• 2015-08-28

“Taiwan Lectures on Chinese Studies” and an exhibition of ancient Chinese books opened with a bang at the National Library of Latvia.
Beginning in 2011, CCS has held between six and seven sessions of its “Taiwan Lectures on Chinese Studies” at locations overseas. It has also put on an exhibition of ancient book that shows for research achievements in Chinese studies in Taiwan. On August 27, 2015 CCS, the National Library of Latvia, and the University of Latvia co-hosted this recent session of “Taiwan Lectures on Chinese Studies,” as well as the “Exhibition: Imprints of Civilization.” About 100 special guests were in attendance, including Representative Kuang-yueh Ko from the Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia, Latvian parliament members, and cultural officials, and others.

The exhibition runs from August 27 through October 30 at the National Library of Latvia. This is the first exhibition of its kind in Europe, following three large exhibitions by the CCS in the U.S. during 2012-2013. Each of these were an important milestone.

This exhibition was focused on the development history of Chinese printing and related technologies, including the writing, printing, and distribution of books and other book-related activities. On display were inventions related to printing techniques and the developments in the printing industry. These showed the influence printing had on traditional social values in China. The exhibition also provided attendees the opportunities to try their hand at block printing, movable-type printing, thread-bound books, and Chinese calligraphy, allowing them to better understand Chinese culture and the content of the exhibition.

CCS also invited Prof. Siao-chen Hu, a research fellow at the Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy in Academia Sinica, to speak on “Burning the Midnight Oil: The Making of Verse Narrative Texts by Qing Women.” Hu’s lecture explored the development and change in female Plucking Rhymes novels during the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as the creation, acceptance, presentation, and publication of this genre.

Representative Kuang-yueh Ko (left 4th) from the Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia with the attendees

Prof Hu (left 4th) with Director of the National Library of Latvia, Andris Vilks (left 3rd) and Moderator Prof. Frank Kraushaar (left 2nd) from University of Latvia.