“Personality at the Crossroads of Culture and Languages” ——International Scientific Conference of Professor Pēteris Šmits was successfully held
当地时间4月25日-26日，拉脱维亚第一代汉学家彼得·施密特（Pēteris Šmits）教授学术遗产国际研讨会暨诞辰150周年纪念日于拉脱维亚大学主楼礼堂成功举办，近200名教授、学者及汉语学习者等与会者参加了这次会议。此次会议由联合国教科文组织、拉脱维亚大学、拉脱维亚大学图书馆以及拉脱维亚大学孔子学院联合举办，会议共持续两天，分为五个主题。来自拉脱维亚、中国、俄罗斯、德国、波兰等不同国家的22位发言人发表了精彩的主题演讲，他们以中拉两国的历史交往、文化交流为背景，讲述了施密特教授对拉脱维亚汉学、民族文学等领域做出的杰出贡献以及他为后人留下的丰富的文化遗产。拉脱维亚大学孔子学院中方院长尚劝余教授及拉方院长贝德高（Pileter Pildegovičs）教授参加了此次会议并分别进行了主题演讲。
首先，拉脱维亚大学校长穆伊日涅克斯（Indriķis Muižnieks）教授及联合国教科文组织拉脱维亚国家委员会秘书长莫妮卡（Baiba Moļņika）分别为此次会议致欢迎辞，他们共同表达了对施密特教授的缅怀及崇敬之情。莫妮卡表示期待这次会议能为继续维持世界和平、促进中拉两国文化交流，共同创造两国更美好的未来提供更多灵感。
会议的第一部分主题为“时代背景和历史特征”，共有五位发言人发表了演讲。第一位发言者是拉脱维亚国家语言中心主任鲍汀斯（Māris Baltiņš）博士，他讲解了施密特教授对拉脱维亚大学发展的贡献。接着，拉脱维亚大学历史与哲学系教授雅各布森（Ēriks Jēkabsons）博士及拉脱维亚大学拉脱维亚历史研究所研究员克雷斯林斯（Uldis Krēsliņš）博士从历史的角度分别介绍了第一次世界大战前中国和远东的拉脱维亚人以及1918-1920年间包括施密特教授在内的拉脱维亚人在西伯利亚和远东地区的社会政治努力情况。采西斯历史和艺术博物馆历史学家帕姆普林斯（Cālis Pumpuriņš）博士和拉脱维亚大学人文学院首席研究员克拉文斯（Kaspars Kļaviņš）博士则就施密特教授在第一次世界大战期间推广拉脱维亚爱国主义的贡献以及他在解释文化及其当代跨文化关系的时事性方面的类比方法提出了自己的见解。
会议的第二部分以“施密特教授对汉学研究的贡献”为主题，七位来自不同领域的专家、学者围绕这个主题进行了演讲。第一位发言的是来自北京外国语大学的罗薇博士，她为大家介绍了施密特教授的著作《An Attempt in Mandarin Grammar》，她认为这本教科书是打开俄罗斯现代汉语教学的窗口，也是拉脱维亚语法届首次对普通话语法的探索。接着，拉脱维亚大学孔子学院中方院长尚劝余教授及拉脱维亚大学博士吕研共同就施密特教授中国研究的现状与意义提出了见解，他们对施密特教授的学术成果在中国的进一步传播做出了展望。第三位发言人是拉脱维亚大学人文学院教授泰万斯（Leons Taivāns）博士，他介绍了施密特教授与19世纪、20世纪之交的中国现实情况。拉脱维亚大学孔子学院拉方院长、拉脱维亚第二代汉学家贝德高（Pileter Pildegovičs）教授则从汉语教学的角度出发，提出施密特教授对汉语教学方法的重要贡献。最后，国际ISMN机构主席瓦尔拉芬斯（Hartmut Walravens）博士、圣彼得堡俄罗斯科学院东方手稿研究所所长伊丽娜波波娃（ИринаПопова）博士以及拉脱维亚大学图书馆研究员曼迪涅斯（Ilga Mantiniece）从施密特教授在波罗的海地区的东方研究等角度发表了演讲。
会议的第三部分和第四部分的主题分别是“施密特教授对语言学的贡献”及“施密特教授对拉脱维亚民族文学的贡献”，共有五位发言人：拉脱维亚大学人文与教育科学副校长杜鲁威也特（Ina Druviete）博士、拉脱维亚大学拉脱维亚语言学院院长詹森（IrēnaIlga Jansone）博士、拉脱维亚大学人文学院教授考妮娜（Ieva Kalniņa）博士、拉脱维亚大学文学、民俗和艺术研究所研究员帕卡林斯（Guntis Pakalns）和拉脱维亚大学图书馆研究员曼迪涅斯（Ilga Mantiniece）。他们分别从语言学、文学、民俗学的角度对施密特教授作品中的语言问题、拉脱维亚文学中施密特教授的形象、拉脱维亚民间信仰（LatviešutautasticiJumi）的性别多样性、施密特教授对拉脱维亚大学图书馆的贡献等角度对施密特教授在不同学术领域的贡献进行了分析和描述。
会议的最后一部分以“施密特教授的文化遗产”为主题，四位发言人向大家介绍了施密特教授为后人留下的丰富的文化遗产的保存与现状。波兰共和国驻拉脱维亚共和国特命全权大使米查理斯金（Monika Michaliszyn）介绍了施密特教授和波兰民俗学的发展；拉脱维亚文学和音乐博物馆的专家米也希特（Ilona Miezīte）介绍了拉脱维亚文学和音乐博物馆中关于施密特教授的收藏；拉脱维亚大学图书馆馆长詹姆卡塔涅（Gunta Jaunmuktāne）则展示了在施密特教授收藏在拉脱维亚大学学术图书馆的手稿；最后一位发言人——拉脱维亚国家历史档案馆首席研究员雅克夫勒维（Mārīte Jakovļeva）为大家介绍了拉脱维亚国家历史档案馆中收藏的关于施密特教授的文件。
彼得·施密特（Pēteris Šmits，1869-1938）是杰出的语言学家，民族志学家，民族学家，民俗学家和拉脱维亚第一代汉学家。施密特教授留下的丰富的科学和文化遗产现已成为拉脱维亚大学的宝贵财富。1928年，施密特教授被授予瑞典乌普萨拉大学荣誉博士，1938年，他获得拉脱维亚政府最高奖三星勋章。联合国教科文组织将施密特教授诞辰150周年和拉脱维亚大学诞辰100周年列入2018-2019年度纪念日历中，以纪念他对拉脱维亚以及世界教科文发展作出的突出贡献。在该活动框架内，计划推广施密特教授的精神遗产，并强调他对波罗的海地区研究和汉学研究发展的影响，强调科学的连续性和国际合作的重要性。本次会议有助于收集和研究有关施密特教授档案材料信息，从而为拉脱维亚、中国、德国、俄罗斯、波兰和其他国家的各学科的科学家提供创造性的合作机会，并向社会宣传施密特教授的人格魅力以及他对汉学和波罗的海学的贡献。
