The Department of Chinese frequently hosts academic conferences! After the 11th International Conference on Literature and Aesthetics from May 8 to 9, it held a lecture on Artistic Skills of Folk Song Singing and Cross-Talk Performance on May 13. Moreover, on May 14, the Department organized a meeting for undergraduates to present their research papers.

The theme of the International Conference on Literature and Aesthetics was the Aesthetic Fusion of Chivalric Fiction and Literary Theories. More than 180 scholars from Austria, Japan and Mainland China, etc. attended the conference and 26 papers were presented. The Chair of the Department of Chinese Cheng Tsong Tsui said that every paper had its unique opinion. They not only achieved the goal of academic exchanges, but also pointed out some new research directions for the Department of Chinese.

For the folklore lecture, the Department invited the Chair of the Hanlin Folklore Talking and Singing Art Group Zhen-quan Wang to give a lecture on “The Long Journey for 25 Years of Talking and Singing.” He mainly focused on the charm of the spoken language in cross-talks. Spanish sophomore Yan-ying Liao mentioned that after the lecture she could understand the deeper and humorous connotations of cross-talks.

Besides, the Department also invited 6 faculty members to comment on the 6 undergraduate research papers at the Meeting on May 14. Students exchanged, observed and encouraged one another at the Meeting. One of the presenters, Chinese freshman Jun-tang Wang said that the biggest harvest was the style and form of research paper writing. She also mentioned that she had learned to express ideas more clearly afterwards.

( ~Dean X. Wang )