Since the end of the 20th century , Taoism became a global religion from a local Chinese religion. It attracts many so-called "spiritual tourists" from the West and especially the United States, who want to acquire various "superpowers" or go on "spiritual journeys" and ecstatic experiences.
24-26 April Vilnius University hosted the ATSIbusk'24 events as it does every year. These days are aimed at both students and the general public who want to get to know Asia and the Middle East better. The three days were packed with interesting lectures, exclusive workshops and inspiring activities.
For the fourth time, we were delighted to organise, and for those who are thirsty for real Chinese art, 5 Chinese calligraphy and painting workshops with Ukrainian Chinese artist Qi Xiaoting [Chi Shaoting].
In March, the Confucius Institute of Vilnius University hosted a lecture by Dr Vytis Silius, a sinologist, researcher, associate professor, who is probably the most comprehensive scholar of the works of Confucius. In his lecture "How to be a good person? Some Examples from Confucius' Lunyu 論語 (Discussions and Conversations)", the speaker introduced us to the world of ethical ideas of classical Confucianism, focusing on the text attributed to Confucius (Kongzi 孔子).
In December, professor and lecturer of Chinese medicine Dalia Sekmokienė gave a lecture on "The Importance of Nutrition for Human Health according to Chinese Medicine and Philosophy," which introduced the audience to traditional Chinese medicine and the importance of a proper diet to maintain a healthy body and spirit.
On 10 November, at the Adomas Mickevičius Public Library of Vilnius County, Dr Vytis Silius gave a lecture on perhaps the most famous and universal Sunzi work in the world "The Art of War".First, the event introduced us to the historical and cultural context.
In October, at our institute, in the lecture "Buddhism, Moon and Wine: Some Themes from the Golden Age of Chinese Poetry", Assoc. Dr Vytis Silius gave a brief introduction to some of the most prominent poets of the Tang Dynasty and highlighted the undeniable cultural significance of their works.
This magical autumn, we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in Chinese art. Chinese calligraphy and painting are the key to the mysterious world of Chinese art, which can help us perceive and understand different Chinese cultures.
In a public lecture titled "Youth Culture in Contemporary China," delivered by Assoc. Prof. Loreta Poškaitė from the Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies, we learned many interesting facts and insights related to youth culture and its development in China, particularly in the 20th and 21st centuries. Let's briefly overview the key points that were highlighted.
In May, in a public lecture "Phytotherapy: Lithuania - China; Far and near; Intoxication - Detoxification - Digestion. What to know", we deepened our knowledge about the healing properties of plants. The lecture was given by Vitalijus Naumavičius, MS PhD.
Acupuncture is a Chinese medical treatment that has been practised for thousands of years, not only in China and other South-East Asian countries, but also worldwide. Practitioners are guided by the idea that the life-sustaining energy Qi flows through channels in the body. When this flow is disturbed, diseases develop. By applying the needles to the points in the channels, the circulation of Qi is restored and health is restored.
On 25th of May, a public lecture "The Book of Changes (Yìjīng) in Chinese Taoism" was held at the Confucius Institute of Vilnius University, delivered by Associate Prof. Loreta Poškaitė. The lecture presented one of the oldest, most universal and still relevant Chinese wisdom texts - the Book of Changes (Yìjīng) and its connection with the Taoist religion.
On the occasion of a World Tai Chi & Qigong Day we were extremely happy to present a health seminar with our beloved wushu instructor Liang Wenming. The core idea of the seminar was to introduce additional breathing exercises and the use of reverse abdominal breathing in Chen-style Tai Chi.
The second half of April was decorated with incredibly wonderful Asian cultural events.
An International Chinese Language Day was celebrated at the Confucius Institute of Vilnius University on 20th April.
On this occasion, we invited students, friends, and all those interested in Chinese culture to participate in the day's events.
On 15 November Dr. Vytis Silius, Confucian scholar, Sun Yat-sen University researcher, gave a lecture on Sunzi's The Art of War at the Confucius Institute of Vilnius University. In this lecture, we explained the historical circumstances of the emergence of this text and the most important ideas. V. Silius outlined how Sunzi proposes to wage war and what the ideal victory in war is. The researcher also shared his own initial insights into the interest and universality of the book, not only introducing the structure of the book, but also highlighting what makes it unique in its universality.
The lecture series "Chinese Buddhist Texts" dealt with Chinese Buddhism, based on the presentation of five important collections of Buddhist texts. The lectures were given by Dr Tadas Snuviškis, a scholar of Eastern philosophical systems and religions and a PhD in philosophy. The first lecture presented perhaps the most famous and influential text of Chinese Buddhism, the Lotus Sutra. First, the origins of Buddhism, its main traditions, and its most important principles - suffering, origin, cessation and path - were presented.
In the first days of December 2022, Jesse Appell, a professional comedy actor from the USA, known as Ai Jiexi 艾杰西, visited Vilnius University to perform the only stand-up show in Lithuania, introducing the unique Chinese comedy genre to the public. The second meeting with the actor was dedicated to those who are learning Chinese and looking for new impulses in this field.
On 9 December, the Confucius Institute of Vilnius University hosted an event on the intriguing topic of "The Alchemy of China (Taoism) and the West: a search for dialogue".
Since ancient times, people in different cultures have sought to transcend the powers of humanity - to become immortal, invulnerable, to acquire special knowledge, to transcend the limits of earthly time and space. One of the most unique, mysterious and challenging ways to achieve this was through alchemy, which existed in both Europe and China.
On December 14th public lecture “Immunity in Chinese medicine” was held online. Lecture was hosted by doctor, acupuncture specialist, doctor of medical science Dainius Butvilas, who had internship in China Tianjin university of traditional Chinese medicine and currently practices Chinese medicine in Lithuania. In the lecture the concept of immunity in modern and traditional Chinese medicine was discussed, main principles of Chinese medicine – balance and flow were presented.
