China News Service, Berlin, April 4th: Title: My interest in China runs throughout my life
——Exclusive interview with German sinologist Luo Meijun
China News Service reporter Ma Xiuxiu
Mechthild Leutner, a famous German sinologist and foreign director of the Confucius Institute at Freie Universität Berlin, is one of the first German students to study in China since the founding of New China. Since she first set foot on Chinese soil in 1974, her association with China has lasted for nearly 50 years. She once said that the study of China Studies/Sinology made her feel very happy.
How did she connect with China thousands of miles away? What efforts has the Confucius Institute at Freie Universität Berlin made to enhance mutual understanding between Germany and China? How does sinological research promote the development of Germany-China relations? Focusing on the above topics, Luo Meijun recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service's "East-West Question".
The interview transcript is summarized as follows:
China News Service reporter: Can you share your fate with Sinology? What made you become interested in China?
Luo Meijun:
On my 15th birthday, I received a book about the Jesuit priest Thomas John as a gift. His life in China fascinated me deeply. From this, I began to read more books about China, including books on history and philosophy, and began to pay attention to China's contemporary development. Driven by this interest, I enrolled in two Chinese studies and history courses at the Ruhr-University Bochum and began to learn Chinese. After Germany established diplomatic relations with China, I applied for and later received a Chinese scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in 1973. I went to the then Beijing Language Institute to study Chinese, and to Peking University to study modern Chinese history.
In 1974, Luo Meijun participated in voluntary work on the campus of the then Beijing Language Institute. Photo provided by interviewee
In 1978, I obtained a teaching assistant position at the Freie Universität Berlin and began to assist in teaching courses on Chinese state and sociology. In 1990, I was promoted to professor of Sinology at the school. In 1981, Freie Universität Berlin and Peking University signed a cooperation agreement, which was the first direct cooperation agreement between universities in the two countries. On this basis, the two parties jointly launched a series of projects, allowing scholars from the two universities to conduct research and teach at each other's schools. Around 2004, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt University Berlin jointly established the German Research Center at Peking University. In 2006, Peking University and Freie Universität Berlin jointly established the Confucius Institute.
My interest in China has lasted throughout my life. As a scholar, analyzing China’s modern history and current situation has always been a topic of constant concern to me. My study of China is much more than a professional routine.
China News Service reporter: What have you gained from your Sinology research?
Luo Meijun:
I feel very lucky. Because throughout my studies and long career, I have been able to focus on the topic that interests me the most: the development of China. Through research on China, I pass on my understanding of China to students and the public who are interested in China. At the same time, I have had many very friendly cooperation and exchanges with Chinese colleagues, students and people from all walks of life. These experiences have greatly enriched my professional and personal life.
In 1974, Luo Meijun was in Beijing. Photo provided by interviewee
China News Service reporter: What kind of development and changes have you witnessed in China in the past 50 years? In your opinion, what is the internal logic of this development?
Luo Meijun:
In the past 50 years, China has developed into a relatively modern industrialized country. In many places, the agricultural life and production methods still seen in the 1970s have been replaced by industrialization and even, more recently, digitization. These huge changes, especially the development in the past ten years, are reflected in various aspects: for example, in the process of urbanization, in the country's huge scientific and technological achievements, and in the development of innovative culture, which has transformed the country. Tradition and international trends are skillfully combined.
This development is of course also reflected in universities. For example, when I first went to Peking University in 1974, the learning and living conditions there were very primitive. Although the library has an excellent collection of ancient books and periodicals, there are almost no new foreign publications and almost no advanced equipment. Today, Peking University is one of the world's leading universities, with well-equipped libraries and laboratories, and an international network of distinguished scholars. The school is a leader in technology and digitalisation.
When it comes to the logic of development and change, I think that in universities, like society as a whole, people are very active and dedicated in improving their living and working conditions and striving to develop society into a modern society. No matter in the past or now, everyone has made great efforts to build such a modern society.
On the evening of September 3, 2023, Peking University held the "Freshmen First Run" event, a classic project for the new semester and freshmen education. About 4,000 freshmen started running together. Photo by Yi Haifei
China News Service Reporter: As the first Confucius Institute in Germany, what efforts has the Confucius Institute at Freie Universität Berlin made since its establishment to enhance mutual understanding between China and Germany? What do you think of some misunderstandings about Confucius Institutes in some Western media?
Luo Meijun:
Since its establishment in 2006, the Confucius Institute at Freie Universität Berlin has carried out numerous projects in the fields of language and teacher training, culture and academics. Freie Universität Berlin and Peking University jointly support the construction of the Confucius Institute, and the two parties have maintained fruitful cooperation, which has benefited us a lot. Both universities are outstanding universities in their respective countries and jointly organize many seminars and lectures covering historical and contemporary topics, providing a platform for knowledge exchange and dialogue for all those interested in China, both inside and outside the university. In recent years, we have organized many seminars on Germany-China relations and published relevant papers.
Recently, we have also cooperated with some primary and secondary schools in Berlin and organized China Day activities. It can be seen that students are increasingly interested in China. For many years, further training of Chinese language teachers has also been an important issue of our concern. In this regard, we have received valuable professional support from colleagues at Peking University. We also collaborate with other German institutions and individuals on projects to let more people know about interesting topics related to China. For example, we had an exhibition about John Rabe, and an exhibition about Hermann Brel - a businessman from Bremen who worked in Shanghai from 1906 to 1952 and devoted his life to the development of German-Chinese economic relations.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition about Bremen businessman Hermann Breuer. Photo provided by interviewee
In the past few years, we have introduced Chinese artists living in Berlin more frequently in the cultural field, who present their work through exhibitions or concerts. A Chinese calligrapher once artistically presented core concepts in German philosophy in calligraphy. These works have received widespread attention, including from the German media, because of their cross-cultural characteristics. The events we host are in high demand and well attended. We believe that we have made important contributions to cultural and academic exchanges, and these activities have also made people understand that some media misunderstandings about the Confucius Institute are groundless.
Students experience calligraphy courses held by the Confucius Institute at Freie Universität Berlin. Photo provided by interviewee
China News Service reporter: In your opinion, how should the current relations between China and Germany be viewed objectively? What role can sinological studies play in promoting the development of relations between the two countries?
Luo Meijun:
Currently, Germany-China relations are undergoing political readjustment. This adjustment takes place against the backdrop of crises and challenges facing the world. Compared with the past, these crises and challenges have affected the development of Germany-China relations more. In this context, different interests and perspectives begin to emerge. During this period of transition, it has become particularly important to conduct a rational analysis of the current situation and work hard to find solutions that promote the development of Germany-China relations. In this regard, sinology and China studies scholars, as well as cultural and academic exchanges between Germany and China, can play a special and important role.
In times of uncertainty, the importance of maintaining and strengthening cultural and academic exchanges is particularly acute. Culture and scholarship have special attributes and should be independent of politics to a certain extent. Especially in terms of academic development, pure national knowledge production is no longer possible in today's society. Knowledge production and innovation have become global in nature and require international exchanges in order to be able to solve the major problems facing humanity today. Scholars studying China can play a unique bridging role in exchanges between Germany and China. (over)
Interviewee profile:
Mechthild Leutner is a famous German sinologist and the foreign director of the Confucius Institute at Freie Universität Berlin. His main research field is the transformation process of Chinese politics, society and ideology since the 19th century. He has published a large number of works in the fields of the history of Sino-German relations and the image of China in Germany. He has long been committed to promoting Chinese teaching and spreading Chinese culture in German society. and promote exchanges and interactions between Chinese and German academic circles.