Nanjing Normal University and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jointly Held a Series of Lectures Under the Workshop Titled “Ancient Chinese Philosophy”

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena is a center for philosophical research in Germany, having produced renowned philosophers such as Fichte, Schelling, Hegel, and Frege. Karl Marx obtained his doctoral degree from Friedrich Schiller University Jena. In October 2024, Professor Kaiyi Xu, the dean of the School of Public Administration of our university; Professor Xianwu Wu, chair of the Department of Philosophy; and Professor Wenjun Niu from the Department of Philosophy visited the Department of Philosophy at Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The two sides reached a series of agreements on academic exchanges and program development.

Based on the mutual willingness to cooperate, it was decided that a series of lectures under the “Ancient Chinese Philosophy” workshop would be jointly held from April 15th to 29th, 2025. Prior to the lectures, the Department of Philosophy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena published announcements about the event on the university’s official website, the websites of Confucius Institutes across the European Union, and relevant European academic societies focused on Chinese philosophy, drawing widespread attention.

This workshop was conducted online in three sessions, hosted by Professor Andreas Schmidt from the Department of Philosophy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Three faculty members from the Department of Philosophy at the School of Public Administration of our university, Professors Xiaohu Cao, Xinyu Wang and Zixun Huang, each gave a lecture. The themes of their lectures were “Huineng's Reform and the Sinicization of Buddhism”, "Confucius's Thought on Ren and Its Three Dimensions", and "Exploring the Realm of Discourse of 'Enjoying Oneself in the Illimitable' in Zhuangzi. Centered on 'ZhiYan': Analyzing the dual meaning correlations between 'zhi' and 'yan'". The lectures covered the core philosophies of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, and attracted many scholars and students from both China and Europe. Presented in a clear and accessible manner, the lectures introduced traditional Chinese philosophical thought and culture to Western academia, allowing Western scholars to appreciate the profundity and vastness of Chinese traditional culture. The participating scholars engaged in in-depth discussions with the three presenters.

The workshop offered a feast of ideas for the participating scholars and received enthusiastic responses. This academic event laid a solid foundation for the exchange and collaboration between the Philosophy Department at the School of Public Administration of Nanjing Normal University and the Philosophy Department at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Scholars from Nanjing Normal University showcased the richness and appeal of Chinese philosophical thought on the global academic stage, contributing to the international dissemination of traditional Chinese culture and enhancing the global impact of Nanjing Normal University’s philosophy programs and disciplines. Moreover, the international promotion of traditional culture has, in turn, strengthened the cultural identity of the university’s faculty and students. For example, by interpreting Confucius's concept of "benevolence" for an international audience, participants have gained a deeper understanding of universal values embedded in Chinese culture, thereby fostering a sense of cultural confidence.
The Department of Philosophy at the School of Public Administration of Nanjing Normal University and the Department of Philosophy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena will take this workshop as a starting point to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation. In the future, the two sides will engage in academic dialogue across multiple fields, including German classical philosophy (such as the thoughts of Kant, Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel) and traditional Chinese philosophy (such as Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism). The aim is to promote complementary research between the two systems of thought, enhance scientific research collaboration and resource sharing, advance curriculum development and talent cultivation, and establish a sustainable ecosystem of cooperation. This will contribute to the organic integration of Chinese-style modernization with global civilization.