Recent Events and News

23 August 2024: On 22 August 2024 the Monumenta Serica Institute was happy to welcome thirty participants of the 11th European Catholic China Colloquium, held from 22–25 August 2024 at the Catholic Social Institute in Siegburg, Germany.

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4 July 2024: Lecture in German by Prof. Dr. Leopold Leeb: “Bioi Paralleloi – Christen in China und in Japan: Ein historischer Rückblick aus vergleichender Perspektive,” 7 p.m. at the Missionary Seminary, Sankt Augustin, Germany

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21 June 2024: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – lecture “In Search of Wisdom in China and Sub-Saharan Africa: The Value of the Past,” presented at the 2024 International Symposium of Monumenta Serica, “Encounter of Africa and Chinese Culture: Classics, History, Religion and Images,” 20–21 June 2024, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan

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4 June 2024: Publication online-ed. of Monumenta Serica, vol. 72, issue 1


19 March 2024: Publication of Leopold Leeb, Parallel Lives, Congenial Visions. Christian Precursors of Modernity in China and Japan (Collectanea Serica, New Series, Vol. 5)


27 January 2024: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – webinar “Not Every Martyr Becomes a Saint: Two German Missionary Martyrs (1897) of the Society of the Divine Word in China,” presented by the request of Fr. Dariusz Pielak SVD on the platform of the Vivat Deus Webinar

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16 January 2024: The Monumenta Serica Institute’s editorial office introduced the China Historical Christian Database to colleagues on the SVD campus in Sankt Augustin.

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22 November 2023: Publication online-ed. of Monumenta Serica, vol. 71, issue 2


7 November 2023: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – lecture “John Wu’s (Wu Jingxiong 吳經熊, 1899–1986) Understanding of Mysticism – Beyond East and West,” presented in 16th Symposium for Chinese Catholic Scholars in Europe: Jidutu de miqi chuantong yu Zhongguo wenhua zhong de shenmizhuyi sixiang 基督徒的密契传统与中国文化中的神秘主义思想 /The Christian Mystical Tradition and Mystical Thought in Chinese Culture,” 7–9 November 2022, Poissy, France

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20 October 2023: Second version of the China Historical Christian Database now includes data on S.V.D. and S.Sp.S. missionaries active in China from 1879 to 1950.

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17 October 2023: Recap on the Lecture “Zwischen Kaiserhof und Römischer Kurie: Joachim Bouvets Werk Tianxue benyi 天學本義” (Between the Imperial Court and the Roman Curia: Joachim Bouvet’s Book Tianxue benyi 天學本義) by Prof. Dr. Claudia von Collani (University of Würzburg), organized by the Monumenta Serica Institute.

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9 October 2023: A Chinese translation of Karl Bünger’s Quellen zur Rechtsgeschichte der T’ang-Zeit (Monumenta Serica Monograph Series IX) has recently been published. 

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25 September 2023: Apl. Prof. Claudia von Collani – Lecture: “Zwischen Kaiserhof und Römischer Kurie: Joachim Bouvets Werk Tianxue benyi 天學本義,” book presentation in German on 12 October 2023 at the Missionary seminary, Sankt Augustin

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15 September 2023: Pietro De Laurentis will be giving a lecture on his book Protecting the Dharma through Calligraphy in Tang China in Paris at the École Française d’Extrême-Orient (Maison de l’Asie, Grand Salon du 1er étage, 22 Avenue du Président Wilson).

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11 September 2023: Online video of the lecture “Mediating between Cultures: Influence of German Divine Word Missionaries’ Educational Activities on China, 1882–1950,” by Dirk Kuhlmann (with a contribution from Hu Baozhu), held as part of the webinar “History of Foreign Influences on Education & Science in China” hosted by the China Institute of the University of Trier (CIUT), 5 July 2023.

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23 June 2023: Recap on the Lecture “Im Ringen um Klarheit und Wahrheit: Wesen und Rolle der Übersetzungen beim Wissenstransfer zwischen Europa und China vom 16. bis 18. Jahrhundert” by Prof. Dr. Thomas Zimmer (Tongji University, Shanghai), organized by the Monumenta Serica Institute.

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15 June 2023: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – online lecture in Polish “Rodzina chińska w obszarze napięć pomiędzy tradycją a współczesnością” (Chinese Family in the Area of Tension between Tradition and Modernity) during the International Conference on Missiology “Wyzwania rodziny w kulturach pozaeuropejskich (Challenges of the family in non-European cultures), Warszawa, Poland

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1 June 2023: Barbara Hoster, lecture “Between Recognition, Taboo and Rediscovery: The Changing Reception of the Chinese Writer Su Xuelin 蘇雪林 (1897–1999) and Her Work” at the international colloquium “Pionnières oubliées: Invisibilisation et instrumentalisation des femmes en Asie,” Institut d’Etudes Transtextuelles et Transculturelles, Université Jean Moulin Lyon III, 1–2 June 2023.

