Nanjing University Dean Reappointed, Launches ‘The Great Beauty of Chinese Characters’ Course
On the afternoon of June 12, the reappointment ceremony of the Dean of the Chinese Calligraphy Research Institute of Nanjing University and the launch ceremony of the general education course “The Great Beauty of Chinese Characters” were held at the Xianlin Campus. Sun Xiaoyun, Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association and Dean of the Chinese Calligraphy Research Institute of Nanjing University, Tan Zhemin, President of Nanjing University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xu Ning, Deputy Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee, and Zhang Chaoyang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Phoenix Publishing and Media Group, attended and spoke. Chen Yunsong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Nanjing University and Director of the School Office, presided over the ceremony.
At the ceremony, Tan Zhemin presented Sun Xiaoyun with the appointment letter of the Dean of the Chinese Calligraphy Research Institute of Nanjing University. During the event, Tan Zhemin, Sun Xiaoyun and Xu Ning jointly launched the “Great Beauty of Chinese Characters” general education course of Nanjing University. The “Great Beauty of Chinese Characters” scroll inscribed by Sun Xiaoyun slowly unfolded, and the “Great Beauty of Chinese Characters” general education course was officially launched. The course is open to all undergraduate students in the university. This is another innovative educational measure of Nanjing University after the first general education course on artificial intelligence AI in universities across the country.
In her speech, Sun Xiaoyun said that General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out during his inspection of Yinxu that “Chinese characters are very remarkable, and the formation and development of the Chinese nation cannot be separated from the maintenance of Chinese characters.” Nanjing University’s “Great Beauty of Chinese Characters” humanities calligraphy general education course is a vivid practice of implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions. She will continue to assist Nanjing University in launching the college humanities calligraphy general education course with the theme of “Great Beauty of Chinese Characters”, and invite national experts to explain the development and evolution of Chinese characters to all students of Nanjing University, so that teachers and students can intuitively feel the unique modeling beauty and artistic beauty of Chinese calligraphy, nourish their souls, inspire their enthusiasm, and create and build a spiritual home on campus with the dissemination of Chinese characters as the core. Guide students to go from shallow to deep, step by step, deeply understand and practice Chinese traditional calligraphy, and be the inheritors, practitioners and promoters of excellent traditional culture, so that the beauty of Chinese characters can truly be rooted in the hearts of every Nanjing University student.
On behalf of the Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, Xu Ning congratulated Sun Xiaoyun on the release of the course and expressed gratitude to Nanjing University for its long-term active participation and support for Jiangsu cultural activities. She pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “calligraphy is a treasure of Chinese culture, containing a lot of spirit and energy, and must be passed on and protected.” As a 120-year-old famous university with a long cultural heritage, vigorous vitality, a gathering of masters, and fruitful results, Nanjing University has always attached importance to the development of art disciplines, pioneered modern art education, and cultivated a large number of calligraphy art talents, playing a positive role in promoting the prosperity and development of Jiangsu calligraphy. This event is not only a continuation of the 120-year cultural heritage, but also an important measure to implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping. It will also help Nanjing University’s literary and artistic work in the new era to reach a new level and achieve new glory.
Zhang Chaoyang said that Chairman Sun Xiaoyun is a leading figure in contemporary Chinese calligraphy, and is well-known throughout the country and abroad, with far-reaching influence. Over the years, she has been adhering to a high degree of cultural awareness, insisting on popularizing calligraphy knowledge and cultural essence to the public, and promoting the excellent traditional Chinese culture with calligraphy art. Phoenix Publishing and Media Group took this opportunity to present nearly 20 fine calligraphy books written by Sun Xiaoyun and multilingual versions of “Calligraphy Has Rules” to Nanjing University. In the future, the Group will continue to provide good services for Chairman Sun Xiaoyun and Nanjing University teachers and students, promote calligraphy art into campuses and classrooms, and provide high-quality spiritual food for the improvement of contemporary college students’ aesthetic literacy.
Chen Yunsong pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “it is our new cultural mission in the new era to continue to promote cultural prosperity, build a cultural power, and build a modern civilization of the Chinese nation from a new starting point”. Calligraphy is an important carrier of the profound cultural heritage and historical accumulation of Chinese civilization. Strengthening calligraphy research and calligraphy education in universities is of great significance to the implementation of the fundamental task of cultivating morality and promoting the innovative development and creative transformation of China’s excellent traditional culture. This is also the purpose of Nanjing University’s opening of the “Great Beauty of Chinese Characters” general education course. It is expected that under the strong leadership of Chairman Sun Xiaoyun, the Nanjing University Chinese Calligraphy Research Institute will become better and better, and the quality of the “Great Beauty of Chinese Characters” general education course will become higher and higher, which will effectively promote the excellent traditional Chinese culture represented by calligraphy to become popular on the Nanjing University campus and even in Jiangsu.
Lu Xiancai, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Nanjing University, introduced the basic situation of the general education course “The Great Beauty of Chinese Characters”. He said that the opening of the general education course “The Great Beauty of Chinese Characters” is inseparable from the rich aesthetic education tradition of Nanjing University, the original mission of Nanjing University to “provide the best undergraduate education in China”, and the achievements and contributions of Chairman Sun Xiaoyun.
According to reports, “The Great Beauty of Chinese Characters” is the first general aesthetic education course led by Chairman Sun Xiaoyun and opened to undergraduate students at Nanjing University. The course will further enrich the system structure of our school’s general education courses and the aesthetic education connotation of “The Great Beauty of Nanjing University, Each One Has Its Own Beauty”. Focusing on the inheritance and development of Chinese calligraphy, “using literature to promote the cause, using literature to cultivate the roots, using literature to establish the mind, and using literature to shape the soul”, it helps students fully experience the cultural connotation and artistic charm of Chinese calligraphy, inherit and carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture, stimulate the spirit of innovation and creative potential, and in cultural exchanges, add depth to telling Chinese stories well and amplify the voice of China.
At the book donation ceremony, Zhang Chaoyang and Huang Xianjin, director of the Nanjing University Library, jointly unveiled the donated books, and Huang Xianjin presented the donation certificate to Zhang Chaoyang.
After the meeting, Chairman Sun Xiaoyun also signed autographs for the teachers and students present.
Also attending the meeting were representatives from the publishing house, as well as responsible persons from relevant units such as the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of Nanjing University, the Department of Social Sciences, the Undergraduate School, the Library, and the Cultural and Art Center, as well as teacher representatives and student representatives.
It is reported that the Chinese Calligraphy Research Institute of Nanjing University was established in June 2018. It is an important measure for Nanjing University to carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture, “promote the national quintessence and integrate new knowledge”, and it also opens a new chapter of the school’s “three-dimensional education and five-dimensional education”. In the past six years, under the leadership of Chairman Sun Xiaoyun, the Calligraphy Research Institute has combined Chinese calligraphy research with education, carried out major themes creation, held theme lectures, expanded public welfare projects, carried out volunteer services, published calligraphy books and national core journals in the field of calligraphy research, and built the Institute into a Jiangzuo town for cultural inheritance and development, and played an important role in building the “first Nanjing University” that General Secretary Xi Jinping has high hopes for, and in the innovative development and creative transformation of the excellent traditional Chinese culture.