The 6th ATES Silk Road Civilization Forum Held Online
The 6th ATES Silk Road Civilization Forum was held on April 26, 2024. Professor Imre Galambos from the University of Cambridge and Zhejiang University delivered an insight presentation titled "Tools of Literacy: Chinese Primers along the Silk Road". He focused on the analysis of archaeological manuscripts found in Dunhuang and Xinjiang, northwest China, to explore the spread of Chinese primers as tools for literacy in neighboring regions from the 5th to the 13th centuries AD. Additionally, he highlighted the translation of Chinese primers into languages like Tibetan, Old Uyghur, and Tangut. Professor Galambos concluded that Chinese primers, as a significant aspect of Chinese culture, were embraced and shared widely in East Asia, Central Asia, and even Southeast Asia. This dissemination of Chinese primers illustrates China's extensive and profound interactions and exchanges with other nations along the Silk Road between the 5th and 13th centuries AD.
Following his presentation, Dr. Bill Mak (Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole, The University of Hong Kong), Prof. Yunli Shi (University of Science and Technology of China), Dr. Wei Chen (Institute for the History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences) and others participated in the discussion with Prof. Galambos, raising a variety of interesting questions.
Chair of ATES, Prof. Fahu Chen expressed his sincere thanks to all the participant in the opening，Prof. Juzhi Hou, the Executive Director of ATES and Prof. Yunli Shi from the University of Science and Technology co-chaired the event. More than 100 scholars joined the online meeting, and it was livestreamed by KouShare Academic Platform with over 2000 viewers.
