On Oct. 18, nearly 200 guests from 51 countries and regions gathered in Nanping, southeast China’s Fujian Province, to attend the Conference on Zhu Xi’s Philosophy and Dialogue of Global Civilization, also known as the Fourth Kaoting Forum. Centered around the theme “Promoting the Contemporary Value of Zhu Xi’s Culture and Advancing Mutual Learning and Coexistence Among Global Civilizations,” the event sought to explore and carry forward the wisdom of Zhu Xi—a renowned Song Dynasty (960–1279) sage—allowing the culture surrounding this Neo-Confucian philosopher and educator, along with other distinguished cultural traditions from around the world, to offer valuable insights for advancing human progress.

In her speech at the conference, Sun Chunlan, former member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, former vice premier of the State Council, and president of the International Confucian Association (ICA), noted that Zhu Xi’s cultural legacy encompasses rich philosophical thought, a strong humanistic spirit, educational principles, and ethical values—all of which remain deeply relevant to contemporary social development and for exchange and mutual learning among global civilizations.

“As a pinnacle of Confucian thought and an outstanding representative of Chinese civilization, Zhu Xi’s philosophy has not only shaped the lives and spiritual pursuits of the Chinese people for centuries but also exerted a profound and far-reaching influence on East Asian and global civilizations,” remarked Jin Minqing, director general of the Institute of Contemporary China Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

After the 13th century, Zhu Xi’s teachings spread to Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Vietnam, and other regions, giving rise to different schools of thought and serving as a vivid example of mutual learning among civilizations, Jin continued. He observed that the people-oriented philosophy, practical spirit, and pursuit of fairness and justice in Zhu Xi’s thought align closely with the shared values of humanity, highlighting the necessity to promote its creative transformation and innovative development with the wisdom of “upholding authenticity without rigidity and honoring tradition without restoring antiquity.”

Ren Youqun, vice minister of education, underscored that Zhu Xi’s ideas, such as “gewu zhizhi” (acquiring knowledge through the investigation of things) and “zhixing heyi” (unifying knowledge and action), along with his educational practices, offer significant insights for China’s push to build a strong education system. At a time when the world stands at a new crossroads, delving into the intellectual essence and contemporary value of Zhu Xi’s culture is of great importance for enhancing inter-civilizational exchanges and mutual learning, and for building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Zhu Xi’s philosophy is not only a treasure of Chinese culture but also common spiritual treasure for all humanity, stated Phinij Jarusombat, former deputy prime minister of Thailand. He explained that the philosophical wisdom of “he er butong” (harmony in diversity) and “liyi fenshu” (one universal principle existing in diverse forms) in Zhu Xi’s thought provides crucial insights for inter-civilizational dialogue: The “one universal principle” represents humanity’s shared pursuit of peace, prosperity, and justice, while the “diverse forms” reflect the diversity of civilizations—an idea closely aligned with China’s Global Civilization Initiative, which emphasizes respect for diversity.

Quoting Zhu Xi’s verse, “How can the pond be so clear? Because fresh water flows in from its origin,” Jarusombat stressed that the core wisdom of each civilization serves as the “fresh water from the origin” that nourishes global dialogue. He expressed the hope that Zhu Xi’s philosophy could act as a bridge for building a broader platform for dialogue, enabling mutual learning and exchange among civilizations and allowing wisdom to shine across the world like “the moon reflected in a thousand rivers.”

Simona-Mirela Miculescu, president of the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference, began her video address by quoting Zhu Xi’s saying, “Zhong (the mean) is not a rigid moral standard; it should be flexibly exercised on the specific timing and conditions.” She stressed that harmony is not static but must be continually reconstructed through ongoing reflection, dialogue, and mutual care.

Miculescu elaborated that Zhu Xi’s philosophy reveals the inseparability of learning and virtue, as well as knowledge and ethics. Education, she added, aims not merely to acquire knowledge but to cultivate wisdom capable of balancing progress with values, and innovation with empathy. In the face of global challenges such as social inequality and environmental changes, she underscored that the wisdom of balance in Zhu Xi’s thought is more relevant than ever.

The conference was co-hosted by CASS, the ICA, and the Fujian provincial government.