The 9th International Conference on Bie-modernism | Speech by Prof. Ernest Ženko, Director of the Center for Bie-modern Studies (CBMS)

Ladies and gentlemen, respected colleagues, and distinguished guests,

Good morning. It is an immense pleasure and honor to be here today, joining you all in Shanghai at this distinguished gathering. I would like to thank our hosts, Professor Wang Jianjiang and the organizing committee, for bringing us all together in this remarkable setting. The exchange of ideas that takes place in conferences like this is invaluable, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to participate.

It does not happen very often that a single individual creates and develops an intellectual tradition that becomes globally relevant. But exactly this happened in the case of Bie-Modern theory, created by Professor Wang Jianjiang, who presented it a decade ago, first to the Chinese intellectual community and then to the world at large. I am proud to be a part of this movement, which I first encountered right here in Shanghai in 2016 at a conference like this.

I came to that conference with Professor Aleš Erjavec, who saw in Bie-Modern theory an extraordinarily significant contribution to global aesthetics and philosophy. Together, we attended many conferences on Bie-Modernism, year after year, until his illness made it impossible for him to continue traveling abroad. During these encounters, I found a community of people who shared a deep enthusiasm for this new theory. Among these individuals, I also found friends. One such friend, who unfortunately could not join us this year, is Keaton Wynn. He went on to establish a Center for Chinese Bie-Modern Studies in the United States, providing proof that Bie-Modern theory has transcended China and begun its journey across other continents.

Building on this momentum, in 2019, we established a Center for Bie-Modern Studies at our own university in Koper, Slovenia, thereby opening the door for Bie-Modern theory in Europe. It has been an incredible journey to witness how an intellectual tradition born here in China has grown into a movement that now spans continents and brings together so many voices from different cultural backgrounds.

I want to thank Professor Wang once again for inviting me to Shanghai and for the opportunity to engage in this exchange of ideas. It is truly inspiring to see what has been achieved, and I look forward to furthering our discussions in the coming days. Let us continue this collaborative journey, sharing our insights and building bridges across cultures and disciplines.

Thank you.

Prof. dr. Ernest Ženko

Head of the Center for Bie-Modern Studies, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia