On the evening of January 22nd, the third lecture of HUST CI-UFMG Online Camp: Contemporary China was held successfully. Prof. Ouyang Kang, Director of Institute of Philosophy, Dean of Institute of State Governance at HUST, was invited to give a lecture on “Philosophy and Happiness of Mankind---Chinese Wisdom in a World of Complexity”. It was presided over by Cheng Jin, Vice Dean of Confucius Institute at The Federal University of Minas Gerais（UFMG）.

Today, China has accomplished significant strategic achievements in the battle of pandemic control and prevention. The unpredictable Covid-19 outbreak not only threatens lives of human beings severely, but also has a great impact on world economy and political map. In crisis, how do we think of value complexity and ideological conflicts? How can we find the path to draw on wisdom from global pandemic control and prevention and turbulent global situation? How is Chinese wisdom applied to pandemic control and prevention in China? Combined with current situation, Prof. Ouyang led Brazilian students to explore Chinese wisdom and its global meaning in terms of philosophy with his profound thoughts and unique views.

Prof. Ouyang started his lecture with the meanings and conditions of the emergence of philosophy in a thought-provoking manner. He expounded the basic definitions of philosophy, i.e. the study of wisdom, transcendence, problems, and polarity, and analyzed the characteristics of philosophy. Prof. Ouyang highlighted that philosophy pursues the highest wisdom and its function lies in the creation of human happiness and it encourages people to chase wisdom, truth, virtue, freedom, beauty, holiness and happiness. Currently, the world is experiencing unprecedented changes and uncertainties, and the pandemic makes it more complex. Challenged by current situation, Prof. Ouyang proposed, first, we are supposed to learn from Chinese history; second, learn the rational elements from all over the world and transfer them into Chinese context innovatively. In the end, through a case study, he introduced some practices of Chinese wisdoms in the war against Covid-19 pandemic.

In Q&A, Prof. Ouyang gave answers in detail to Brazilian students’ questions, such as the relationship between philosophy and science, the philosophical differences between China and other countries. The lecture is ended amid a heated discussion. Brazilian students have gained a lot from this excellent lecture. VITOR CAMPOS MOURA NEVES E SIQUEIRA, the local teacher in Confucius Institute at UFMG, who ever learnt Chinese at HUST said Prof. Ouyang’s lecture gave him a better understanding of the Chinese culture and the Chinese way of thinking, and he would devote himself to Chinese language teaching with an opener mind. Some other students proposed that very often people are quick to dismiss philosophy as something too theoretical, or too detached from social practice, but Prof. Ouyang’s lecture on Chinese Philosophy allowed them to comprehend these complex multifaceted phenomena and take meaningful conclusions out of them, both in social and personal level.