NEWS & EVENTS

As an international academic institution with a Jesuit spirit, TBC is actively welcoming inspired and knowledgeable authors, business professionals, and scholars. On January 7, 2021, we had the pleasure of welcoming Chinese author and academic, Dr. Chen Xinyu. Formally educated at Renmin University of China and Sapienza University of Rome, Dr. Chen is currently engaged in the comparison of Chinese and Western philosophy and the archaeological study of Chinese and foreign tombs at the Beijing Administration Institute.

A lesser-known aspect of China is that it is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse countries. In addition to the Han, China officially recognizes 55 ethnic minority groups. A small number of Chinese nationals consider themselves members of non-officially recognized groups, for example, the Jews, Japanese, Oirat, Tuvan, etc. Throughout much of recorded Chinese history, the concepts of nationality, culture, and ethnicity were not exceptionally distinct.

In Chinese culture, the occasion on which people give thanks with family is the Mid-autumn festival. Chinese New Year also celebrates similar concepts, but with emphasis on family reunion and setting precedents for prosperity in the year ahead. However, it is also said that the modern Chinese are the only non-North Americans who celebrate western Thanksgiving.

In traditional Chinese culture, family units are highly valued. Although resulting in positive phenomena such as strong family bonds across generations, family units can also lead to stress among those of “marriageable age.” Combined with the modern demands of education, employment, and a gradual change in attitude, more Chinese youth choose to delay marriage or remain single. And thus, with the rise of a massive group of well-educated and self-sufficient Chinese youth, the world’s biggest retail holiday was born: Singles’ Day.

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks for our students here at TBC. Despite just having handed in a bunch of midterm papers, the late nights are making a reappearance for some last-minute STEM course studying. In the hectic run-up to Thanksgiving, be sure to take a moment, breathe, and be present. In the words of Confucius: “wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.” Let’s look at some Chinese philosophical ideas and how they can be applied to our lives today.