On October 31, the 2026 Conference on Wang Yangming Mind Philosophy, under the theme of Yangming Ming Philosophy and a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity, opened in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. Nearly 400 participants, including Yangming studies experts and scholars at home and abroad, members of the 7thExecutive Committeeof the International Confucian Association, representatives from institutions at sites associated with Wang Yangming’s cultural legacy, cultural workers from various sectors, young sinologists and university student representatives, gathered in this sacred city of the School of Mind to jointly explore the contemporary value of Eastern wisdom and work together to respond to global challenges.

Jointly organized with 2 authoritative institutions, the International Confucian Association and the Chinese Society for the History of Philosophy, conference in this year features remarkable highlights in agenda design and format innovation. In addition to high-level academic sessions including keynote speeches, the Jishan Forum and the Tianquan Dialogue, it also hosts 6 thematic tracks covering cutting-edge topics such as the overseas dissemination of Confucianism, the inheritance of humanistic spirit, the integration of Mind Philosophy with science and technology industries, and Sino-foreign dialogues on classics. Focusing on pathways for the contemporary adaption of Wang Yangming’s Mind Philosophy, the conference showcases the latest research findings on Yangming studies.

This year marks the 500th anniversary of the systematic elaboration of Wang Yangming’s idea of “the benevolence of all things as one unity”, as well as the 90th anniversary of the passing of Lu Xun. The conference features a dedicated trackthemed “Chinese Humanistic Spirit: From Wang Yangming to Lu Xun”, sorting out the spiritual inheritance of these two towering thinkers amid the transformation from tradition to modernity. In addition, leveraging Shaoxing’s industrial strengths in low-altitude economy, the conference includes a uniton “the integrated development of Wang Yangming’s Mind Philosophy and the low-altitude economy”, exploring an integrated path where culture empowers technology and technology carries forward culture. As one of its six thematic series, the 7th National University Student Seminar Camp on Yangming Cultural Learning will continue to host paper discussions for postgraduate and doctoral students across China, cultivating young reserve talent for the research and inheritance of Yangming culture. The remaining tracks will focus on cross-disciplinary interpretations of Mind Philosophy, the translation and introduction of classics, and dialogues between Chinese and Western philosophy, to further expand the contemporary value and international influence of Wang Yangming’s Mind Philosophy.

Since its inaugural edition in 2020, the Conference on Wang Yangming Mind Philosophy has been held for six consecutive sessions. In 2022, Shaoxing was designated as the permanent venue of the conference. Over the past 6years, its themes have ranged from social governanceand common prosperitytoexchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and the power of culture, always closely responding to the issues of the times. Centered on the theme of a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity, this year’s conference aims to dig deep into the contemporary connotations of ideas such as “the benevolence of all things as one unity” and “the unity of knowledge and action”. It seeks to advance the creative transformation and innovative development of Wang Yangming’s Mind Philosophy, promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations with the wisdom of fine traditional Chinese culture, build ideological consensus and inject the strength of Eastern philosophy into the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Shaoxing is the hometown of Master Wang Yangming, the birthplace, place where his Mind Philosophy matured, and a key hub for its dissemination. It is also home to the most profound heritage of Yangming culture. In recent years, Shaoxing has thoroughly implemented the fundamental principle of “the Two Integrations”. Upholding fundamental principles while breaking new ground, the city undertakes the historical mission of inheriting and promoting Yangming culture, and advances the conservation of relics, public presentation and communication, and integrated development in a coordinated manner. The 2026 Conference on Wang Yangming Mind Philosophy will keep bringing the ancient sage’s thinking back into contemporary context, weaving it into the fabric of the city and the daily life of local residents. Amid the hills of Ji and waters of Jian, it will write a new chapter of the era for the vision of “My heart is bright”.