Collections at the archaeological library of the CSCSA Photo: Wang Zhou/CSST

On Nov. 7, the first World Conference of Classics kicked off in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the significant academic event. From the historical and contemporary height of ensuring the sustainability of Chinese civilization as well as the prosperity and symbiosis of global civilizations, the letter profoundly elaborates on a series of major theoretical and practical issues regarding strengthening cultural exchanges between China and Greece, implementing the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. It again encapsulates and vividly illustrates Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, providing fundamental principles and actionable guidance as we shoulder the mission of consolidating the civilizational foundation for building a human community with a shared future through classical studies. Guided by the spirit of the congratulatory letter and seizing opportunities presented by the inaugural World Conference of Classics, we should intensify classical studies and strive to construct a Chinese school in this field to actively advance exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, ensuring that Chinese voices are heard loud and clear. 

First, we should adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture unequivocally. The development, progress, and prosperity of classics are inseparable from the direction provided by scientific theory. Western classics have long dominated the international classics community, largely shaped by perspectives, methodologies, and frameworks rooted in the interests of Western ruling classes. As a result, their research has been confined to the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, leading to conclusions with inherent class and temporal limitations. For Chinese classical studies to overcome these limitations and surpass Western classics, Chinese scholarship must adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Culture firmly as its fundamental guide. It is essential to integrate the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter to the inaugural World Conference of Classics with the broader implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, particularly his significant statements on historical sciences, weaving them accurately through all aspects of classical studies. 

Second, we should establish a Chinese school for classical studies. The emergence of a school of thought signifies academic prosperity and the maturity of a discipline. Advancing Chinese classical studies and building an independent knowledge system in this field requires the creation of a Chinese school that preserves history, inherits culture, and carries forward academic traditions. This effort is not aimed at aligning with the West, nor at validating or extolling Western culture. Instead, it seeks to better showcase China’s time-honored, splendid civilization to the world, highlighting and promoting Chinese stances, values, and spirit. Chinese classical studies shoulders the lofty mission of defining Chinese civilization’s historical and academic status in the history of world civilization more explicitly. To achieve this, we must strengthen the independence and innovation of the knowledge system for classical studies, adopting a global perspective while rejecting Western centrism. 

Third, we should promote academic development amid exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. Exchanges and mutual learning are an indispensable path for the evolution, development, and flourishing of world civilization. The uninterrupted history of the Chinese nation over more than 5,000 years is rooted in its historical orientation toward interaction, communication, and integration, attributable to its cultural openness and inclusiveness toward civilizations around the world. 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, adding that China is dedicated to enhancing international people-to-people exchanges and fostering global dialogues among civilizations, seeking wisdom and drawing nourishment from different civilizations. Chinese classical studies must uphold the spirit of this congratulatory letter and make the implementation of the GCI the historical mission of the field, following the principles of openness and inclusiveness, and treating each civilization with the scientific attitude of “assimilating the essence and discarding the dross.” 

Fourth, we must properly tell the stories of Chinese civilization in an academic manner. Amplifying China’s voices and spreading its fine traditional culture is the basic point of departure for Chinese classical studies. Chinese classical studies is tasked with extracting and refining the essence of China’s extensive and profound civilization, reinforcing the historical roots of cultural confidence, and establishing a strong civilizational base for cultural subjectivity. We should fully leverage the power of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture to uncover the treasures of classical Chinese civilization, and explore both contemporary and future-oriented intellectual and discursive innovation. Only by grounding ourselves in Chinese civilization’s magnificent 5,000-year-long history can we offer insightful answers to the questions of what defines China and why it has evolved as it has. This will serve to enrich the Chinese discourse system and framework along the dimensions of history and civilization while refining the logic of the Chinese narrative system, which will aid in making the culturally rich and profound Chinese civilization more comprehensible to the world. The newly established Chinese School of Classical Studies at Athens should advance this mission by academically presenting China’s civilizational narrative, promoting civilizational exchanges and mutual learning, and boosting the growth and sublimation of human civilization. 

Edited by CHEN MIRONG