Co-organized by the Association of Chinese Teachers of Russian Language and Literature (КАПРЯЛ) and the School of International Studies (SIS) of Zhejiang University, the International Symposium on the 130th Anniversary of the Birth of Boris Pasternak was successfully held at Zhejiang University through November 6-8, 2020 via both online platform and offline meeting due to the pandemic. Over 60 scholars from Russia, USA, Kazakhstan and Chinese universities, e.g Peking University, gathered with academic aspirations in joint commemoration of the birth of Boris Pasternak and exchanged their latest research dynamic.
The Opening Ceremony
In the opening ceremony chaired by Prof. Wang Yong, Director of the Institute of Russian Language and Culture, Zhejiang University (ZJU), Prof. He Lianzhen, Vice President of Zhejiang University, delivered a speech of welcome, in which she introduced ZJU to the guests and fully affirmed the academic significance of the symposium. Prof. Ning Qi, President of the КАПРЯЛ and Dean of the School of Foreign Languages of Peking University, remarked in her speech that Pasternak was the brightest and most brilliant star in the sky of world literature, and this international symposium in commemoration of the 130th anniversary of his birth would not only deepen the exchange and cooperation between scholars at home and abroad, but also would help people to draw strength and belief to overcome hardships from the writer’s works. After that, Eлисанова, curator of Boris Pasternak House Museum, gave an introduction to the museum and expressed her appreciation for the endeavor of Chinese scholars on commemorating Pasternak.
The Speech Session
The Seminar Presentation
In a short span of three days, six keynote speeches from 15 experts and 5 seminar presentations with 28 speakers were launched online or offline in an orderly manner, serving as valuable opportunities for scholars to exchange insights. Prof. Xia Zhongxian of Beijing Normal University, Editor-in-chief of Russian Literature & Arts, remarked in the closing ceremony that this international symposium, which was held simultaneously online and offline with scholars from home and abroad joining hands to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Boris Pasternak, had a self-evidently particular significance. During the symposium, the theme, character, poetic characteristics and translation of Pasternak’s novels and essays, as well as his linguistic features, metaphorical system and poem musicality were given elaboration on. Besides, the great writer’s autobiography and his relationship with the journal New World was also probed into. It can be concluded that a comprehensive and three-dimensional research on Pasternak’s works has been conducted from fresh perspectives and through diversified approaches, with keynote speeches offering enlightenment on the interdisciplinary studies on Pasternak with expanded academic horizons, and seminar discussions embodying the abundance in the research field and displaying the promising potential of young scholars.
The Closing Ceremony
As the symposium came to a successful closing, scholars form home and abroad extended their heartfelt gratitude to all the members of the SIS and the Institute of Russian Language and Culture for their contribution to global Pasternak studies.
Institute of Russian Language and Culture
November 11, 2020
Translated by Mo Feifei
Proofread by Xu Xueying
