"Writers Remembered by Cities"... Sunmoon University Sheds Light on Asian Literature and Urban Culture

From Lu Xun to Yun Dongju:
Traces of Literature Embraced by Cities Revisited at International Academic Conference

On July 21, Sunmoon University announced that the Institute of Post-Literature Studies held an international academic conference on July 18 at the Hyeonchungsa Education Center in Asan, under the theme "How Do Asian Cities Remember Their Writers?"

This conference shed light on how writers representing various Asian countries?such as Lu Xun, Lin Yutang, Yun Dongju, Oe Kenzaburo, and Han Make?are remembered in their respective cities, and newly explored the relationship between literature and urban environments.

The discussions also focused on expanding the social significance of literature and examined the practical potential for utilizing literature as content for cultural tourism and urban policy.

Professor Tang Shaolin of Shanghai University introduced the concept of "Lu Xun's 15-Minute Cultural Living Zone," emphasizing Lu Xun's presence in the daily lives of Shanghai citizens. Professor Zheng Jiehong of National Taiwan University of Arts presented strategies for operating the former residence of Lin Yutang, suggesting methods of remembering writers as urban heritage.

Kang Munhee, a researcher at the Doshisha Korea Research Center of Doshisha University, analyzed the ways in which Yun Dongju is commemorated in Kyoto, stating that "citizen-centered memory movements are being linked to messages of peace."

In particular, the honorary doctorate conferment and floral tribute ceremony for Yun Dongju held in February this year were introduced as scenes that demonstrate how the memory of the writer remains vivid to this day.

Son Jongup, director of the Institute of Post-Literature Studies at Sunmoon University, stated, "This international academic conference was an opportunity to examine how cities and literature reflect and represent each other," adding, "We look forward to practical research outcomes in connection with cultural tourism policies in the future."

Meanwhile, since being selected for the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Institute Support Project by the National Research Foundation of Korea in 2019, the Sunmoon University Institute of Post-Literature Studies has continued a variety of academic and practical activities, including building a literature database, publishing a series on urban narratives, and planning cultural tourism content.