Statues of Socrates and Confucius at the Ancient Agora in Athens Photo: Yang Xue/CSST

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Ancient China and Greece, the cradles of Eastern and Western civilizations, respectively, have illuminated human history with their enduring contributions. The official establishment of the Chinese School of Classical Studies at Athens (CSCSA) brings these two enduring civilizations together, catalyzing new opportunities for global civilizational dialogue. President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter to the inaugural World Conference of Classics is widely seen as a reflection of China’s vision and philosophy for deepening classical studies, as well as its aspirations for sharing its cultural legacy with the world. 

Exploring the significance of the establishment of the CSCSA, scholars interviewed by CSST recently revealed a consensus that civilization constitutes the spiritual foundation distinguishing one country from another. As an important component of Chinese civilization, classical civilization embodies the extraordinary creativity and outstanding wisdom of the Chinese nation, deserving careful preservation and protection across generations. Today, as the world enters a new period of turbulence and transformation marked by mounting uncertainties and instabilities, the power of civilizational exchanges and mutual learning transcends time and space, dissolving barriers and bridging divides. Throughout history, China has consistently placed humanity’s future and well-being at the forefront of its concerns. By rekindling the spark of classical civilization and activating its modern elements, China seeks to inject enduring momentum for addressing modern conflicts and challenges.

Significance of establishing CSCSA

The establishment of the CSCSA is a strategic initiative to implement the Global Civilization Initiative and fulfill the important consensus reached by the leaders of China and Greece. As the first high-level research platform and institution for classical studies established overseas by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, its establishment has sparked a lively discussion in the international academic community.

Andrea Bréard, chair for Sinology with a focus on the Intellectual and Cultural History of China at Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany, said that the establishment of the CSCSA marks a new chapter for exchanges between Chinese and Greek civilizations, transcending time, space and borders. “Both ancient civilizations with long histories and splendid culture, China and Greece will be connected with each other more closely with a new model of dialogue.”

“Xi’s letter shows Chinese leadership values the importance of promoting the inheritance and development of civilizations and exchanges and mutual learning. It also indicates China’s confidence in its own civilization to the world,” she continued. “The establishment of the institute can be regarded as a major step in China’s cultural diplomacy, which means that China is actively committed to the process of world civilization’s progress. I am convinced that China-Greece cultural exchanges will usher in a new era.”

Karl-Heinz Pohl, retired professor emeritus of Sinology form Trier University in Germany, believes that the establishment of the CSCSA is undoubtedly a major event in classical studies around the world, demonstrating China’s foresight in coordinating cultural governance from a global perspective. “This platform marks another landmark in the history of China-Greece cross-cultural exchanges. It is surely a good example of the integration of Eastern and Western cultures. Taking this as an opportunity, academic exchange activities such as site inspections and field investigations will be conducted in the future. Looking ahead, China and Greece, while preserving their own cultural features, will work together for more dynamic dialogues.”

Athens bridging civilizations

Historical interactions between Chinese and Greek civilizations span several centuries and have only strengthened with time. Despite their different origins, the two civilizations complement and illuminate each other in a harmonious and mutually enriching way.

As the capital of Greece, Athens is recognized as the heartland of European civilization and the cradle of Western civilization. In this regard, Pohl explained that the origins of Western civilization can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome. “Ancient Greek civilization, with its profound philosophical thoughts and glorious art, has become the cornerstone of Western classical theory. The city of Athens also made remarkable contributions to politics and legal studies, and its legal system of democracy still inspires modern Western democratic modes.”

Bréard explained that Athens is undoubtedly the birthplace of Western classicism. “More than 2,000 years ago, Athens produced a large number of Western philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and produced a series of classical works of Greek literature, philosophy, art and drama, which are still read today. Homeric texts, Athenian drama and poetry all have a profound influence on modern Western thought,” she said.

Athanasios Stefanis, acting director in the Research Center for Greek and Latin Literature at the Academy of Athens, said that the presence of various classical studies institutions in Athens is very important for Greece and for scientific exchanges. “Many of these institutions have created great libraries on classical antiquity. Also, many of these institutions—archaeological schools—contribute to the knowledge of antiquity through their excavation work in various parts of Greece,” he stated.

