Institute of Religion, Science and Social Studies

“STAR 2006 Christmas” Academic Soiree on Dec. 24, 2006

On evening of Dec. 24, 2006, IRSSS held an academic Soiree “STAR 2006 Christmas” at auditoria of student activities, SDU.

This soiree was called by Professor Jiang Sheng, Director of IRSSS, as an activity of GPSS-MAP-STAR program. On this meeting, representatives of teachers, undergraduate and graduated students from various departments, such as history, philosophy, economics, physics, and campus media, respectively issued their opinions on “science and religion”. Professor Wang Yuji, Dean of School of History and Culture, attended and gave a conclusive comment.

As the end of the soiree, attendees watched the performance of “Human-Cow”.

Successful Premiere of “Human-Cow”: IRSSS Directed a Three-Act Drama

On Dec.24, Human-Cow, a three-act drama shows its premiere at auditoria of student activities, SDU, which received warm applause from the auditorium.

Human-Cow consists of three acts, i.e., Birth of Human-Cow, Who am I, and Rebirth by the Tao. The main idea is to demonstrate the harmony of human and science through Tao, which is conceived and inspired from a piece of news which reported a British biologist is planning to combine human stem cells with that of ox, and from the Greek legendary romance of Zeus and Goddess Europa. With assistance of Dr. Lin Wei, Prof. Jiang Sheng wrote the drama. The story is, an ambitious bio-chemist who invented a medical method to strengthen patients through mingling genes of human and ox, succeeded in transplanting ox genes into a humble young man, making him much stronger. After the early excitement, the youngster fell into an anguished confusion that it is difficult to cognize his species, getting his “self” lost, rejected by his God, encountering lots of problems in his life. Finally, re-enlightened by the Eastern Taoist sage Lao Zi, the young human-cow recovered through realizing the rule of Tao, “The way of man is to follow nature, and the way of nature is to follow the Tao.” And Lao Zi sends the man back to his God. Actually this drama is dramatically asking the fateful question “How to utilize mighty power of science in 21^st century?”

That evening, the thoughtful drama Human-Cow received hot response. Written by Professor Jiang Sheng, the drama was performed by students from School of History and Culture under direction of Dr. Yang Jiashen. It was greatly applauded by the audience from different schools of SDU.

SDU: Professor Jiang Sheng presented the International Conference for the Celebration of the Ninetieth Birthday of Professor Rao Zongyi at Hong Kong on Dec. 13-15, 2006

On Dec.14, at the Conference, Professor Jiang delivered his research paper on Lao Zi Xiang Er Zhu. Lao Zi Xiang Er Zhu is an important early Taoist classic. On its author and its finishing time, there are various opinions among many researchers. Through his textual interpretation, Professor Jiang carefully evaluated former opinions and brought out a new conclusion.

Professor Rao Zongyi, is an eminent historian, archeologist, writer and calligrapher. He is also famous in Taoism studies. As early as 1955 Rao’s book “Commentary of Lao Zi Xiang Er Zhu” was published in Hong Kong.

USTC: the USTC President, CSA Academician, Professor Zhu Qingshi presented the International Conference for the Celebration of the Ninetieth Birthday of Professor Rao Zongyi at Hong Kong Dec. 13-15, 2006

As a member of the USTC sub-team of STAR project, the USTC President, CSA Academician, Professor Zhu Qingshi presented the International Conference for the Celebration of the Ninetieth Birthday of Professor Rao Zongyi at Hong Kong. On Dec.14, Professor Zhu delivered his research paper “Physics Stepping into the Realm of Zen” to the Conference, telling his ideas about the illumination of Zen to the study of physics.

USTC: “Daoism, Confucianism and Culture of Science”

Professor Li Zhichao, USTC, taught a curriculum “Taoism, Confucianism and Science Culture” in fall semester of 2007. Over 50 students majored in different fields of natural sciences attended this fascinating forty-hour class funded by GPSS-MAP-STAR project.

Science and Ultimate Concern: Professor Jiang Sheng gave a speech at SDU

On Nov. 28, 2006, Professor Jiang Sheng gave a lecture to more than 100 students from various departments at School of History and Culture of SDU.

Prof. Jiang introduced the GPSS-MAP-STAR project and hoped young students open their mind and devote into inter-disciplinary researches, concerning the inter-penetration between natural science and humanity and social sciences.

