Symposium puts spotlight on ancient civilization's global impact

A symposium on Sumerian civilization and literature was recently held at Peking University, bringing together scholars and experts from leading universities and research institutions across China to jointly explore the history, culture, and far-reaching global impact of Sumerian civilization.

The Sumerians were the people of southern Mesopotamia, with their civilization emerging around 3000 BC, and became regarded as one of the cradles of human civilization. In the following more than 1,000 years, it achieved remarkable accomplishments in politics, religion, art, science and technology, law and other domains, exerting profound influence on the development of civilizations across Eurasia.

The symposium, co-hosted by the School of Foreign Languages at PKU and Phoenix Publishing and Media Inc, marked the debut of the book Sumei'er Wenming (Sumerian civilization) by Gong Yushu, professor of Eastern civilization at PKU.

In her opening remarks, Professor Ning Qi, vice-president of PKU, highlighted Gong's decades of dedicated research on Mesopotamian civilization and noted that his seminal work not only fills a critical gap in domestic scholarship but also advances academic exchange in this field.

From a historical and archaeological perspective, Gong's book meticulously traces the rise and fall of the Sumerian civilization. It offers a comprehensive examination of its social development and cultural life during the Sumerian era, highlights key elements such as cuneiform writing and legal codes, and delves into modern-era discoveries and excavations of Sumerian relics. Through this multifaceted approach, the book vividly showcases the ancient civilization's unique allure.

Zhang Yu, editor-in-chief of Yilin Press, the book's publisher, said that it is not only a rigorous scholarly work but a narrative that allows readers to experience the charm of the Sumerian civilization.