JIN Xing, executive president of Confucius Institute, University of Sydney, YAO Zaiyu, foreign president of Confucius Institute, University of Auckland, WANG Weimeng (Christina), executive president of Confucius Institute, University of Frankfurt, CHEN Jian, executive president of Confucius Institute, University of Nottingham, and LI Lin, office director of Confucius Institute of Fudan University, visit Guiyang Confucius Academy, on December 12. YAO Zaiyu, foreign president of Confucius Institute, University of Auckland, and WANG Weimeng (Christina), executive president of Confucius Institute, University of Frankfurt, bring lectures on the subject of cross-culture communication between China and the West for the audiences of Confucius Academy.

WANG Weimeng (Christina): Facing difference squarely, engaging in creative activities, moving towards cultural integration

Weimeng Wang(Christina) believes that the difference is unavoidable, and that the cultural communication obstacle caused by the difference is also quite normal. In the cross-culture communication between China and the West, we must face difference squarely and actively engage in creative activities so as to let culture communication alive. “The ultimate goal of Confucius Academy is to let Chinese culture walk out to learn from and integrate with each other with other culture, and finally achieve harmony and common prosperity.”

ZaiyuYao: It is not the knowledge in the brain but the culture in mind to be spread

In Zaiyu Yao's opinion, we should not sell culture, like commodity, to others forcibly; instead, we should seek understanding and realize the common prosperity of culture in communication in a manner that is acceptable to others. What’s more, everybody is the cultural ambassador whose every action is cultural transmission. As a cultural communicator, please don’t think that only knowledge of Chinese is Chinese culture, every word and deed of man is a sign of culture. “What we spread is not the knowledge in the brain, but the culture and value concept in mind.”

After the lecture, many audiences put questions to the two presidents of Confucius Institute; these questions are about how do foreigners look at Chinese culture, how should Confucius Institute carry out local activities, how do local citizens look at Confucius Institute, etc. YAO Zaiyu points out that the Confucius Institute in each country has its own uniqueness and practical situation. In Auckland, the local people take a positive attitude towards Confucius Institute, believing that Confucius Institute is the window to help them understand Chinese culture. WANG Weimeng (Christina) responses to the question about how should Confucius Institute carry out local activities. She says that in Frankfurt, we would hold and participate in many cross-cultural activities, and would achieve the fusion of the two cultures in a way that the locals like to see.