On the morning of March 30, 2019, Prof. Liu Yingsheng from Nanjing University gave a lecture on “National Exchanges between Ancient China and the Countries along the Belt and Road” at the Institute of International and Area Studies (IIAS) of Tsinghua University. It is the 2nd session of IIAS Chinese Studies Forum.

Prof. Liu Yingsheng elaborated the prehistoric Silk Road, the conditions for the creation of the Silk Road, the technologies passed from the prehistoric east, and the general situation of ancient China and its neighbors, so that the doctoral students could understand the importance of the Silk Road and cross-cultural communication. It also covered the historical origin of the Mesopotamia, the connection between the Mesopotamia and China, and that between Mediterranean civilization and China. Prof. Liu’s humor and rich historical facts benefitted the doctoral students present a lot and also inspired their research on related areas.

Liu Yingsheng, Ph.D in History, joined Nanjing University as a professor in 1988. In 2009, he served as Adjunct Professor and Director of the Faculty Council of the Institute of Chinese Studies at Tsinghua University. Prof. Liu specializes in the fields of Mongolian and Yuan history, inland Asian history, northwestern history and geography and northwest ethnic history, Chinese Islamic cultural history, history of Sino-foreign relations, overseas transportation history,the Study of Northwest China since Qianlong and Jiaqing and the traditions of oriental studies in Europe and America. Proficient in several languages, he is a world-renowned scholar who is active in the forefront of the aforementioned fields.