The 5th International Symposium on Marine Literature and Culture was held in Ningbo from November 26th to 27th, 2022, to serve the national strategy of strengthening the country's ocean and promote the in-depth development of marine literature and culture research. The symposium was co-organized by the College of Foreign Languages of Ningbo University, the Journal of Foreign Literature Studies, the Research Center for World Marine Literature and Culture of Ningbo University, and the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Literature of Ningbo University, and co-organized by Ocean Press. The theme of the conference is the study of marine literature and culture in the context of Ocean Power. The conference was held online and offline, and attracted more than 200 experts, scholars, teachers and students from more than 50 universities and research institutions in China, including Spain and Korea, providing a rich academic feast for everyone.
Associate Professor Guo Haixia from the College of Foreign Languages of our university was invited to attend and give the keynote speech of the conference, which was entitled Trade Writing in the Sequel of Robinson Crusoe. She analyzed and interpreted the trade writing in Robinson Crusoe, a British maritime novel, from the interdisciplinary perspective of literature and economics, starting from the integration and innovation of the new liberal arts. She argues that Robinson Crusoe may not be as well known as its predecessor Robinson Crusoe as an adventure story set on the sea and voyage, but the recurring trade writing in this book has its deep political and economic origins. She points out that the development of free trade in Britain was accompanied by brutal wars, and that its free trade was based on plunder, as evidenced by the Sino-British trade, the Atlantic slave trade and the African ivory trade; at the same time, the end of the Qing Dynasty's Kang-Qian Dynasty and the decline of China brought about by the opium trade between China and Britain in fact tell people At the same time, the end of the Qing Dynasty's Kang-Qian Dynasty and the decline of the opium trade between China and the United Kingdom have shown people that arrogance, ignorance and seclusion can deprive a country and a nation of the opportunity to grow with the world. The study of the Sino-British trade and the historical and textual aspects of the text can provide a basis and practical reference for the development strategy of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road advocated by China at present, which can make people deeply understand the educational function of literature, awaken people's historical consciousness, use history as a lesson, and make people see the importance of the sea and maritime The conference will be held to attract more people to learn more about the development of the maritime industry and the maritime trade, which has had a profound impact on the rise and fall of great nations and civilizations, and to realize the lessons that go with the rise and fall of nations.
The conference will attract more colleagues to devote themselves to the study of Chinese and foreign maritime literature and culture, and to build a blue isology with Chinese characteristics. It is generally believed that an ocean power is a country with strong comprehensive strength in developing, utilizing, protecting and controlling the oceans and seas. This definition emphasizes the hard power of a country, but ignores the other side of the ocean power, that is, the soft power represented by ocean spirit, ocean concept and ocean culture. Ocean power has become an important strategic goal for China's development in the 21st century. To build a strong ocean country, we need to improve the national marine consciousness, which is fully reflected in the marine literature and culture.
(Reported by the College of Foreign Languages office; Translated by Li Huixian)
