A symposium on the overseas spread of traditional Chinese operas was held by the National Research Center of Overseas Sinology at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) via video link on June 25. The event sought to explore the circulation, translation and influence of traditional Chinese operas from a global perspective.

The virtual event drew the attendance of over 70 experts, scholars and students from 35 universities and research institutes at home and abroad, such as Peking University, Renmin University of China, the Central Academy of Drama, St. Petersburg State University, the National Library of China, and Mei Lanfang Memorial Museum.

A symposium on the overseas spread of traditional Chinese operas is held by the National Research Center of Overseas Sinology at BFSU via video link on June 25. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Liang Yan, head of the National Research Center of Overseas Sinology, presided over the online gathering.

In his opening remarks, Tao Jiajun, director of the Office of Academic Research at BFSU, hailed the achievements made by experts in their studies from the perspective of cross-cultural communication. He said their participation presented a feast for thought.

Gong Baorong, a professor from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, shared with attendees his research findings and expounded on the influence of modern Chinese culture on Armand Gatti, a famous French dramatist.

Gong concluded that it is necessary to conduct studies on the overseas dissemination of traditional Chinese operas.

The symposium consisted of two keynote speech sessions and five parallel forums.

Liu Zhen, curator of the Mei Lanfang Memorial Museum; Wang Tingxin, executive vice-dean of the Institute of Arts at the Communication University of China; Zhang Bing, a researcher at Peking University, and dozens of professionals from other domestic universities and research institutes gave speeches.

During the forums, attendees held in-depth talks on the following topics: the overseas spread and translation of traditional Chinese operas, the overseas influence and acceptance of traditional Chinese operas, the history and present state of overseas traditional Chinese opera studies, the interaction between traditional Chinese and foreign operas, and comparative studies on traditional Chinese and foreign operas.

The National Research Center of Overseas Sinology, which conducts research on sinology and the spread of Chinese culture in foreign countries and regions, had sponsored relevant symposiums on the spread of traditional Chinese operas in Asia, Europe and North America in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

In recent years, it has trained doctoral graduates and post-doctorate fellows to carry out academic studies of the overseas spread of traditional Chinese operas and how they contributed to the overseas spread of Chinese culture.

The symposium received the coverage of Guangming Daily, chinanews.com and other influential media outlets.