US professor shows a class act
Ditmanson regards protection of the ancient academy as a case in point for the heritage day.
"It reminds us of the importance in safeguarding the academy and encouraging its global engagement," he says.
Years of teaching have convinced Ditmanson that Yuelu Academy is not merely an ancient institution but a living symbol of China's openness to the world.
What first impressed him were the spirited philosophical debates between two great Confucian thinkers of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) that elevated the academy's reputation.
The renowned Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi visited Yuelu Academy and engaged in a long spirited philosophical debate with Zhang Shi, then head of teaching at the academy.
As he spent the past six years teaching at the academy, Ditmanson has found that it "remains a place that welcomes scholars from diverse backgrounds and regions, and continues to uphold the value of open dialogue and debate".