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1 June 2023: Publication online-ed. of Monumenta Serica, vol. 71, issue 1


4 May 2023: Anthony Hu – lecture “Neo-Missionaries in the Republican China: A Study of Selected Training Materials Mostly in Bilingual Format for the Foreign Divine Word Missionaries in Shandong,” presented at the international Symposium: “Shaping the Outlook on Life-Education and Religion in Chinese Contexts,” Lund University, May 4, 2023

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23 March 2023: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – lecture in Polish “Chrześcijańscy męczennicy i męczennice w Chinach: Jeszcze nie zakończona historia ...” (Christian Martyrs in China: A Still Unfinished Story ...) during the International Conference on Missiology “Missionary Martyrs and Religious Freedom” and an Academic Workshop “Freedom and Persecution for Faith and Martyrdom in Africa,” 23–24 March 2023, Warszawa, Poland

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23 February 2023: Dharma Master Chue Yann, Fo-guang-shan Temple in Frankfurt, presents the Complete Works of Dharma-Master Hsing Yun to the Library of Monumenta Serica Institute.

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31 January 2023: A recorded version of the presentation “Tracing the Divine Word in China – A Workshop Report on Compiling the Data of S.V.D. and S.Sp.S. Missionaries for the China Historical Christian Database“ is available online now.

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18 January 2023: Tracing the Divine Word in China - The Monumenta Serica Institute cordially invites you to join an online presentation of the Institute’s contribution to the China Historical Christian Database held by the Center for Global Christianity and Mission of Boston University
on January 26th, 9 am – 10 am EST/3 pm – 4 pm CET.

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9 December 2022: Publication of Claudia von Collani, Der ursprüngliche Sinn der Himmelslehre (Tianxue benyi): Joachim Bouvets (1656–1730) frühe Missionstheologie in China. Analyse, Transkription und Übersetzung der lateinischen Fassungen (Collectanea Serica, New Series, Vol. 4)


50 Jahre IMS

1 December 2022: Publication online-ed. of Monumenta Serica, vol. 70, issue 2


28 November 2022: A short report on the conference “Literature, Religion and Humanities: Cross-cultural Processes in Modern China,” Sapienza – Università di Roma, 25–26 November 2022, an event jointly organized by the National Central Library (Taipei), the Center for Chinese Studies (Taipei), the Department of Oriental Studies of the Sapienza University, the Monumenta Serica Sinological Research Center (Taipei), and the Monumenta Serica Institute (Sankt Augustin)

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17 November 2022: “Buddhist Calligraphy in Medieval China“ – Invitation to an online lecture by Pietro De Laurentis (Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts) on December 1, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., a hybrid event organized by the Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne, and the Deutsche China-Gesellschaft in cooperation with the Monumenta Serica Institute

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20 October 2022: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – lecture “Xi Jinping’s Zongjiao Zhongguohua (Chinazation of Religion) and the Christian Idea of Inculturation,” presented in presence at Diwu jie lü Ou Tianzhujiao Huaren xuezhe yantaohui 第十五届旅欧天主教华人学者研讨会 / 15th Symposium for Chinese Catholic Scholars in Europe: Jidu xinyang de bendihua yu jinri Zhongguo shehui 基督信仰的本地化与今日中国社会 / “Inculturation of the Christian Faith and Today’s Chinese Society,” 20–23 October 2022, Macerata, Italy

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7 October 2022: “Keep up the good fight!” / Jian xian si qi jixu fendou 見賢思齊繼續奮鬥 – Festschrift in Honor of Zbigniew Wesołowski SVD recently published by Monumenta Serica Sinological Research Center

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21–22 September 2022: The 2022 International Monumenta Serica Symposium (in presence and online): “The Bible and Hermeneutics: Missionaries, Lay People and Translation” (2022 華裔學志國際會議暨青年學者漢學論壇: 《聖經》與詮釋學:傳教士、平信徒與《聖經》的譯介)

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21 September 2022: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – lecture “‘A Chinese Tunic for Christ’: John Wu’s Translation of the New Testament,” presented at the 2022 International Monumenta Serica Symposium (in presence and online): “The Bible and Hermeneutics: Missionaries, Lay People and Translation” (2022 華裔學志國際會議暨青年學者漢學論壇: 《聖經》與詮釋學:傳教士、平信徒與《聖經》的譯介, Catholic Fu Jen University, September 21-22, 2022

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25 July 2022: On Wednesday, July 27, the first version of the China Historical Database is launched at Boston University. The Monumenta Serica Institute cooperates in creating this largest database on Christianity in China by contributing data on the S.V.D. and S.Sp.S. missionaries in China. For more details and a link to participate in this event on Zoom, see here …


12–14 July 2022: On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its move from the University of California Los Angeles to Sankt Augustin in Germany, the Monumenta Serica Institute invited two contemporary witnesses to share their recollections of this event.

