January Wednesday 28th
Joseph Needham
(Li Yuese) 1900 - 1995 by Justin Keating
February The Jesuits in China
by
Fr Todd Morrissey SJ
In the 16th and
17th centuries the Jesuits working in China, led
by Matteo Ricci, were mostly
scientists and scholars as
well as priests. They studied
Chinese culture and adapted
their missionary activities to
it. Their influence was great
at the Imperial Court where
they were treated as valuable
advisors. Father Todd will
tell us about their activities in
many spheres and the
extraordinary influence which they
had. March Wednesday 25th
Emergent China by
Professor Tao Kiang
Tao Kiang, that two-cultures, two-civilisations man who has given the Society so much over many years, will tonight tell
us about the Confucian Humanism which he sees developing in modern China. April Chengde and the Imperial Mountain Resort by the team of Norman, John & David After their recent Youxie-sponsored
visit to Sichuan and Henan, some of the ICCS delegation went on, under their own
steam, to visit the extraordinary and delightful World Heritage Site of Chengde in Hebei. In the 18th century the elaborate
resort was developed with its eight outer temples and hundreds of other
temples in the hills around.
Many are miniature replicas of
other famous temples around
China, including a miniature
Potala which houses an active
Tibetan Buddhist community.
The travellers hope that they
will be able to persuade you to
include Chengde in your next
Chinese trip.
Dublin 2.
(very near Baggot
Street)
This venue is very convenient . It is right beside Baggot Street, and a five-minute walk from Leeson Street or Mount Street, so it is well served by buses. Parking is abundant and free (after 7.00 p.m., which is ideal for our meetings at 8.00 p.m.).
Monday 26th
Chinese New Year Dinner
7 Sandford Road,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6
at 7.15 p.m.
Numbers are limited so early booking is advisable.
Needham’s extensive
research into the history of
Chinese science and
technology culminated in his
initiation of the massive multi-volume
"Science and Civilisation in China" project, which is still
continuing after his death.
There is a remarkable human story behind the industrious scholarship, as revealed in the
recently-published biography "The Man Who Loved China", by Simon
Winchester.
Wednesday 25th
Fr Morrissey is the author of a
recently-published book about
the work of the Jesuit
missionaries in Asia.
"The Beijing 2008 Olympiad is one spectacular
facet of the emergence of China. Some may be more impressed
by China's coolness when the west seems to be panicking
at the present economic downturn.
But the real change is in the Chinese people's psyche:
after 150 years of self-doubt, at last they have regained
their confidence, their sense of mission for the whole mankind
based on humanism, for the future of world civilization."
Wednesday 22nd
Dublin City
Chinese New Year Festivities, January 2009
For information see
www.dublin.ie/arts-culture/chinese-new-year-2009.htm