Cultural Activity Holding Principles and Strategies in Facilitating the Sustainable Development of the Confucius Institute (Perspective of Leisure Time Activities)

Ba. Kexin ZHANG, B.A.

Master's thesis

Abstract:

In the recent years, as China's economy and exchanges with the world have seen rapid growth, there has been a sharp increase in the world's demands for Chinese language learning and understanding Chinese culture. In response to this proper time and condition, the Confucius Institute came into being in 2004. More years since the establishment of the Confucius Institute, it has been growing rapidly. By the end of 2016, 512 Confucius Institutes and 1073 Confucius Classrooms have been set up among 140 countries (regions) in the world. However, together with the development, attendant problems have also gradually emerged, such as difficulties in activities promotion, a low level of participation, lack of new ideas and so on. Besides, from some scholars' perspective, cultural differences and lack of cultural identity have also to a certain extent become a bottleneck of the development process. Whether cultural activities can be successfully organized is closely related to the sustainable development of the Confucius Institute. Various cultural activities organized by the Confucius Institute are important ways of cultural transmission. Admittedly, they are a way of cultural diplomacy which can show the world a general image of China and help other countries understand Chinese culture, but they also allow the local people to participate in person, to enhance their cultural awareness and cultural competence, and ultimately to enrich their leisure time. The current academic researches about Confucius Institute are mainly focused on the macroscopic role it plays in strengthening China's cultural soft power or some simple introductions, while researches through faithful records and objective analysis are basically blank, which means that the overall research lacks the significance of practical guidance. In this paper, I mainly use case study method, and collect data through documentations, archival records, web site resources and private working files. Under the concepts and research results of leisure theory, I conduct an analysis about the correspondence between leisure time activities and cultural activities of the Confucius Institute from the perspective of leisure areas and leisure benefits. Further, I choose the Confucius Institute at Palacky University in Olomouc as the subject of study, through investigating the chronicle of cultural events, curricula schedules and statistical data, activity schemes and budgeting from 2012 to 2016, together with the Institute's two Five-year Development Plans and Annual Report of Confucius Institutes, combining individual 3-year working experience in participating and organizing cultural activities, and with a self-reflection about the leisure motivation and leisure programming theories, I try to give an interpretation of the strategies and principles of how to efficiently design, promote and deliver meaningful and valuable cultural activities with a higher level of active involvement, in order that the sustainable development of the Confucius Institute could be better facilitated.

Abstract:

In the recent years, as China's economy and exchanges with the world have seen rapid growth, there has been a sharp increase in the world's demands for Chinese language learning and understanding Chinese culture. In response to this proper time and condition, the Confucius Institute came into being in 2004. More years since the establishment of the Confucius Institute, it has been growing rapidly. By the end of 2016, 512 Confucius Institutes and 1073 Confucius Classrooms have been set up among 140 countries (regions) in the world. However, together with the development, attendant problems have also gradually emerged, such as difficulties in activities promotion, a low level of participation, lack of new ideas and so on. Besides, from some scholars' perspective, cultural differences and lack of cultural identity have also to a certain extent become a bottleneck of the development process. Whether cultural activities can be successfully organized is closely related to the sustainable development of the Confucius Institute. Various cultural activities organized by the Confucius Institute are important ways of cultural transmission. Admittedly, they are a way of cultural diplomacy which can show the world a general image of China and help other countries understand Chinese culture, but they also allow the local people to participate in person, to enhance their cultural awareness and cultural competence, and ultimately to enrich their leisure time. The current academic researches about Confucius Institute are mainly focused on the macroscopic role it plays in strengthening China's cultural soft power or some simple introductions, while researches through faithful records and objective analysis are basically blank, which means that the overall research lacks the significance of practical guidance. In this paper, I mainly use case study method, and collect data through documentations, archival records, web site resources and private working files. Under the concepts and research results of leisure theory, I conduct an analysis about the correspondence between leisure time activities and cultural activities of the Confucius Institute from the perspective of leisure areas and leisure benefits. Further, I choose the Confucius Institute at Palacky University in Olomouc as the subject of study, through investigating the chronicle of cultural events, curricula schedules and statistical data, activity schemes and budgeting from 2012 to 2016, together with the Institute's two Five-year Development Plans and Annual Report of Confucius Institutes, combining individual 3-year working experience in participating and organizing cultural activities, and with a self-reflection about the leisure motivation and leisure programming theories, I try to give an interpretation of the strategies and principles of how to efficiently design, promote and deliver meaningful and valuable cultural activities with a higher level of active involvement, in order that the sustainable development of the Confucius Institute could be better facilitated.

Keywords

culture, leisure, activity, Confucius Institute, sustainable development

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 2. 2. 2018

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 1. 6. 2018
• Supervisor: doc. Mgr. Štefan Chudý, Ph.D.

PALACKÝ UNIVERSITY OLOMOUC

Faculty of Education

Master programme / field:
Education / Leisure Time Activities Counselling and Management