Gathered in Shanghai! Experts and scholars enthusiastically discuss this great master from Fuzhou!

This year’s annual conference featured a rich program and a tightly packed agenda, with the keynote sessions kicking off a lively exchange of ideas. Experts and scholars addressed key topics—including the historical trajectory of “Tang Studies,” the intrinsic connections between traditional thought and Tang Xianzu’s cultural legacy, and the cross‑cultural dissemination of his classic works—sharing in‑depth research findings and insightful perspectives that laid a solid foundation for future academic dialogue. In discussing the integrated development of “Tang Studies” with education and disciplinary advancement, Professor Ye Changhai, Director of the Institute of Chinese Drama at the Shanghai Academy of Drama, remarked: “Tang Xianzu’s works are imbued with a profound concern for the people, a penetrating analysis of emotion and reason, and incisive philosophical insights, offering rich nourishment and vital guidance for the further deepening and evolution of education.” He proposed leveraging the platform advantages of the Tang Xianzu Academic and Cultural Alliance to strengthen close collaboration with universities, fostering a mutually reinforcing dynamic between Tang Xianzu studies, drama‑related disciplines, and industry development, thereby enabling this classical cultural heritage to inject sustained momentum into educational innovation and sectoral upgrading.

During the academic exchange session, participants freely shared their perspectives, with discussions spanning multiple dimensions: the practical value of bringing classic theatrical works into schools; the deep historical and cultural ties between local operas and the legacy of Tang Xianzu; the artistic articulation of national and familial sentiments in both Chinese and foreign classics; the historical transmission and canonization of seminal works; and the influence of exile experiences on artistic creation. In addressing the international dissemination of “Tang Studies” and its role in leveraging culture to drive economic and social development, Professor Huang Bikang of Peking University and President of the Chinese Shakespeare Society offered a constructive vision: “Tang Xianzu and Shakespeare are jointly hailed as ‘giant figures of Eastern and Western drama,’ and their cultural outreach could draw on the well‑established model of Shakespeare’s ‘cultural industry.’” He argued that by producing high‑quality translations and presenting canonical works such as the Four Dreams of Linchuan in forms appealing to English‑speaking audiences, we can not only foster intellectual and aesthetic resonance with international readers but also elevate Tang Studies from a regional field of knowledge to a globally recognized discipline. On this basis, we can gradually unlock its commercial potential, enabling Tang Xianzu’s cultural legacy to truly take root on the world stage.

Notably, some of the exchanges focused on the contemporary adaptation and local implementation of Tang Xianzu’s cultural legacy. These included both theoretical inquiries—such as the digital dissemination of classical motifs within cross-media narratives and their role in urban branding, as well as comparative studies of translated versions of his works and the insights they offer for cultural communication—and practical case studies, like Fuzhou’s efforts to leverage its rich Tang Xianzu–related operatic heritage to accelerate the conversion of cultural assets into economic value and to strengthen the city through culture. Additionally, discussions explored concrete pathways for harnessing “Tang Studies” as a core driver to bolster Fuzhou’s development as a hub for opera. The deep integration of theoretical research and local practice resonated widely among participants.

During the conference, plaques were also presented to the Tang Xianzu Academic and Cultural Alliance as “Academic Exchange and Training Bases” and “Board Member Institutions,” thereby consolidating high-quality resources and strengthening the alliance’s organizational foundation, thus injecting new momentum into the systematic preservation and industrialized development of Tang Xianzu’s academic and cultural legacy. In response, Chen Weiming, a fourth‑level researcher at the Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, stated: “We will take this annual conference as an opportunity to fully leverage the intellectual support of the Tang Xianzu Academic and Cultural Alliance, thereby deepening academic research, cultural dissemination, and industrial development related to Tang Xianzu’s legacy. At the same time, we will strengthen cooperation with cultural institutions and universities both at home and abroad, continuously enhancing the reputation of the Tang Xianzu cultural brand and ensuring that this invaluable cultural resource better contributes to Fuzhou’s economic and social development.”

Following the conference, experts and scholars unanimously pledged to take this annual meeting as a new starting point, deepen their research on “Tang Studies,” promote the translation of academic findings into practical applications, and collaboratively build an interdisciplinary, transregional, and cross-cultural ecosystem for Tang studies. In doing so, they aim to invigorate Tang Xianzu’s cultural legacy in the new era and contribute greater wisdom and strength to harnessing culture as a driving force for economic and social development.