From October 15 to 17, the third Kaoting Forum took place in Youxi County, Sanming City, Fujian Province, featuring a series of remarkable events, including the launch of “Four Volumes of Nanxi Academy,” a performance of Zhuzi Guqin music, and a poetry conference devoted to Zhuzi. Over the course of two and a half days, attendees were treated to more than ten engaging activities that left a lasting impression.

On October 16, the forum officially opened in Youxi County, with significant contributions from Zhu Xi, a prominent philosopher, thinker, educator, and literary figure of the Southern Song Dynasty. Zhu Xi’s consolidation of Neo-Confucianism propelled this cultural ideology to new heights, establishing the “Min School” as a crucial part of Chinese intellectual history for over 800 years.

In recent years, Fujian Province has focused on the preservation and promotion of Zhuzi culture, particularly in Youxi, Zhu Xi’s birthplace, and Nanping, the origin of Zhuzi’s teachings. Efforts have been made to imbue this cultural heritage with contemporary significance.

On the afternoon of October 17, the experimental primary school in Youxi County held its annual “Shicai Li” ceremony at the Zhuzi Cultural Park. More than 400 faculty and students donned traditional Hanfu attire to solemnly partake in this event, deeply immersing themselves in the rich essence of Zhuzi culture.

To further promote Zhuzi culture, Sanming City has established a leading group for the development of Zhuzi cultural branding, a center for cultural transmission and innovation, and regularly integrates Zhuzi culture into various sectors—government, rural areas, schools, communities, scenic spots, and homes. Adapting to the trends of the new media era, Youxi has launched a series of short videos titled “A Person Should Be Confucian,” introducing the life stories and philosophical tenets of Zhu Xi across multiple platforms, with over 100 episodes and more than 5 million views.

As autumn arrives, enthusiasm for Zhuzi culture has surged in Sanming, with local residents actively participating in forum activities. Visitors can be seen “checking in” at cultural landmarks such as Nanxi Academy, Ziyang Park, and the Zhuzi Cultural Corridor, where creative products inspired by Zhu Xi, such as calligraphy tools and inkstones, are readily available.

“I believe the creative products showcased at this forum are outstanding,” noted Lu Xing, Deputy Dean and Professor at Nankai University’s College of Philosophy. He emphasized that these cultural creations not only highlight the unique charm of Zhuzi culture in Youxi but also exemplify the perfect fusion of traditional culture and modern creativity.

In Nanping, Zhuzi culture has similarly woven itself into the local cultural landscape, influencing community thought and strategic development while playing a role in promoting societal progress. Recently, Nanping has produced 11 episodes of the “Zhuzi Culture Radio Classroom” program, gaining recognition from the National Radio and Television Administration. Exhibitions on Zhuzi culture were hosted at the Nanping Grand Theater and in Fuzhou, drawing nearly 60,000 visitors, while a “Millennia of Cultural Heritage” poetry and speech competition lasted two months, engaging around 10,000 participants.

Fujian’s Sanming and Nanping regions are continually working to implement a development strategy centered around Zhuzi culture in the cultural tourism sector. By integrating cultural resources into the industrial framework, they are exploring new avenues for cultural transformation that nurture unique offerings—such as music and dance, heritage handicraft experiences, art bookstores, cultural livestreaming, and educational tourism—positioning Zhuzi culture as a vital asset for regional economic growth.

Simultaneously, Fujian is encouraging the global dissemination of Zhuzi culture, which has unique advantages in making cultural dialogues more accessible and relatable. The forum featured distinguished experts from across China and 26 international scholars from countries such as the United States, France, and South Korea, enriching the discussions surrounding the inheritance and innovation of Zhuzi culture.

During the forum, an Asian exchange contract on Zhuzi culture was signed, formalizing a partnership between Youxi County and Nanchang University, aiming to deepen cultural exchanges in Asia.

“This signing creates a valuable communication channel for Chinese and Korean scholars in Zhuzi cultural research, allowing us to restore the original influence of Zhuzi studies. Moving forward, we will conduct regular cultural exchange activities between China and Korea to foster enduring relationships,” said Jie Jiangling, Deputy Director of the Philosophy Department at Nanchang University.

Zhuzi culture also plays an irreplaceable role in promoting cross-strait integration and fostering mutual understanding. Since 2018, the Fujian Provincial Political Consultative Conference, in collaboration with various organizations from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, has held “Hong Kong and Macao Students Walk the Zhuzi Path” study camps, attracting nearly a thousand young students from these regions to explore the rich lineage of Chinese traditional culture.

Professor Pan Zhaoyang, a retired faculty member from the East Asia Department at National Taiwan Normal University and Chairman of the Taiwan Chinese Fengyuan Society, called for increased multi-layered interactive exchanges among youth across the Taiwan Strait, urging them to leverage Zhuzi culture as a bridge for mutual understanding and the continued development of exemplary Chinese traditional culture.