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  • 2014-10-31
The 10th Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies Opens in the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

At 2 p.m. on October 31st, 2014 in Prague, Czech, both National Central Library(NCL)’s Director-general Shu-hsien Tseng and Director Ondřej Beránek of the Oriental Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic(ASCR) signed a cooperative memorandum to establish a Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies (TRCCS). And the opening ceremony followed as well. Such agreement was witnessed by Mei-yu Hsueh, the representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Prague, Ing. Martin Lhotak, the director of Library of the ASCR and Olga Lomová, the professor of Charles University as well as other professors, sinologists and professionals from Charles University and other Czech institutes on Chinese studies.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Representative Hsueh expressed her congratulations regarding the establishment of the TRCCS. She believes that the rich resources of Chinese Studies from Taiwan will be able to help promote the research resource for the Oriental Institute. During Director-general Tseng’s remarks, she especially thanked the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Prague, the ASCR and all involved for their concerted effort in setting up milestone of NCL’s overseas spread of Chinese studies along the way. Director-general Tseng also stated that the issue of China's sovereignty has been noticed during Czech President Miloš Zeman’s visit to Beijing. Thus, the setting of the 10th TRCCS that opened in the ASCR means a lot. Moreover, the substantive relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic will continue developing firmly.

During Director Ing. Martin Lhotak’s remarks, he introduced some important international scholarly exchange projects in recent years and many of the projects were implemented and cooperated with Taiwan. Professor Olga Lomová also mentioned that the Charles University has signed cooperation agreements with National Taiwan University and other European universities. In 1996, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China also sponsored the honorary visiting professor lecture. In 1997, Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation established the International Sinological Center at Charles University in 1997 and supported many academic activities and strives to develop a closer cooperation between European sinological institutes.

Many countries in East Asian have also launched a number of exchange activities. She also addressed that the resource of the TRCCS will be great resources for the researchers and emphasized that it is also the best choice to establish the TRCCS at the ASCR. Director Ondřej Beránek also indicated that the TRCCS will be the beginning for future bilateral academic cooperation. Such database will provide researchers with valuable resources and a researchers-friendly environment at the same time.

The three main sinological institutes in Czech are the Oriental Institute of the ASCR located in Prague, the Institute of East Asian Studies of the Faculty of Philosophy at Charles University, and the Far Eastern Department at the Faculty of Philosophy at Palacky University in Olomouc. The ASCR is one of the oldest Oriental and Southeast Asian research institutes in Central and Eastern Europe. The Oriental Institute’s library has over 300,000 books, manuscripts, and periodicals, of which 70,000 are in Chinese. Taiwan has a delighted and long-term relationship with the ASCR. For example, beginnings in 1997 there have been a total of 13 scholars who have received fellowships for research in Taiwan. Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology also signed an agreement with the ASCR to initiate a Project-based Personnel Exchange Program (PPP) in the hopes of increasing interaction and cooperation between the two countries.

Taiwan’s “Center for Chinese Studies” was established in 1981. It is co-managed by NCL and has achieved much in terms of the acquisition of Chinese study materials, dynamic reporting, publication of books and journals, establishment of databases, awarding of foreign scholar grants, and holding scholarly events. It is well recognized by the academic community both in Taiwan and abroad. To further promote international scholarly exchange, in 2012 NCL began actively working with prestigious universities and important Chinese studies institutions to establish TRCCS, with the hope that it will expand scholarly resources in Taiwan Chinese studies, enlarge the scope of exchange between Taiwan and sinologists abroad, and increase the tolerance between different cultures. The 10th TRCCS at the ASCR is a critically important resource for the ASCR and the neighboring Charles University. This is an important location for both the Academy of Science and its neighboring Charles University.

The Chinese holdings at the ASCR are centered on Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, Chinese breathing and Daoism, and Buddhist thought. After the ceremony, Director-general Tseng donated replicas of the Annotated Poetry of Su Dongpo, a national treasure of the Republic of China that is more than 800 years old, and the Diamond Sutra. Those will be valuable resources for researchers of Buddhist thought here in the Czech Republic. It is hoped that these donations will add to the Oriental Institute of the ASCR’s collection, serve as a witness to this historic moment in collaboration between the two libraries, and provide opportunities for further collaboration.

The ASCR also arranges the guide tour of the Lu Xun Library(魯迅圖書館) that is the second largest library in the Oriental Institute for the honorable guests. The library houses approximately 70,000-item rare collection of Chinese sources including the literary criticism and histories of Chinese literature written in 1919-1949.

It is worth mentioning that there are four generations of sinologists participating the ceremony, including 93-year-old Emeritus Vĕna Hrdlicková as the first generation, 82-year-old Zlata Černá as the second generation, Professor Olga Lomová as the third generation,together with Postdoctoral Fellow Ondřej Klimes and Professor Jiří Hudeček as the fourth generation. It is really impressive and appealing that there is a historical tradition of research on the Chinese studies in the Czech Republic. And then the TRCCS at the ASCR will definitely help researchers for more.

Last Update Time:2015-11-17
  • All guests are invited to take a tour of the Lu Xun Library after the ceremony.
    All guests are invited to take a tour of the Lu Xun Library after the ceremony.
  • Director-general Tseng and the NCL staff pose for a group photo at the TRCCS.
    Director-general Tseng and the NCL staff pose for a group photo at the TRCCS.
  • The Four generations of sinologists pose for a group photo.
    The Four generations of sinologists pose for a group photo.
  • Director-general Tseng introduces Representative Hsueh to the Diamond Sutra.
    Director-general Tseng introduces Representative Hsueh to the Diamond Sutra.
  • Representative Hsueh and Director Ondřej Beránek pose for a group photo.
    Representative Hsueh and Director Ondřej Beránek pose for a group photo.
  • All honored guests pose for a group photo after the signing ceremony.
    All honored guests pose for a group photo after the signing ceremony.
  • Director-general Tseng donates replicas of the Annotated Poetry of Su Dongpo and the Diamond Sutra.
    Director-general Tseng donates replicas of the Annotated Poetry of Su Dongpo and the Diamond Sutra.
  • The TRCCS is unveiled at the Oriental Institute of ASCR.
    The TRCCS is unveiled at the Oriental Institute of ASCR.
  • NCL’s Director-general Tseng and Director Ondřej Beránek of the Oriental Institute sign a cooperative memorandum during the opening ceremony.
    NCL’s Director-general Tseng and Director Ondřej Beránek of the Oriental Institute sign a cooperative memorandum during the opening ceremony.
  • Remarks by Director-general Tseng, Director Ing. Martin Lhotak and Director Ondřej Beránek at the opening ceremony
    Remarks by Director-general Tseng, Director Ing. Martin Lhotak and Director Ondřej Beránek at the opening ceremony
  • Before the ceremony
    Before the ceremony
  • Representative Hsueh makes small talk with sinologists.
    Representative Hsueh makes small talk with sinologists.
  • Director-general Tseng makes small talk with sinologists and visiting fellows.
    Director-general Tseng makes small talk with sinologists and visiting fellows.
  • Director-general Tseng, Director Ondřej Beránek of Oriental Institute and Dr. Ondřej Klimes pose for a group photo.
    Director-general Tseng, Director Ondřej Beránek of Oriental Institute and Dr. Ondřej Klimes pose for a group photo.
  • Director-general Tseng and Director Ing. Martin Lhotak pose for a photo.
    Director-general Tseng and Director Ing. Martin Lhotak pose for a photo.