55th Confucius PhD Forum & 2024 “International Chinese Language Day” Special Event successfully held
On April 30, 2024, the 55th Confucius PhD Forum was successfully held at the UCD Confucius Institute, marking one of the special events in celebration of the 15th “International Chinese Language Day”. Professor Liming Wang, the Director of the Irish Institute for Chinese Studies at UCD and the UCD Confucius Institute, delivered a public lecture entitled "A New Answer to the Needham Question: Language, Mathematical Thinking and Brain Function". The lecture, conducted both online and offline, attracted nearly three hundred enthusiastic audience members, including Ms. ZHU Xikun from the Education Section of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, as well as other guests, teachers and students.
By comparing the mathematical performance of Chinese and Western students, as well as the level of development of mathematics in ancient and present China, Professor Liming Wang firstly introduced the renowned "Needham Question" (Despite significant contributions to human technological progress in ancient China, why did modern science not arise in China?) and outlined the issues and background of the research. He then addressed the "Needham Question" from a fresh perspective, exploring the inherent correlation between language, mathematical thinking and brain function. Furthermore, based on the differences in the impact of Chinese (tonal and pictographic script) and Western languages (alphabetic writing) on brain language function characteristics, Professor Wang also analyzed the influence of different languages on mathematical thinking patterns, as well as on brain neural mechanisms and structure.
Finally, Professor Wang reconstructed the triangular relationship between language, mathematical thinking and brain function based on the theory of division of labour between left and right brains, arguing that language learning affects mathematical thinking patterns and advocating for the implementation of a bilingual education model of "Chinese + alphabetic languages".
In the following Q&A session, Professor Wang and the students discussed the bilingual learning of ideographic and alphabetic writing systems and their effects on mathematical thinking, brain function, and structure. They emphasized that countries and ethnic groups whose native language is alphabetic should pay attention to learning Chinese to promote cognitive training, right-brain development, and the coordination between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The outcomes of this emphasis may be beneficial for enhancing the intelligence of learners.
第55届孔子博士论坛暨2024年“国际中文日”系列活动
2024年4月30日，都柏林大学孔子学院第55届孔子博士论坛成功举办。爱尔兰中国研究院、孔子学院院长王黎明教授为“国际中文日”带来了《李约瑟之谜新解：汉语、数学思维与脑功能的关系》主题讲座。
现场出席本次主题讲座的有中国驻爱尔兰大使馆教育组朱喜坤博士、爱尔兰各界嘉宾、老师、学生等百余人。讲座采取线上线下相结合的办法，吸引了三百余人的热情参与，现场气氛热烈。
通过观察比较中、西学生的数学成绩以及古、今数学的发展历程和水平，王黎明教授首先介绍了著名的“李约瑟之谜”及研究的问题和背景。并从全新的视角，即语言、数学思维与脑功能之间内在联系，对“李约瑟之谜”进行了全面诠释。同时，王黎明教授还基于中文（声调语言和象形文字）与西文（拼音文字）对脑语言功能特征的影响差异，深入分析了不同语言对数学思维模式以及大脑神经机制和结构的影响。
最后王黎明教授通过左右脑分工理论重构了语言、数学思维及脑功能与脑训练的三角关系，认为语言学习影响数学思维模式，并提倡实施“中文+字母语言”的双语教育模式。
在讲座的互动环节，王教授与现场师生探讨了象形文字与字母文字的双语学习对数学思维及脑功能及结构的影响，强调了以字母文字为母语的国家和民族应该注重汉语学习，以促进学习者思维训练、右脑开发及左、右脑协同作用，其结果可能有益于增进学习者的智商。