From September 27th to 29th, 2010, the third World Confucian Conference was grandly held at Qufu, Shandong province. The former vice chairman of National People’s Congress and renowned sinologist Xu Jialu, the vice governor of Shandong province Huang Sheng, the former president of Shandong provincial People’s Political Consultative Conference Mo Zhenkui, the secretary of the Party committee of Beijing Normal University Liu Chuansheng, the deputy secretary general of Shandong provincial government Si Anmin, the director of Shandong provincial Department of Culture and general secretary of the World Confucian Conference Kang Qingquan, vice director of Shandong provincial government Li Guolin, assistant of the dean of Chinese National Academy of Arts and director of Culture Development Strategy Research Center Jia Leilei, the secretary of the Party Committee and director of People’s Congress of Jining city Sun Shougang, the executive general secretary of the World Confucian Conference and secretary of the Party Committee of Confucius Research Institute Zhuang Jinlan attended the conference. The former president of C.P.P.C.C. Ye Xuanping sent congratulation speech for the conference. The deputy minister of China Ministry of Culture and dean of Chinese National Academy of Arts Wang Wenzhang gave speech for the conference.
     The World Confucian Conference is an international Confucian event co-sponsored by Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China and People’s Government of Shandong Province and organized by Chinese National Academy of Arts, Shandong Provincial Department of Culture, China Confucius Foundation, International Confucian Association, People’s Government of Ji’ning City and Confucius Research Institute. The purpose is to organize and hold Confucianism research activity all over the world, to promote the indepth development of Confucianism research in various countries and regions, to inherit and spread Chinese excellent traditional culture, to promote the dialogue and exchange among different civilizations, and to strengthen the understanding and trust among people from different nations.
     Since the inaugural meeting in 2007, three sessions of the World Confucian Conference have been held. This session of the World Confucian Conference adheres to the purpose of the former ones, building independent and equal academic atmosphere, encouraging trans-disciplinary, trans-industrial Confucianism research, both paying attention to the theoretical value of Confucianism and combining Confucianism research with the specific issues of realistic life to the effect of enhancing the realistic significance of Confucianism research. 200 Confucian experts and scholars of 86 Confucian organizations and academic institutes from 16 countries and regions such as the mainland of China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Britain, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Ukraine, Ireland, U.S.A., Brazil, and Australia carried out indepth discussion and extensive exchange around the topics of “the development with times and international spread of Confucianism”, “Confucianism and aesthetics”, “Confucianism and ethics”, “Confucianism and the multi-cultural development”.
     In this conference, the winning individual and organization of the second session of “Confucius Culture Prize” was selected. They are the director of Confucianism Research Center of Shandong University Mr. Pang Pu and International Confucian Association.
     In his speech, the deputy minister of China Ministry of Culture and dean of Chinese National Academy of Arts Wang Wenzhang pointed out that Confucianism is the backbone of Chinese traditional culture and prospers for thousands of years. In modern times, as the social change and development, Confucianism experienced the process of modernization, and grows a lot during its dialogue with the western culture. It nourished the cultural personality and spiritual temperament of Chinese people, cast the inner soul of Chinese culture and became an important part of world civilization. The World Confucian Conference, as the annual grand event to carry forward Chinese excellent traditional culture, gathered the Confucian scholars here every year to study Confucianism, explore the mystery of Chinese traditional culture, and to spread the Chinese cultural classics.
     The vice governor of Shandong province Huang Sheng pointed out that in the open globalization, in order to continue the vitality of Confucianism, we must bring Confucianism to the world, to the society so as to reflect the life value and humanism and to “apply it in daily life” and “benefit the great public”. The World Confucian Conference is an international event on Confucianism research, the important carrier of cultural exchange, and the bridge that we should the contemporary Confucianism value to the world.
     The scholars both domestic and from abroad held a warm discussion around the topics of this conference.
     During this session of the World Confucian Conference, the National Renowned Private Enterprises Executive “Learning Chinese Traditional Rites” activity was held, which promoted the material popularization of Confucianism. (written by Song Zhenzhong, photo by Kong Yong)