An academic symposium to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Institute of Chinese Classics, which was open for only four years and produced some of the university’s finest classics scholars, was held in Tsinghua April 22. 

The Institute of Chinese Classics of Tsinghua, which was founded in 1925 and closed in 1929, has become a landmark in the university’s history for its academic achievements and the outstanding scholars it educated.

The Institute had four scholars renowned as the "Four Tutors" -- Wang Guowei, Liang Qichao, Chen Yinque and Zhao Yuanren -- who had a profound impact on the institute and Tsinghua’s later development.

Wang Guowei was a famous philosopher, literary critic and historian. He was the first scholar who systematically studied jiaguwen, inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells from the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC).

Liang Qichao was a politician and reformer in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). He was also a great historian who combined Western scientific method with traditional Chinese historical study.

Chen Yinque obtained diplomas from several European universities and understood more than 20 languages, including several ancient ones used in Central Asia, which helped him trace China's cultural exchange through the famous Silk Road. 

Zhao Yuanren obtained a PhD in linguistics from Harvard University. He understood more than 10 European languages and dozens of Chinese dialects. In 1920 when he accompanied British philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) on his travels around China, Zhao translated Russell's English into the local dialect at each of their destinations.

The symposium attracted over 50 scholars from key universities and research institutes including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University, Renmin University, Beijing Normal University, Nankai University, and Fudan University. Discussions covered several topics, such as the life and academic achievements of the “Four Tutors” and the relationship between 20th century Chinese history studies and western history studies.

Tsinghua Vice President Xie Weihe, who attended the symposium, said, “I hope Tsinghua can cultivate more scholars of humanities and contribute to the humane studies in Tsinghua and China.”

Reported by Li Han