From April 25th to 26th, International Scientific Conference of Latvia’s first-generation Sinologist—Pēteris Šmits and the 150th anniversary of his birth was successfully held in the University of Latvia. Nearly 200 Participants attended the meeting. The conference was jointly organized by UNESCO, the University of Latvia, the University of Latvia Library and the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia. The conference lasted for two days and was divided into five themes. Twenty-two speakers from different countries such as Latvia, China, Russia, Germany, and Poland delivered wonderful speeches. They talked about Latvian Sinology in the context of historical exchanges and cultural exchanges between China and Latvia, also the outstanding contributions in the fields of national literature of Prof.Pēteris Šmits and his rich cultural heritage for future generations. Prof.Pēteris Pildegovičs, the latvian director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia and Prof. Shang Quanyu, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia attended the meeting and delivered speeches.
First, LU rector, Prof.Indriķis Muižnieks and the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO, Secretary General Baiba Moļņika, gave a welcoming speech to the meeting. They jointly expressed their remembrance and reverence for Prof.Šmits. Monica expressed her hope that this conference will provide more inspiration for continuing to maintain world peace, promote cultural exchanges between China and Latvia, and jointly create a better future for both countries.
The first part of the conference was entitled “The Historical Characteristics of the Epoch”, five speakers gave their speeches. The first speaker was Dr.Māris Baltiņš, director of the state language centre. who explained Prof.Šmits’s contribution to the development of the university of Latvia. Then, Dr. Ēriks Jēkabsons, professor of the department of history and philosophy of the university of Latvia, and Dr. Uldis Krēsliņš, researcher of the institute of latvian history at the university of Latvia, introduced Prof.Šmits and the social political efforts of latvians in siberia and the far east during 1918-1920. Dr. Tālis Pumpuriņš, historian of Cēsis history and art museum, and Dr.Kaspars Kļaviņš, leading researcher of the faculty of humanities of the university of Latvia, promoted the contribution of Pēteris Šmits in popularizing latvian patriotism during World War I and the method of analogy by Pēteris Šmits in the interpretation of culture and its topicality in contemporary intercultural relations.
