Koen Smeets and Dario Cowdery, scholars from the Yenching Academy of Peking University, lead a team of over 20 students from top universities in China, the United States, and the United Kingdom. They run a podcast that analyzes and showcases the rebuilding and current state of Sino-American relations, with a focus on preserving the oral history of academic relations between China and the United States. During their visit to TBC, they interviewed Executive Director Simon Koo to learn more about TBC’s history, responsibilities, and mission.
A: The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies was established in 1998 by Fr. Ron Anton, then Dean of Business at Loyola University Maryland. That same year, he founded TBC alongside the Beijing International MBA (BiMBA) program at Peking University. His vision was for BiMBA to act as a gateway for Chinese students to engage with the rest of the world, while TBC served as a gateway for people outside Beijing to come and learn about China.
Initially, TBC welcomed business students coming to learn about China, but as the program evolved, Fr. Anton realized it could facilitate broader cultural dialogue, including interfaith dialogue, thanks to China’s unique setting. Students from the US, Europe, and more recently, South America, have come to engage in this cultural exchange with China. That was the beginning of TBC. After the BiMBA program was absorbed by Peking University, TBC took on a more bidirectional role, becoming both an inbound and outbound program. Now, it allows Chinese students to learn about other cultures and enables others to learn about China.
A: As Academic Director, and now also Executive Director, my primary focus is organizing academic activities such as coursework, academic excursions, and research projects. For students studying at TBC for a semester, ensuring that their courses transfer back to their home universities is key. I’m proud to say that all students have successfully transferred their credits, with no delays in graduation due to studying at TBC.
Additionally, as Academic Director, I manage research activities, academic seminars, and workshops, and coordinate scholar exchanges. Our library, with over 27,000 volumes of English-language books about China, including rare collections and maps, serves as a valuable research platform that I oversee.
A: The collection was largely acquired by Fr. Anton and his team in the early days of TBC, with some donations from patrons who believed the artifacts would be better served by us. This has been a gradual process, much like how our library has grown over the years. Scholars and students often leave their books with us, contributing to the ongoing development of our collection. It’s been a continuous effort for over 25 years—Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was Anton Library.
A: TBC is designed as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures, promoting dialogue and understanding. Our academic excursions, a long-standing tradition, are integral to this mission. In the fall, we take students on the Silk Road journey, while in spring, we travel to Yunnan, the southwest of China.
These trips, set up by Fr. Anton, are not typical sightseeing tours. They’re academic and reflective experiences, designed to provoke deeper thinking about China’s culture and history, and to encourage students to compare it with their own cultures. Many students find these trips transformative, not just in their understanding of China but of the world.
For example, the Silk Road trip covers regions where the landscape and culture shift dramatically, especially as you approach Xinjiang. The diversity in religious practices, food, and customs leaves a lasting impression. Our Yunnan trip, on the other hand, explores China’s most ethnically diverse province, where students engage in homestays with ethnic minority groups. These excursions offer a unique, anthropological experience that goes beyond sightseeing.
A: There’s always a need for mutual understanding. While TBC has a Jesuit foundation, we don’t engage in evangelical work or function as a religious institution. Instead, we follow the footsteps of figures like Matteo Ricci, serving as cultural ambassadors. Our mission is to foster dialogue and understanding between cultures, which aligns with the government’s emphasis on cultural exchange.
Rachel: Recently, I spoke with an American student who told me that after two weeks in China, she realized that as an American, she didn’t feel like she had a distinct culture. She was struck by China’s deep history and its cultural artifacts, which made her reflect on her own heritage in a new way. I think that’s one of the most powerful aspects of exchange—learning about a new culture often makes you appreciate and question your own.
Simon: For me, the most impactful moments are when I witness real transformation in our students. One example that stands out is a student who was initially disengaged, just taking classes for credit. After participating in a service-learning opportunity at a blind orphanage, he underwent a profound change. He became more involved and later started a foundation for children with disabilities. Moments like these remind me why the challenges of this work are always worth it.
After the interview, both Koen and Dario expressed their gratitude for TBC’s hospitality and Simon’s insightful responses. They plan to promote TBC at the Yenching Academy, hoping to encourage more scholars to engage with TBC. Simon, in turn, appreciated their thoughtful questions, noting how deep and thought-provoking the conversation had been.
TBC continues to serve as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures, fostering dialogue and mutual understanding. We look forward to welcoming more scholars to engage and learn with us in the future!
By Thierry Lee
Art often bridges the past and present, connecting us to centuries-old traditions while sparking deeply personal creativity. My recent experience in a Chinese Arts and Culture class beautifully encapsulated this idea.
Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a volunteering activity that left a deep impression on me. It was a day dedicated to cultural exchange, creativity, and a wonderful reminder of the vibrancy of tradition — both Chinese and beyond.
The past few weekends have been some of the most exciting of the entire semester, full of trips to the zoo, mountain hikes, ancient parks, and more! Our first trip out of many was a visit to the Beijing Zoo. I had mentioned earlier in the semester that I wanted to see some pandas, since I was in China after all, and our TBC friend Andy made it happen.
Last year, The Beijing Center (TBC) celebrated its 25th anniversary with a dinner that was not just about marking a milestone but about embodying the Jesuit tradition of service and community impact.