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17 June 2022: Publication online-edition of Monumenta Serica, vol. 70, issue 1


12 May 2022: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Online lecture “Family Rituals in Traditional Chinese Culture,” presented at the 6th International Symposium of Familiology, “Family – Ritual – Feast,” Olsztyn, May 12–13, 2022

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12 May 2022: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Lecture: “Chinas Buddhismus im Spannungsfeld zwischen Vergangenheit und Gegenwart” (Chinese Buddhism in Tension between Past and Present) presented at Seniorenwoche (Seniors’ Week), Kloster Schöntal (Jagst), 9–13, 2022

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5 April 2022: Buddhism and Calligraphy - Pietro De Laurentis presents his recently published book Protecting the Dharma through Calligraphy in Tang China: A Study of the Ji Wang shengjiao xu 集王聖教序 (Monumenta Serica Monograph Series 72) in an online video.


25 March 2022: Publication of Lauren F. Pfister (ed.), Polyglot from the Far Side of the Moon: The Life and Works of Solomon Caesar Malan (1812-1894).
(Collectanea Serica, New Series, Vol. 3)


17 February 2022: The Society for the Study of Chinese Religions has chosen Gail King’s "A Model for All Christian Women": Candida Xu, a Chinese Christian Woman of the Seventeenth Century, for a “Celebration of First Books” held on March 26 at the AAS Annual Meeting.

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28 December 2021: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – online lecture in Chinese: 我在天主教輔仁大學的工作經驗 (1999-2012): 天主教大學作為掌握知識及成人處世的場所 (My Experiences at Fu Jen Catholic University [1999-2012], Taiwan: The Catholic University as a Place of Mastering Knowledge and Becoming a Human Social Being), presented at the International Workshop on “Doing Holistic Mission as Social Healing: Mapping the Experience of SVD and SSpS in Taiwan” (關懷全人體現神聖與社會療癒:聖言會與聖神會在台灣的經驗), Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan, December 28-29th, 2021

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18 December 2021: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Online lecture: “The Place and Role of Sino-Confucian Culture and Confucianism in World History according to Liang Shuming’s Thought on Life,” presented at the International Symposium on “Confucianism in Europe and America: History and Meaning (儒学在欧美的传播及其当代意义), Beijing, December 18–19, 2021

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14 December 2021: Publication online-edition of Monumenta Serica, vol. 69, issue 2


30 November 2021: Publication of Pietro De Laurentis, Protecting the Dharma through Calligraphy in Tang China: A Study of the Ji Wang shengjiao xu 集王聖教序 (Monumenta Serica Monograph Series 72)


Ghosts

13 October 2021: On 30 September 2021, Dr. Anthony Hu S.V.D. held a public lecture in Sankt Augustin on “Dancing with Ghosts and Spirits in Ancient China: A Book Presentation,” now available as an online video.

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8 September 2021: Commemorative volume to honor the work of Fr. Roman Malek S.V.D. (1951–2019) for the Church in China published by the Polish S.V.D. Province.

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28 August 2021: Two events organized by the Monumenta Serica Institute at the EACS conference hosted by the Institute of East Asian Studies, Leipzig University from 24–27 August 2021: Lecture, “From the Embodiment of the Dao to the Embodiment of the Revolution: Reflections on Fr. Maleks Collection The Chinese Face of Jesus Christ” and Panel, “Dancing with Ghosts and Spirits: Observations on Encounters with Supernatural Beings in Chinese Folk Religion and Literature”

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24 August 2021: Workshop in German by Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. on “The Religions of China as an Expression of the Chinese Search for Transcendence” held in Lingen

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18 June 2021: Barbara Hoster – Online lecture “Struggles of Spirit and Soul: ling 靈 in Su Xuelin’s (1897–1999) Writings,” presented at the International Workshop “Transforming Communities of ‘Spirits’ and ‘Souls’: The Term Ling 靈 in Religious, Medical and Secular Literatures in Premodern and Modern China and East Asia,” Freie Universität Berlin, Department of East Asian Studies, Sinology, 18 June 2021

