The year 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Mr Li Jianwu, the famous founding master of the Shanghai Theatre Academy (and also the 400th anniversary of the birth of Moliere, the famous master of comedy whose works he had translated with all his efforts). In memory of and to commemorate Mr Li Jianwu, the Chinese Drama Research Centre of Shanghai Theatre Academy and the International Theatre Studies Centre of Shanghai Theatre Academy, together with the International Theatrical Critics Association China Chapter, the Chinese Drama Association and the Chinese Drama Theory and History Research Association, successfully held the academic seminar "Li Jianwu and Modern Chinese Theatre" on 18 December (while the “Academic Seminar on Moliere’s Drama" was held at the same time). Affected by the COVID pandemic, the conference was conducted online. The opening ceremony and the keynote speeches by experts were held in the morning. In the afternoon, the academic discussions were carried out in groups A and B, followed by the closing ceremony. The experts and scholars at the meeting discussed Mr Li Jianwu's characteristics, achievements and influence in drama/literature review, drama creation, drama translation and adaptation, drama education and international theatre studies, and gained a lot.
The opening ceremony of the conference was presided over by Professor Yang Yang, Vice President of the Shanghai Theatre Academy. First, the video message of Ms Li Weiyin, the daughter of Mr Li Jianwu, was played. Then Professor Huang Changyong, President of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, Lin Yongjun, President of the China Drama Association, Professor Hu Zhiyi of the Zhejiang University, who is President of the China Drama Theory and History Research Association, and Professor Peng Tao of the Central Academy of Drama, who is President of the International Drama Critics Association China Chapter, delivered speeches successively.
The experts’ keynote speech session was presided over by Professor Chen Jun, Dean of the Department of Dramatic Literature, Shanghai Drama Academy. Ten experts and scholars shared their own research experience from different perspectives. Professor Zhao Jianxin of the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts and Professor Hu Wei of the Central Academy of Drama made brilliant comments respectively.
The academic forum in the afternoon was held in groups A and B simultaneously. The academic forum of Group A was divided into two sessions, with the first session focusing on Li Jianwu's literary and dramatic criticism, and the second session focusing on Li Jianwu's dramatic creation. The academic forum of Group B was also divided into two sessions, with the first session being mainly about plays translated and adapted by Li Jianwu, and the second session also focusing on the discovery and examination of historical materials apart from continuing with the theme of the first session.
The closing ceremony of the conference was presided over by Professor Chen Jun, Dean of the Department of Dramatic Literature, Shanghai Theatre Academy. Professor Ding Luonan of the Shanghai Theatre Academy and Professor Hu Zhiyi of the Zhejiang University respectively summarized the academic forums of Group A and Group B. Professor Yang Yang, Vice President of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, delivered a closing speech.
