More Than Words

by Li Lu

On May 15， 2019， the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations opened in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at its opening ceremony in which he illustrated Chinas resolute stance on promoting equal dialogue， communication， mutual learning and mutual enlightenment among various civilizations in Asia and the world. Xi stressed that civilizations only vary from each other， just as human beings are different only in terms of skin color and the language used—which is to say that no civilization is superior to another. Only deep understanding of the differences between ones own civilization and others will fuel interaction， dialogue and harmony among civilizations.

More than 200 countries with over 2，500 ethnic groups speaking some 7，000 languages can be found throughout the world. German philosopher Martin Heidegger once said， “Language is the house of being.” Humankind uses language to pass down experience， tradition and knowledge. The cultural gene of each nation is imbedded in its language. More than just a tool for communication， language conveys the values， beliefs and identities of various civilizations. Considering the fundamental role of language in human interaction， language exchange and heart-to-heart communication are crucial tools to deepen interaction and mutual learning among various civilizations.

Simply as a tool for communication， language is the foundation for dialogue between various civilizations and exchange between different cultures. Chinese is one of the oldest languages in the world， and it continues to be used by the largest population today. International dissemination of Chinese language and culture can be traced back 2，500 years when it had already spread globally through constant state-tostate communication. Thousands of languages converged in the process of lasting， intensive civilizational interaction， testifying to the history of exchange and communication among our human ancestors.

Nowadays， linguistic and cultural institutions such as Confucius Institute， British Council，Goethe-Institut and Alliance Fran？aise are dedicated to promoting linguistic and cultural exchange and personnel exchange between different countries. Primary statistics show that more than 60 countries have included Chinese language into their national educational systems， reflecting a wave of learning Chinese across the world. At the same time， Chinese schools at various levels， ranging from primary schools to universities， have provided courses in nearly 100 foreign languages. Chinas Ministry of Education announced in 2018 that the country incorporated French， German and Spanish into the curriculum of high schools for the first time， on the basis of existing English， Japanese and Russian courses. The reason behind this addition is the need for international exchange， with an aim to urge young people to strengthen their understanding of the importance of cultural diversity through language learning.

Language is an important carrier of culture and the best key to understanding different civilizations. In April 2019， a group of students from Niles North High School in the United States wrote a letter to President Xi Jinping. In the letter， the students expressed love for the Chinese language and gratitude for their Chinese teacher. They asserted that through studying the Chinese language， they had fallen in love with Chinese characters and food. Earlier in March， administrators and eight students from Rome Convitto Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele II， an Italian boarding school， wrote a letter to President Xi to say that the Confucius Institute program had offered them a chance to get to know China and gain a deeper understanding of the vastness of the world and the value of cultural diversity. In his reply letter， Xi encouraged them to “become modern-day Marco Polos，” which seemed to resonate with every Chinese language learner in Italy.

Over the past 15 years， starting with Asia， Confucius Institutes have been established in more than 140 countries. Along with teaching the Chinese language， Confucius Institutes also collaborate with foreign institutions to conduct language education exchange programs to promote Chinese language and culture around the world and spread Chinese ideas of“emphasizing peace and harmony，”“seeking harmony while celebrating differences” and “valuing outside cultures and driving common prosperity of all cultures.”

Language study and exchange play extensive， lasting roles in promoting closer people-to-people bonds. The Chinese language bears the unique cultural gene of Chinese civilization， as do other languages in the world. Driven by improved institutionalization of a mechanism to facilitate dialogue among Asian civilizations， more Sino-foreign linguistic and cultural exchange and cooperation via multiple channels and at various levels will emerge to consolidate the cultural foundation for mutual understanding and enable China and other countries to move forward together through exchange and mutual learning among various civilizations.