From May 16 to 18, “Community of the Chinese Nation and Cross-cultural Writing: Academic Seminar on Wang Meng’s In Ili,” co-hosted by OUC, Writers Publishing House, and the National Joint Committee on Wang Meng Studies, was held in Qingdao. The seminar was organized by OUC’s College of Liberal Arts, Journalism and Communication, and OUC’s Wang Meng Research Institute. Wang Meng, renowned artist and former Minister of Culture, attended the seminar.

Zhang Jing, Executive Deputy Secretary of the CPC OUC Committee, remarked that OUC has always attached great importance to the development of the humanities and social sciences, and that Wang Meng’s joining the university has made outstanding contributions to the flourishing of the humanities at OUC. In Ili is imbued with his deep affection for China’s border lands. This seminar is both a tribute to Wang Meng and a deepening of academic research on his work, as well as an important opportunity to strengthen the sense of community of the Chinese nation and to serve the building of that community. As always, the university will support research on Wang Meng and is committed to building a distinctive academic brand and a leading research center in this field.

Looking back on the 16 years he spent in Xinjiang, Wang Meng spoke of his profound affection for the people of all ethnic groups there. He noted that, although the 16 years represent a relatively small portion of his more than 90 years of life, their impact on him has been far-reaching and unforgettable. In Ili is about both the community of the Chinese nation and a community with a shared future for mankind; it records the customs of different ethnic groups and the diversified yet united culture of Xinjiang. His 16 years in Xinjiang, he added, were not only a source of inspiration for Xinjiang-themed works, but more importantly, a process of tempering, enriching, uplifting, and reshaping of his soul. He said he will always remain closely connected with the people of Xinjiang, sharing their dreams, and aspirations.