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18 June 2021: 2021 International Symposium of Monumenta Serica (online): “Encounter of Christianity and Multi-ethnic Groups: Classics, History, Religion and Images” (2021 華裔學志國際視訊會議:基督宗教與華人文化圈多元民族的會遇:經典、歷史、宗教與圖像)

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14 June 2021: Publication online-edition of Monumenta Serica, vol. 69, issue 1


19 May 2021: Huayi xuezhi yanjiu 《华裔学志》研究 – Chinese work on the history of Monumenta Serica recently published

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14 May 2021: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Online lecture “The Virtues of Xiao (Filial Piety) and Ti (Brotherly Obedience) as Two Pillars of Confucian Familism and Liang Shuming’s First Aspect of Confucius’ Religion,” presented at 5th International Symposium of Familiology, “Family – Politics – Globalization,” Olsztyn, May 13 – 14th, 2021

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3 May 2021: Reprint of the conference volume Jingjiao. The Church of the East in China and Central Asia, edited by Roman Malek, S.V.D. (1951–2019) in association with Peter Hofrichter available for pre-order now

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13 March 2021: Online Conference in Polish on Fr. Roman Malek S.V.D. (1951–2019), former director and editor-in-chief of the Monumenta Serica Institute

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10 March 2021: Mourning the loss of our long-time advisor Prof. Dr. Josef Chiao Wei 乔伟 (1926–2021)

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21 December 2020: Publication of Gail King, "A Model for All Christian Women": Candida Xu, a Chinese Christian Woman of the Seventeenth Century (Collectanea Serica, New Series, Vol. 2)


10 December 2020: Publication of Monumenta Serica, vol. 68, issue 2 (published online 26 Nov., in print 9 Dec.)


23 September 2020: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Online lecture “John C.H. Wu (1899–1986) and His Translations of Daodejing: Some Spiritual Dimensions,” presented at the International Monumenta Serica Symposium: Encounter between Christianity and Daoism: Classics, Interpretation and Dialogues (2020 年華裔學志國際會議: 基督宗教與道家/道教的會遇: 經典、詮釋與對話), Fu Jen Catholic University (Taiwan), September 23–24, 2020

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22 September 2020: Publication of Hu Baozhu, Believing in Ghosts and Spirits: The Concept of Gui in Ancient China (Monumenta Serica Monograph Series, vol. 71)


15 September 2020: Dirk Kuhlmann – Lecture presented at the "Third Conference in Memory of Hermann Stieglecker: Monotheism – Interreligious Dialogue on Modern Questions of God “The Cloud of Unknowing as a Source of Awakening and Revelation – On the Relevance of Negative Theology”, Stift St. Florian (Linz, Austria)

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28 May 2020: Publication of online-edition of Monumenta Serica, vol. 68, issue 1


25 May 2020: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Online lecture presented in Polish at the 4th International Familiology Symposium “Philosophy and Theology of the Family in the Context of Human Needs in the Culture and Civilization of Contemporary Europe and the World,” Olsztyn (Poland)

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5 May 2020: Working in the Corona crisis: News from the Institute

The editorial office of Monumenta Serica continues to work smoothly on its publications despite of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The first issue of Monumenta Serica: Journal of Oriental Studies, vol. 68 (2020) will be published online very soon, featuring seven articles, two obituaries and thirteen book reviews.

     A study by our editorial team member Hu Baozhu, entitled Believing in Ghosts and Spirits: The Concept of Gui in Ancient China is in the final stage of preparation for print. It will appear as vol. LXXI of our Monumenta Serica Monograph Series in a few months.

     A public lecture by Prof. Thomas Zimmer (Tongji University, Shanghai) on Tianxia and Chinese reflections on world order in an intercultural context, originally scheduled for this month, had to be postponed due to the current crisis. It will take place at a later date, kindly check this website for further updates.

     To all of our readers, authors, and friends: We wish that you may keep yourselves in good health, and stay safe in these difficult times!