In his speech, Professor Jiang explicated the role of ultimate concern in scientific exploration and the meaning of scientific research to ultimate concern. He holds that science and ultimate concern are two intercrossed circles. Religion, as the ultimate concern, pursuits the meaning of life and the final essence of universe; science recognizes nature and explores the essence of universe. However, science is not omnipotent and cannot optionally reach any field. Quoting thoughts of Cheng Xuanying (a famous Taoist in Tang Dynasty), Professor Jiang pointed out, by convergence of “known” and “unknown”, man developed creative abilities which was originally included in religion, and explained everything with satisfaction. With the development of modern science and technology, the human spiritual space appears to be made vanity by the ongoing acceleration of human desire which is used to push commercial economy forward. The aim of ultimate concern is concerning the potential and meaning of man. On this way, future science, cosmology for instance, may be applicable and also may be criticized according to man’s spiritual pursuit in the coming times. Science and theology may help each other, if we can manage and use them very well.

The Visual Tension of Ceramic Wall Art, by Professor Zhu Bangxiong from Taiwan

On Aug. 14, 2006, Taiwan artist Professor Zhu Bangxiong gave a lecture on the Visual Tension of Ceramic Wall Art in SDU hosted by IRSSS.

Professor Zhu is one of the leading artists in the field of ceramic wall art. His work involves many architecture, painting, craft and ceramic fields. In the lecture he introduced the basic knowledge on public art, described the mental and spiritual content of his work and the manufacture of ceramic wall. The most absorbing part appeared at the end of his speech, he demonstrated many pictures of his works.

The lecture was presided by Professor Wang Yuji (Dean of School of History and Culture, SDU) and Professor Jiang Sheng. Professors, postgraduate students, and artists from several universities and colleges in Jinan presented the lecture and exchanged ideas with Professor Zhu.

The other evening, Professor Liu Hanrong from Taiwan gave another lecture on the historical changes in the field of management. These high leveled lectures turned out to be illuminating.

The Cultural Bedrock of Industry and Science, Lecture by Professor Jiang Sheng

On Oct.18, 2006, Professor Jiang Sheng was invited by the government of Shandong Province to give a lecture at “The Forum of “Traditional Culture for Business Leaders in Shandong Province”.

In his speech, he emphasized business leaders should study the inner relationship between spiritual culture and technology development. From spiritual culture, enterpriser may find their sources of social functions and the lasting enterprise development. His speech is highly evaluated by audience.

The forum is hosted by the government of Shandong Province, Association of Shandong Private Enterprises and the Chinese Confucian Foundation. Over 300 entrepreneurs presented the lecture.

Professor Jiang Sheng is invited to give a lecture on the Cultural Foundation of Development of Science at the University of Science and Technology of Shandong at Tsingtao

On June 21, 2006, the eighth speech of “Humanity Lectures” is held at the University of Science and Technology of Shandong, Tsingtao. Professor Jiang Sheng is invited to give a lecture on the cultural foundation of science.

In the lecture he made a retrospect to the cultural history, spiritual world and development of science, and points out the reason for modern science originated from Europe, and the transformation of culture to science, and science to technology. And the problem is, we are always tracing the frontiers of science in the West, but not creating the frontiers of science. Why? The reason is that we are not sensitive of spiritual culture which is the deepest root of science, and thus lack of scientific creativity.

Introducing the relationship between science and Taoism, he explicates the place of traditional culture in ancient development of science and technology. He vividly explains how Taoist tradition conceived and developed Chinese ancient science. Although its process contained certain ridicule parts, the complication development from spirit to science indeed gives birth to many scientific achievements.

This lecture makes students understand the Chinese ancient scientific history clearly, aware of the basic position of spiritual culture to the existence and development of science.

 Professor Jiang Sheng attended the International Conference on Sciences, Cultures and Civilizations and Delivered an Academic Speech at French Senate

On 5^th to 8^th, January 2006, Professor Jiang Sheng attended the International Conference on Sciences, Cultures and Civilizations at French Senate, Paris. During the conference, he was invited to give an academic lecture.

On 7^th, January, in a forty-minute speech on theme of “Daoism and Science”, Professor Jiang Sheng expounded the spiritual significance of Daoist culture for the development of science and human self-adjustment. He points out that in the past century human made great progress in freedom and emancipation in terms of social level, however, today we begin to realize that our freedom is facing a new challenge derived from the scientific civilization itself that we were and are eagerly seeking after. For example, danger of proliferation of nuclear weapons, population explosion, resource drying-up, and ecological disturbance, etc, which are what we are anxious about. We expect Goddess of Freedom to lead us again to new freedom and new science. How can we let this dream to be real? We should learn from our great traditions as did the sages in the Renaissance to challenge so many concepts that we see as rules, broaden our mind, take in the spiritual elements from all kinds of civilizations in the world, reload the courage and spiritual source of creating new cultures and create an epoch of “New Science”.