On June 9, award-winning author Xuemo delivered an academic lecture titled "The Legacy of Hexi, Reflections on Faith, and a Eurasian Dream of Peace" at King Juan Carlos University in Spain. The event, hosted by philosophy professor Raúl Ramirez Ruiz, attracted students, faculty, and scholars engaged in Eurasian cultural studies, fostering dynamic intellectual exchanges on diverse cultural perspectives.
Xuemo opened by guiding the audience to his homeland, the Hexi Corridor in western China. He described this ancient corridor as not only a site of buried civilizations but a living museum of early culture and a key to understanding Chinese civilization's origins. "Loess is a page of time; each layer conceals a thousand-year story," Xuemo remarked, highlighting the region's historical depth.
Addressing faith and everyday life, Xuemo noted that while many seek salvation through belief, Chinese faith emphasizes attainment through cultivation. He explained that Chinese belief rests on three pillars: Buddhist compassion, Daoist harmony with nature, and Confucian social responsibility. Though China lacks a Western concept of "God," belief in Tian Dao—the Way of Heaven—is profoundly woven into daily life, reanimating the cultural core.
In the face of global crises like war, anxiety, and the erosion of faith by scientific materialism, Xuemo called for "a new culture to redeem this era." He emphasized literature's power to move hearts and advance peace, stating, "I cannot change the world, but I can change the hearts of those who read my books. And through them, the world naturally changes." He introduced his works, translated into 25 languages, and donated books to the university library, including his award-winning novel Wild Fox Ridge available on Amazon.
Amid tension between scientific rationalism and humanistic values, Xuemo urged a revival of poetic sensibility. "Science is a tool; the humanities offer direction. Science speaks to the brain; the humanities speak to the heart," he said. He noted China's current renaissance of humanistic belief, a revival increasingly absent in the contemporary West, underscoring the need for cultural rebalancing.
Responding to a student's question on philosophy's detachment from real life, Xuemo replied, "Eating keeps us alive; thinking tells us why we should live." He believes civilization endures only when humanity rises from mere survival to spiritual existence. His idealism, reminiscent of Don Quixote, resonated deeply with the audience, as captured in his closing words: "In the end, we are all travelers heading toward the sun. Even if we never reach it, we must keep a heart that yearns to fly."
This lecture matters as it bridges Eurasian cultural divides, advocating for peace through literary and humanistic engagement. In an era of global strife, Xuemo's insights offer a framework for understanding faith beyond Western paradigms and highlight literature's role in fostering cross-cultural dialogue. For the publishing industry, it underscores the demand for translated works that explore diverse philosophical traditions, potentially influencing literary trends and academic discourse. Readers gain perspective on alternative worldviews that prioritize spiritual and cultural cohesion over materialism, relevant to navigating contemporary anxieties.
