On August 12, the publication symposium for History of Western Thought on Virtue opened in Hubei University. [Photo/cssn.cn]

On August 12, the publication symposium for History of Western Thought on Virtue, co-hosted by People’s Publishing House and Hubei University, opened in the Qisi Hall, a conference center of Hubei University.

History of Western Thought on Virtueis made up of four volumes --- Ancient, Modern, Contemporary I and Contemporary II. Its 3.35 million words systematically present the history of western thinking about virtue for the first time in China. The set focuses on the major viewpoints, internal logic, outstanding contributions and historical influence of that thinking, and tries to explore its development process, spirit and typical features, based on the original western works.

The set is one stage in the Study of Western Thought on Virtue, a major project supported by the national fund of social science in 2011 and led by Jiang Chang, director of the Institute for Advanced Humanistic Studies of Hubei University (IAHSHU).

Shang Gang, secretary of the Party Committee of Hubei University, was present and delivered a speech. Shang said that Professor Jiang is a leader of Hubei University in the philosophy and social science research field. IAHSHU also has rich experience in hosting cultural forums, including the World Culture Forum, China Culture Forum and Hubei Culture Forum, and founded the Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Culture’s Coordinated Development and the Hubei Cultural Development Research Institute. The latter has become one of ten new provincial think tanks in Hubei. As a powerful force in the field of humanities and social sciences, Hubei has generated several influential research findings, such asChinese Cultural HistoryandTheory of Virtue.

Experts spoke highly ofHistory of Western Thought on Virtue, recognizing that it has established a good foundation for China’s study of western thinking in that area and promoted further research. Senior Editor Zhang Weizhen noted in his speech that the set has filled gaps in China’s academic understanding of western thinking about virtue. Additionally, the set will play an important role in bringing Chinese readers an opportunity to communicate with western thinkers.

Overseas and domestic experts and scholars were also present at the event, including Professor Michael Slote from the University of Miami, Wan Junren, chair of the Department of Philosophy at Tsinghua University and director of the China Association for Ethical Studies, and Dai Maotang, chair of the Department of Philosophy at Hubei University.