* The Third World Conference of Sinologists, which concluded on Thursday in Dunhuang, a key hub on the ancient Silk Road in Gansu Province, brought together more than 300 scholars and cultural figures from around 70 countries.

* Many participants at the conference said the renewed interest in the Chinese culture takes place at a time when the world is facing growing conflict, inequality and mistrust.

* Some seek to persuade the world that international order can only be built on power, deterrence and coercion, but China by contrast, has made important contributions by advocating multilateral cooperation, mutual respect and trust among peoples.

LANZHOU, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Outside the venue of an international conference in Dunhuang, northwest China, a mini-van became a makeshift traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic for German national Joel Mikael Walker.

The TCM practitioner gently touched the wrist of a visitor to feel her pulse. Speaking fluent Chinese with a distinct Henan accent, he told the visitor to pay closer attention to her thyroid. Amazed, the visitor revealed she had previously been diagnosed with a thyroid nodule.

For Walker, a German born in 1995 who has spent more than a decade studying TCM in central China's Henan Province, the moment was more than a medical exchange. It was a small example of how even the most obscure Chinese philosophies can be well understood and applied by people from Western or other cultures.

"What shocked me most was the Chinese way of seeing the universe as an interconnected whole in dynamic balance," Walker said at the opening ceremony of the Third World Conference of Sinologists, which opened on Wednesday in Dunhuang, a key hub on the ancient Silk Road in Gansu Province.

"Chinese culture taught me that yin and yang are in constant flow, and that conflict does not necessarily require confrontation. It can also be transformed," he said. "Today, the world needs dialogue more than ever, and Chinese culture offers valuable insights in this regard."

The conference, themed "Pooling Wisdom of Civilizations to Jointly Address Challenges of Our Times," has brought together more than 300 scholars and cultural figures from around 70 countries. In this oasis on the ancient Silk Road, many participants described sinology not only as the study of China's classical heritage, but also as a way to understand how Chinese civilization continues to shape everyday life, cross-cultural exchange and responses to global challenges.

SINOLOGY MOVES FROM BOOKS TO LIVED EXPERIENCE

The choice of Dunhuang as the host city carries special symbolic weight.

More than 2,000 years ago, Dunhuang was a vital crossroads on the ancient Silk Road. Chinese silk and tea moved westward through the city, while grapes, carrots, pomegranates and other once-exotic produce found their way into China via this route.

The city remains one of China's most important cultural landmarks. The Mogao Grottoes, dating back to the 4th century, are located there. The place preserves 735 ancient caves, more than 2,000 painted sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals.

Mulatu Teshome Wirtu, former president of Ethiopia and a sinologist, said the Silk Road was never only about the trade of material goods such as silk, timber or spices. More importantly, it enabled deeper exchanges among societies. 

Today, scholars gathering in Dunhuang are discussing a growing international interest in China, including martial arts, calligraphy, the Chinese language and everyday Chinese habits. 

Ingar Solty, a senior fellow of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, said a younger generation in the West is increasingly curious about China. He referred to the online trend sometimes called "Chinamaxxing," in which young people show interest in aspects of Chinese daily life, from drinking hot water, wearing slippers at home to practicing traditional wellness habits.

Sebastien Joseph Roland Perimony, head of China-Africa Affairs office of the Institute Schiller in France, made a similar observation.

He said many people of his generation once dreamed of the United States under the influence of basketball, films and popular culture. Today, however, he believes more young people in France and across Europe see China as a country of safety, development, innovation and peaceful approaches to geopolitical issues.

As a result, he added, more and more young people across Europe travel to China and see it as an interesting country worth exploring.

CHINESE IDEAS AS ANSWERS TO SHARED ANXIETIES

Many participants at the conference said the renewed interest in the Chinese culture takes place at a time when the world is facing growing conflict, inequality and mistrust.

Mohamed Rasheed, chairman of the China-Maldives Cultural Exchange Association, said few could have expected, a quarter into the 21st century, that the world would be confronted by so many wars and such wide economic disparities.

Rasheed said Chinese civilization, shaped over 5,000 years and influenced by thinkers such as Confucius and Lao Tzu, has long emphasized humanity, humility, kindness and harmony. Chinese culture advocates both diversity and harmony, which are highly relevant today.

"We need Eastern philosophy, especially Chinese philosophy, to play a leading role if we want to achieve lasting peace and harmony in the world," he said.

Wirtu said China's modernization combines material prosperity with spiritual fulfillment, and brings together agriculture, industry, science and technology in a broad process of transformation. "I believe China captures the very essence of modernization and offers a valuable reference for other developing nations," he said.

Sira Abed Rego, Spain's minister for youth and children, said gatherings like the Dunhuang conference are especially important at a time when wars, confrontation, arms races and suspicion are again becoming more prominent in the world.

Some seek to persuade the world that international order can only be built on power, deterrence and coercion, said Rego. China, by contrast, has made important contributions by advocating multilateral cooperation, mutual respect and trust among peoples.

She expressed deep appreciation for people across the world working to promote exchanges among civilizations.

"Knowledge is never a luxury confined to the ivory tower, but a cornerstone of peace," she said. "Everyone who studies languages, translates cultures and explores civilizations is helping to reduce barriers and keep the world away from conflict." (Video reporters: Zhang Wenjing, Lu Zhiyi, Liu Keying, Ma Sha, He Wen, Wen Jing; Video editors: Zhao Tianlin, Luo Hui, Li Ziwei) ■