Dr Stephen Owen, flanked by Dr Randy Kluver, Exec Director of Institute for Pacific Asia and Confucius Institute, on the left and Dr Yirong Luo, Director of Confucius Institute, on the right.

College Station, TX - Dr. Stephen Owen, James Bryant Conant Professor at Harvard University and an expert on classical Chinese poetry, delivered a public lecture exploring the political and social fabric of ancient China through the capital city, Chang’ an.  Approximately 90 Texas A&M faculty, students, staff, and community members attended the lecture, which was sponsored by the Confucius Institute and the Texas A&M chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.  Dr. Owen, a renowned scholar of Chinese literature and poetry, visited Texas A&M from September 24 to 25 and also made in-class presentations at the English and History Departments at Texas A&M.

Owen’s public lecture, titled “Understanding China through Ancient Chang’an”, took place on Thursday evening of September 24 in Rudder Tower.  The successful lecture opened with a welcoming remark by Danny L. Yeager, President of the Texas A&M Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and an introduction by Dr. Randy Kluver, Director of the Confucius Institute at Texas A&M.  The lecture covered the urban topography and social structures of what was once the largest city in the world during the Tang dynasty.  A short question and answer session between Dr. Owen and members of the audience took place after the lecture.

The Confucius Institute at Texas A&M actively sponsors public lectures and cultural events as part of an ongoing effort to promote Chinese language and cultural understanding within the campus of Texas A&M University and the local communities of Bryan/ College Station.  The Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Program makes available each year twelve or more distinguished scholars who visit colleges and universities with chapters of Phi Beta Kappa.  

Contact:  James M. Mendiola Jr.
Program Coordinator, Institute for Pacific Asia
Texas A&M University
Coke 204 | 3371 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3371 | USA
Tel. +1 979.845.3099 | Fax. +1 979.845.6228
Email jmendiola@ipomail.tamu.edu | Web http://ipa.tamu.edu