Bringing classics up to date

Learning from the past to understand the present, and using ancient history as a mirror for today, is a crucial task with profound implications of the future of humanity. Awakening classical wisdom through modern thoughts and concepts to clear the fog for the future of human civilization is a major cultural issue that concerns our collective destiny.

Filippo Costantini, Visiting Professor in the Department of Philosophy at University of Costa Rica, referenced a brilliant quote from the renowned Italian author Italo Calvino: “A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” In Constantini’s view, a classic must be timeless—a living work that never loses its intrinsic meaning. “To achieve this, it must continuously shape and reshape its significance and value across different times and places. This adaptability is essential because, to be considered a classic, a work must take humanity as a whole as its reference point. It must be comprehensible and relevant in diverse cultural and historical contexts. In this sense, a classic must adapt to the specificities of time and space while continuing to convey universal and timeless values.”

Stefanis believes that while preserving traditions, classics should also actively embrace the wave of modern technology. “In recent years, digital contributions to the humanities have also developed to a significant extent in our country. Research projects are being implemented by younger researchers with the aim of digitizing ancient texts, especially the fragments of tragic and comic poets,” he continued. “Of course, this is even more so in countries such as Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. Here there is much scope for global collaborations in research projects.”

Common treasure of all humanity

Among the diverse forms of human civilization, Chinese civilization stands out for its inclusivity and openness. While remaining grounded in its roots and maintaining its vitality, Chinese civilization continues to innovate, blending the wisdom of its own heritage with other cultures and opening up new horizons.

“Diplomacy in modern China is also characterized by the Confucian tradition, which is why we always find a striving for harmony, an effort to balance interests and an orientation towards understanding the other person’s point of view,” remarked Ilya Kanaev, an associate researcher from the Department of Philosophy at Sun Yat-sen University. “The ancient Chinese concepts of ‘universal harmony’ and ‘harmony among all nations’ have contributed cultural paradigms to an inclusive global governance structure. I believe that the Chinese tradition harbors a great treasure of wisdom and knowledge that is of value to all of humanity, namely in its philosophical schools of Daoism and Confucianism.”

Constantini, in turn, expressed high regard for the core concepts of classical Chinese civilization, represented by harmony, benevolence, and compassion. He emphasized that ancient civilizations continue to shape our contemporary identities and behaviors, with Chinese civilization as one of the greatest examples. “Consider how key concepts found in Chinese classics—such as Harmony (he), Benevolence (ren), Compassion (ci), and many others—remain fundamental and universal in today’s societies. Chinese classical thought, such as Yin and Yang, philosophical tradition and dialectics, is very rich. It shows a balanced worldview and values, as well as reflections on the connection between the universe, nature and society. Today, when increasingly frequent international exchanges take place, traditional Chinese philosophy provides inspiration for solving the crises facing the world.”

Renewing Chinese civilization

While safeguarding ancient classical heritage, Chinese classical studies also bear the responsibility of continuing the Chinese cultural tradition. Rooted in the profound legacy of Chinese classical civilization, this mission involves exploring and extracting the essence of Chinese culture. In his congratulatory letter to the inaugural World Conference of Classics, President Xi Jinping emphasized China’s commitment to the preservation and development of civilizations and expressed hope that experts and scholars will embrace the responsibility of advancing classical studies.

“To bring China’s classical civilization to the world, we need to introduce interdisciplinary and comparative research perspectives,” Pohl said. “‘Chinese classics’ can be defined as a comprehensive discipline, including pre-Qin culture, history, philosophy, and art. It involves the collation, analysis, and interpretation of pre-Qin classics, but also explores the ideas, social structures, cultural elements of these classics and their influence on later generations.”

By reflecting on the history of canonical revisions throughout Chinese dynasties, Kanaev noted that in the Tang Dynasty, or the Ming and Qing dynasties, traditions of inheriting and preserving classics were lauded the world over. “Today, building a Chinese school of classical studies means a new chapter of classical Chinese civilization, and is thus important. As the only civilization in human history that has lasted for more than 5,000 years without interruption, Chinese civilization deserves to be renewed.”

Edited by WANG YOURAN