Institute hosts East-West Connections forum

Fri, October 30, 2009 |

Valparaiso University's Confucius Institute will host a Chinese diplomat and a leading scholar of China's cultural influence during "East-West Connections," a forum designed to increase understanding of the link between cultures in East Asia and the United States.

The forum will take place at Neils Science Center on Nov. 6 from 3:30 to 5 p.m., and is free and open to the public.

"We hope to bring more depth of understanding to the kinds of cultural exchanges that happen in our societies, and also build a better understanding of the relationship that currently exists between the United States and China," said Jianyun Meng, director of Valpo's Confucius Institute (http://www.valpo.edu/confuciusinstitute).

Dr. Dave Wang, a renowned scholar of China's influence on America's founding fathers, will speak about his personal experiences with East-West connections. Dr. Wang, a professor at St. John's University in New York, has written several books on the cultural connections between China and the U.S., including: "How China Helped Shape American Culture: The Founding Fathers and Chinese Civilization," "Asian Dry Rice and Slaves' Living Environment: Thomas Jefferson's Efforts to Transplant the Rice to the United States" and "Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Chinese Civilization."

Ping Huang, consul general of China's consulate in Chicago, also will speak about East-West connections. Huang was born in China's Anhui province and graduated from East China Normal University. His extensive diplomatic and civil service experience includes posts as third secretary of the U.S. Embassy of the People's Republic of China; third secretary, deputy division director and division director of the consular department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; counselor and consul general of the Chinese Embassy to Canada; vice mayor of the city of Shaoxing, Zhejiang province; and deputy director general of the consular department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Both speakers also will engage in a panel discussion with Dr. John Ruff, associate professor of English, and Dr. Brent Whitefield, assistant professor of history. Dr. Ruff has led study programs at Valpo's Hangzhou Study Center in China, and has served as resident director at the center. Dr. Whitefield is a member of Valpo's Chinese and Japanese Studies program, and his research focuses on late-Qing intellectual trends and protestant mission Christianity in China. He is finishing work on the manuscript "Truth Wherever Found: The Christian Literature Society for China 1887-1911."

Valpo is the first faith-based university in the United States to host a Confucius Institute, a non-profit institute established and funded by the Chinese government to promote cultural, business, educational, artistic and government exchanges. More information is online at http://www.valpo.edu/confuciusinstitute.