6 Feb. 2020: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Lecture presented to seminarians (35) from the Roman Catholic Rolduc Seminary (the Netherlands) as the guests of China-Zentrum in Sankt Augustin (Germany)

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10 Jan. 2020:  “What you wish to ignite in others must first burn within yourself” – Memorial Service for P. Roman Malek

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10 Dec. 2019: Publication of online-edition of Monumenta Serica, vol. 67, issue 2


29 Nov. 2019: Mourning for Fr. Roman Malek  –  Trauer um P. Roman Malek

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Sinology Workshop

15 Oct. 2019: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Paper presented at the Studientage (“Study Days” of the Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule SVD, Sankt Augustin): “Missionarslinguistik – Missionarische Linguistik: Sich im Glauben verständlich machen / Missionary Linguistics: To Make Oneself Understandable in the Faith”)

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20-21 Sep. 2019: “Exploring Sinophone Polyphony – Voices of Modern Literature in Taiwan” – A Workshop held at Trier University

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26 July 2019: Publication of Roman Malek S.V.D. (ed.), The Chinese Face of Jesus Christ. Supplementary Anthology, General Index, Addenda (Monumenta Serica Monograph Series, vol. 50/4b


19 July 2019: Anthony Hu – Paper presented at the international conference “Fujian’s Maritime Connections and Local Popular Cults,” University of Bonn

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11 July 2019: Publication of The Encounter of the Western World and Lao Zi: Chinese Translation of Selected Articles on Lao Zi in Monumenta Serica

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4 July 2019: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Paper presented at International Conference “Homo Translator: Traditions in Translation” (as 4th Stage of a Research Project on Promoting Internationalization at Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan

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Dirk Kuhlmann - Vortrag

13 June 2019: Publication of online-edition of Monumenta Serica, vol. 67, issue 1


5 June 2019: Aktivtitäten des Instituts Monumenta Serica zum Klosterfest der Steyler Missionare in Sankt Augustin am 15.–16. Juni 2019 / Activities of the Monumenta Serica Institute at the „Klosterfest“ in Sankt Augustin on 15–16 June 2019

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28 May 2019: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Paper presented in absentia at the 3rd International Familiology Symposium: “‘Ecology and Family’ in the Context of the Integration of Humanities and Empirical Research” (27-28 May 2019, Olsztyn / Poland)

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21 May 2019: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. – Paper presented at an International Interdisciplinary Scientific Conference in Sankt Augustin (Germany)

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15 May 2019: Book Talk in Hong Kong on Giulio Aleni, Kouduo richao, and Christian–Confucian Dialogism in Late Ming Fujian (Monumenta Serica Monograph Series, vol. 69)

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2 May 2019: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D. - Paper presented at an International Conference in Taiwan

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26 Mar. 2019: Publication of a Chinese translation of The Peking Temple of the Eastern Peak by Anne Swann Goodrich

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14 Mar. 2019: Proceedings of the workshop “‘I Have Called You by Name’. Contribution of Chinese Women to the Church” (25–26 September, 2014, Sankt Augustin) now published

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4 Feb. 2019: Publication of Mieczysław Jerzy Künstler, The Sinitic Languages: A Contribution to Sinological Linguistics (Collectanea Serica - New Series, Vol. 1)


7 Dec. 2018: Zbigniew Wesołowski S.V.D., “In Search of Universal Traits of Traditional Chinese Culture: Chinese Familism as a Most Possible Support for a Future Culture of Humanity?” presentation at the “10th International Symposium of 21st Century World Forum on Chinese Culture,” Zhengzhou University, 7–10 Dec. 2018

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6 Dec. 2018: Publication of Thomas Jülch, The Zhenzheng lun by Xuanyi: A Buddhist Apologetic Scripture of Tang China (Monumenta Serica Monograph Series, vol. 70)


4 Dec. 2018: Barbara Hoster, „Presentation on the Monumenta Serica Institute and Its Library, with Special Consideration of the Stay at UCLA (1963–1972),“ prepared for „Bridging the Pacific for Seventy Years: The Richard C. Rudolph East Asian Library, 1948–2018“, Part II, Presentation Session, University of California, Los Angeles.

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30 Nov. 2018: Publication of online-edition of Monumenta Serica, vol. 66, issue 2


23 Nov. 2018: Dirk Kuhlmann, “Echoes from an Age of Legends: Inscribing a Pluralism of Identities by Exploring Taiwan’s Indigenous Mythscape,” presentation at the conference “Literary Fantasy and Its Discontents,” National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, 23–24 November 2018.

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Biallas 140th anniversary

15 Nov. 2018: Piotr Adamek S.V.D., “Polish Catholic in Karakorum, Nestorian Pekinger in Rome, Muslim Maroccan in Quanzhou: Three Travelers of the 13–14 Century and Their Experience of the Other,” lecture at the Monumenta Serica Sinological Research Center, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City.

13 Nov. 2018: Piotr Adamek S.V.D., “Christian History of Harbin,” lecture at the Monumenta Serica Sinological Research Center, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City.

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