Beijing Forum

By now, the preparatory work of the Panel Session on History, Beijing Forum 2006, has completed. The present Panel Session on History has the following characteristics:

I. Prominent Theme
This year’s Panel Session on History assumes the theme “Evolution of Civilizations: Historical Experiences in the Modern Times of the East and the West”. According to the chair of the session, this theme is very much in agreement with the general theme of Beijing Forum.

The general theme of Beijing Forum, “Harmony of Civilizations and Prosperity for All”, is designated by the late Vice President of Peking University and renowned historian He Fangchuan. And the Forum aims to promote the academic innovation and social advances in the world, especially in the Asia-Pacific region through discussions of scholars in the humanities and social sciences, in a view to contribute to the peaceful development and common prosperity of humankind. Against the background of the much advocated “civilization clash” theory and unilateralism, this theme is thought highly of by the insightful scholars in the world and also by The Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, which has decided to provide support without reserve.

In the earlier preparatory work, under the guidance of the late Prof. He, the theme for the Panel Session on History was proposed as “Evolution of Civilizations: Historical Experiences in the Modern Times of the East and the West”. This theme is not only in agreement with the general theme of Beijing Forum, but also leads to further studies of the general theme of the Forum from a historical perspective. In recent year, against the background of social transition and civilizational integration, how should the different countries and nations do with their cultural heritage and promote the dynamic development and innovation in the globalization? How to catch historical opportunities and choose their own fate? These are questions that confront the whole world. Around these questions, the various Eastern and Western countries and nations have created the modern history which is featured by changes and contributed to the colorful world. Now, around this theme, many historians gather in Beijing and conduct discussions on the development paths and historical characteristics of the diversified world civilizations, to facilitate the understanding and dialogues of civilizations and strengthen harmony, solve conflicts, eliminate gaps, and boost prosperity. The many papers contributed by the participants also make up of a key note of the present world.

This year’s Panel Session on History has three different groups. Group-A takes “The Exchange and Interaction between China and the World” as the theme and emphasizes on inspecting the historical contradictions in the exchanges between the Eastern and Western Civilizations and the solutions to these contradictions. In this group, the interaction between China and the rest of the world is highlighted. Group-B takes “The Clash and Integration of Civilizations” as its theme and explores a wider variety of issues concerning the common historical experience in the development of world civilizations. Group-C takes “Experience of Historical Experience” as the theme and explores the regional experiences and global interaction between different civilizations. It is based on specific historical facts with foci in Egypt, India, the U.S.A., and E.U.

The three groups of the panel session inspect the dialogue between the East and the West from the viewpoint of China-foreign interaction based on the analyses of multi-cases. They are inter-connected and complement each other around the general theme of the Forum.

II A Gathering of Prominent Scholars
Since the panel session explores the problems along the road of peace and prosperity of different civilizations of the world and aims to draw on the common experience of humankind, it invites scholars from 16 countries and regions from the five continents, representing the whole world. The participants are from both the developed countries and the developing countries alike, Europe, America, Japan, Egypt, India, Turkey, Chile, Mexico, and so on.

Given that the previous two years’ Panel Sessions on History are famous for its rigorousness and high quality and have won wide acclaim and exerted a great influence. A large number of knowledgeable scholars accept this year’s invitation with pleasure, and some even asked to be here on their own. Among the participants are such internationally renowned figures as Jonathan D. Spence, lecture professor of honor of Yale University, former president of the American Historical Association, and academician with American Academy of Arts and Sciences; H. T. Dickinson, professor of History of University of Edinburgh and former president of British Royal Historical Society; Akira Iriye, lecture professor of Harvard University, academician with American Academy of Arts and Sciences, former president of the American Historical Association, and one of the most renowned contemporary scholars on international history; William C. Kirby, another lecture professor of Harvard University, Dean of Faculty of Arts and Sciences, academician with American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Director of Fairbank Research Center, and so on.

At the same time, scholars from the developing countries also enjoy high prestige and status. For example, the participant from Mexico is former ambassador to China and the Egyptian scholar is recommended by the Egyptian embassy to China. Besides, the professors from Peking University are also renowned scholars in the fields of world history and history of China-foreign relations, including Wang Xi, Changjiang scholar with Peking University, Prof. Qian Chengdan, Peng Xiaoyu, Niu Jun, Niu Dayong, Li Jianming, Zhu Xiaoyuan, and Dong Zhenghua, and such scholars from other Chinese universities or research institutes and adjunct Prof. Yu Pei, Shen Zhihua, Liu Xincheng, etc. So the panel session is a large gathering of top scholar from all over the world.

This year’s Panel Session on History is mainly held in Peking University. Besides the meetings during the three-day Beijing Forum 2006, starting from the evening of 24, such renowned figures as Neol Pugach, William C. Kirby, Akira Iriye, Jonathan D Spence, Annping Chin, and H. T. Dickinson are also giving a series lectures for Peking University teachers and students outside the Forum on such topics as “New Development of the American Foreign Relations History”, “Concept, Institutions, and Approaches of Harvard Education”, “The Trans-Pacific System of International History”, “History Studies in the Perspective of Humanity”, “Nobleness of the Cultivated or Nobleness of the King – Dialogue between Mencius and King Qi” and so on. The purpose of such lectures is not only to promote academic exchanges but also to deepen the PKU students’ understanding of the various civilizations of the world and the development characteristics of the different cultures. Besides, it is also aimed to create a harmonious and prosperous internal and international situation in the process of historic and peaceful rise of China. In view of the whole world, the globalization trend is just rising and the Chinese scholars must open their eyes to the whole world and learn the foreign history and culture which are now in existence with China. The Chinese should avoid blind self-conceit so as to guard against complacency and conservatism they used to have. Besides, in order for China to rise among one of the greatest of world nations, it must friendly interact with the advances and prosperity of the world and must avoid misinterpretation of world situation and information in the world. Therefore, although the Department of History boasts many world-renowned Chinese scholars, this year’s Panel Session on History focuses on the development of world civilization and the interaction between the Chinese and foreign civilizations, and the scholars invited are prestigious expert on world history and Chinese and foreign relations. In a word, this year’s panel session puts more emphasis on “Western Studies” instead of “Chinese Studies”.

Therefore, it can well be predicted that the Panel Session on History of Beijing Forum 2006 will gather the wisdom of top scholars from the circle of world history and will furnish a platform for the publicity and exchange of their most updated academic achievements.