On the afternoon of March 23, the School of Humanities held the inaugural "Dean’s First Ideological Lecture" of the spring 2026 semester, alongside the launch of the Student Leadership Training Camp. The event took place in the Academy of Chinese Studies lecture hall, where Dean Ma Zili presented on the topic "The Integration of Ancient Texts and the Silk Road Literary Tradition: Modern Insights from the Dissemination of Tang Dynasty Poetry and Prose." More than 70 student organization leaders attended the session.
Dean Ma began by introducing the concept of the "Second Integration"—the alignment of Marxist principles with the rich heritage of Chinese traditional culture. He systematically explained the idea of the "Silk Road Literary Tradition," its historical significance, and its contemporary relevance. He emphasized that constructing an independent knowledge system of ancient Chinese literature requires moving beyond a Central Plains-centric perspective to include grassland and maritime civilizations, thereby integrating material and spiritual dimensions of culture.
Using key historical nodes such as the Western Market in Chang’an, the Port of Guangzhou, Dunhuang manuscripts, and the Tea-Horse Road, Ma analyzed the literary dissemination pathways along both the overland and maritime Silk Roads. He noted that during the Tang dynasty, these routes were not only channels of trade but also vital conduits for literary exchange, reaching their peak in cultural flourishing. Through poetic exchanges, travel writings, and manuscript circulation, diverse groups—including Sogdian merchants, maritime traders, monks, and literati—facilitated a fusion of multiple ethnicities, languages, and religions. Dean Ma stressed that "trade routes were literary routes, and merchants were also cultural ambassadors," illustrating the symbiotic relationship between material exchange and cultural diffusion.
Drawing connections to the present, Dean Ma outlined four contemporary insights from the Silk Road literary tradition: balancing economic cooperation with cultural exchange; promoting mutual learning among civilizations, respecting diversity and dialogue; valuing the role of language and translation, and cultivating talent for cross-cultural communication; tapping into cultural heritage to empower modern innovation, while enhancing systematic documentation and digital preservation of Silk Road texts.
Linking his talk to national strategies such as deepening cultural institutional reform and enhancing the global influence of Chinese civilization, Dean Ma highlighted the historically open, inclusive, and interactive nature of Chinese culture. His lecture provided students with deeper historical context to understand the cultural dimensions of the Belt and Road Initiative and to strengthen cultural confidence.
Attendees expressed that the lecture broadened their academic perspective and deepened their understanding of how traditional Chinese culture was communicated. They pledged to integrate the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and mutual learning embodied in the Silk Road tradition into their studies and practice, embracing their role as cultural torchbearers of the new era.
