The Institute for Silk Road Culture and International Sinology, a interdisciplinary research platform of Zhejiang Normal University as an active response to the “Belt and Road” Initiative put forward by Xi Jinping, focuses on studies of the construction and dissemination of Chinese national image and Silk Road culture, which cover the Silk Road of all dimensions, such as the traditional land-based Silk Road, the Maritime Silk Road and e-Silk Road. The institute, which is affiliated with the College of Foreign Languages, serves as a pool of research staff from relevant colleges, for example, College of Humanities, College of Foreign Languages, College of International Culture and Social Development and College of Arts. With Professor Qiu Jiangning as its dean and chief expert, a Changjiang Young Scholar of the Ministry of Education, the institute has established several research centers, including the Research Center for the Translation of Chinese Traditional Culture, the Research Center for Prix Stanislas Julien and French Sinology, the Research Center for East Asian Sinology, the Research Center for North American Sinology, the Research Center for Silk Road Visual Image and the Research Center for e-Silk Road.
So far the institute has made impressive academic achievements. For example, its research team has been in charge of a series of national and ministerial programs, including one major program from the National Social Science Fund, two major programs in Humanities and Social Sciences from the Ministry of Education, five general programs from the National Social Science Fund and three programs in Arts from the National Social Science Fund. Based on its twelve projects of local cultural cooperation, the team has submitted four reports on cultural development and have received provincial-level directives. In addition, many academic works have been published, including eight academic books, over twenty CSSCI academic papers and two translated books on Sinology. In terms of teaching, the team offers one general course for the postgraduates titled “Construction and Dissemination of Silk Road Culture and Chinese National Image”.
The Institute for Silk Road Culture and International Sinology adheres to China’s position and global pattern with a focus on classical studies of Silk Road. With the historical thinking, the institute will pursue interdisciplinary integration and collaboration with friends at home and abroad. It will explore the construction and dissemination of Chinese national image to tell China’s story well and promote the development of Silk Road culture. Meanwhile, it will spare no effort to share its wisdom and strength for the development of a philosophical and social science discipline system, academic system and discourse system with distinct Zhejiang and Chinese characteristics.