temple of Confucius, commonly referred to as the Temple of Nankong or the Temple of Southern Confucianism, and the China Confucianism Museum to gain a detailed understanding of Quzhou's practices in protecting and exploring traditional cultural resources and effectively activating the contemporary value of fine traditional culture.

During her visit to Quzhou, Sun chaired a symposium on the inheritance and development of Southern Confucian culture. Wang Wenxu, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee; Gao Yi, secretary of the CPC Quzhou Municipal Committee; and Gan Chunsong, dean of the College of Philosophy at Nankai University and a professor at the Confucian Studies Institute of Peking University, spoke at the symposium.

Highlighting the efforts by Zhejiang and Quzhou in promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of Southern Confucian culture, Sun said they have made meaningful explorations in empowering the development of modern Chinese civilization with fine traditional Chinese culture.

Sun emphasized the need to promote landmark outcomes gained through this process, and turn them into a cultural symbol with significant influence, both domestically and internationally, in a bid to contribute more Quzhou wisdom to serving the national cultural strategy and the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for the new era.

The ICA will further leverage its unique academic and international advantages to actively support the inheritance and development of Southern Confucian culture on the new journey, she added.

ICA Secretary-General Ma Jianfei and Deputy Secretary-General Shi Yongqi participated in the above activities.

In recent years, the ICA has intensified efforts to strengthen cooperation with Zhejiang and relevant cities within the province through the establishment of training bases for the studies of Wang Yangming's philosophy and Southern Confucianism in Shaoxing and Quzhou, the joint building of international academic exchange platforms, and carrying out academic research and study programs. These initiatives were part of its efforts to make in-depth exploration into the contemporary value of Wang Yangming's philosophy and Southern Confucian culture, and advance cultural inheritance, development, exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.