Peking University, Nov. 14, 2012: Peter Kupfer, professor of Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, delivered his speech entitled "Reflections on the Role of Chinese Language and Culture in a Globalizing World" on November 3.

As a specialist of Chinese Language and Culture, Peter Kupfer witnessed the popularity of Chinese language among the world. Since the Reform and Opening-up in China, the education of Chinese as a second language has thrived throughout the world, becoming a transcultural and international cooperative enterprise, as well as an element of Chinese soft power in culture.

Professor Kupfer committed the flexible and diversified approaches in Chinese teaching these years. "Nevertheless, there are some crucial problems remain to be settled," he then pointed out one that despite its seeming popularity, those are rare who further their Chinese study to a relatively high level.

The situation, in Kupfer’s eyes, could be attributed to several aspects.

The long-term booming of Confucius Institutes, a branding project promoting the spreading of Chinese culture, is running into a tighter and tighter bottleneck to enhance the quality on expanding the quantity. As for its staff, the current main force of volunteers without formal qualifications is not likely to survive in the long run of the developed societies, while the training mechanism appears too weak to produce enough professional teachers. Furthermore, ever in the prosperous age of publishing, the diverse needs of foreign learners can hardly be met by hundreds of Chinese textbooks.

In viewing of these problems, Professor Kupter elaborated his solution, "The foremost task is to define and interpret 'CULTURE', a concept of complexity. From this perspective, some traditional concept on ‘conflict-habituated cultures’ is no longer in accordance with the trend of globalization. On the contrary, culture is a soft power of a nation, spreading in its own regularity."

When it comes to the further development strategies of Confucius Institutes, Professor Kupfer shared his advice, "Chinese culture is so tremendous a system of compatibility that a few of certain symbols, such as Chinese Kungfu and Chinese Knots, are not able to outline it, not to mention to contribute to its further development. The process of applying cultural elements to commercial production has been noticeably accelerated, yet the essence of Chinese culture is always supposed to persist."

Professor Kupfer appealed the cooperation of Chinese teaching, “The International Society for Chinese Language Teaching can undoubtedly promote the academic unity among different countries and institutes, leading a more cooperative and dynamic development in Chinese teaching as a second language.”

In the end, Professor Kupfer extended his concerns in Chinese teaching, for the difference between cultures, values and thinking patterns would hinder the expansion of Chinese-speaking territory. The ways to dissolve the inter-nation gaps and to enhance the acceptance and attraction of the cultures are the key issues to be reconsidered, he stressed again.

Reported by: Meng Yiran

Edited by: Arthars