The second part of the conference was based on the theme ” The contribution of Pēteris Šmits to the Studies of Sinology “. Seven experts and scholars from different fields gave the speech on this topic. The first speaker was Dr. Luo Wei from Beijing Foreign Studies University. She introduced Prof.Šmits ‘s book “An Attempt in Mandarin Grammar”. She thought that this textbook opens a modern window on Chinese teaching in Russia, also the first attempt in mandarin grammar.Then,Prof.Shang Quanyu, the Chinese director of the confucius institute at the university of Latvia, and Dr. Luyan from the university of Latvia jointly presented their views on the current status and significance of Prof.Šmits’s Chinese studies. They made a further spread of Prof.Šmits’s academic achievements in China.The third speaker was Dr. Leons Taivāns, who introduced Pēteris Šmits and the Chinese realities at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Prof.Pēteris Pildegovičs, the Latvian director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia and the second-generation sinologist of Latvia, proposed the important contribution of Prof.Šmits to the teaching methods of Chinese from the perspective of chinese teaching. Finally, Dr. Hartmut Walravens, chairman of the international ISMN agency, Dr. Irina Popova (Ирина Попова), director of the institute of oriental manuscripts of the russian academy of sciences at saint petersburg, and Ilga Mantiniece, researcher of the library of the university of Latvia, gave their speech at the perspective of eastern studies in the baltic region.
The topics of the third and fourth parts of the conference are “Professor Schmidt’s Contribution to Linguistics” and ” The Contribution of Pēteris Šmits to Latvian Folklore”. There are five speakers: Dr. Ina Druviete, vice-rector of the humanities and educational sciences in the university of Latvia, Dr. Ilga Jansone, director of the latvian language institute of the university of Latvia, Dr. Ieva Kalniņa, professor of the faculty of humanities of the university of Latvia, Dr. Guntis Pakalns, researcher of the institute of literature, folklore and art of the university of Latvia,and Ilga Mantiniece, researcher of the library of the university of Latvia. They gave their speeches from the perspectives of linguistics, literature, and folklore, they discuss the General linguistic issues in the works of Pēteris Šmits, materials of Pēteris Šmits in ”Dictionary of Latvian Language”, Pēteris Šmits as the publisher and researcher of latvian folk-tales,also the contribution of Pēteris Šmits to the library of the university of Latvia – his unique collection of his entire lifetime.
The final part of the conference was based on the theme of “The Cultural Heritage of Pēteris Šmits in Memory Institutions”. Four speakers introduced the preservation and current status of Professor Schmidt’s rich cultural heritage for future generations. Dr. Monika Michaliszyn, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the republic of Poland to the republic of Latvia, introduce Pēteris Šmits and the development of Polish folkloristics; Ilona Miezīte, Specialist of the literature and music museum, introduced collection “Pēteris Šmits” in the Literature and music museum; Gunta Jaunmuktāne, head of the Misiņš library of the academic library of the university of Latvia, introduced the collection of manuscripts by Pēteris Šmits in the academic library of the university of Latvia; the last speaker-Dr. Mārīte Jakovļeva, leading researcher of the latvian state historical archive, introduced documents on Pēteris Šmits in the Latvian state historical archive.
Pēteris Šmits (1869-1938) is known worldwide as a linguist, ethnographer, folklorist and latvian first-generation sinologist. The University of Latvia is proud of the scientific and cultural heritage left by P. Šmits, which has now become its property. In 1928 he was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of Uppsala University and in 1938 was granted “the Order of the Three Stars”. The 150th birth anniversary of Pēteris Šmitsand the 100th anniversary of University of Latviais are both included in the UNESCO Calendar of Anniversaries 2018-2019, commemorating his activities not only in the Latvian dimension, but also in the development of world culture, education and science. Within the framework of the project, it is planned to promote the heritage of Pēteris Šmits and to highlight the influence of his activities on the development of Baltic studies and Sinology, accentuating the continuity in science and the significance of international cooperation. This project will enable the gathering of information about and the intensifying of studies about P. Šmits’s archive materials, to provide creative cooperation between scientists of various branches from Latvia, China, Germany, Russia and other countries. It is planned to create various events to inform the society about the personality of P. Šmits and his contribution to Sinology and Baltistics.
