What is a Shuyuan, and why does it still matter today? This opening essay in the IAK Digital Academy Series explores the enduring spirit of the traditional Chinese academy and introduces Shishuo (On Teachers) as a timeless guide to learning, self-cultivation, and lifelong education.

On a summer day in Bad Ragaz, Tour de Suisse and the Duanwu Festival unfolded side by side. One celebrated speed and endurance; the other embraced tea, guqin, and family traditions. Different rhythms, shared humanity.

The Analects · Chapter 02 · Wei Zheng On Leadership and Self-Cultivation What makes a person worthy of leading others? In Wei Zheng, Confucius offers a timeless answer: leadership begins with self-cultivation. True influence is earned through character, integrity, and a lifetime of inner growth.

The Analects · Chapter 01 · Xue Er On Learning and Personal Growth True learning is more than acquiring knowledge. It is the journey of self-cultivation, meaningful friendship, and inner peace. In the opening passage of The Analects, Confucius offers a timeless guide for living a meaningful life.

Inspired by the spirit of the ancient Orchid Pavilion Gathering, the first “Lanting Yaji” Chinese Calligraphy Cultural Event in Switzerland brought together calligraphy, guqin music, Gongfu tea, and Eastern aesthetics at the China Cultural Center in Bern. Through art, music, and cultural exchange, the gathering reflected the timeless elegance of Chinese literati culture and fostered meaningful dialogue between China and Switzerland.

As part of the International Tea Day cultural celebrations, the “Tea for Harmony – Yaji” gathering in Lucerne brought together tea, guqin music, and Eastern aesthetics in a meaningful intercultural dialogue. Through a lecture on qin studies, performances of Flowing Water and Fisherman Singing at Dusk, and moments of shared exchange, the event reflected the enduring spirit of friendship, cultural understanding, and the timeless resonance of Chinese literati culture across bord

The Guqin is not merely an instrument, but a way of self-cultivation. Its essence lies not in performance or competition, but in harmonizing sound, breath, movement, and the mind. Like Tai Chi, calligraphy, and painting, it belongs to a tradition of inner cultivation — a path toward stillness, clarity, and balance amid the noise of daily life.

April 22, 2026 Recently, a public lecture on skin cancer and breast cancer prevention was successfully held at the University of Liechtenstein. The initiative was planned and organized by Hanna Fischer, a Young Scholar of IAK Culture Association and a student majoring in Economics and Finance at the University of Liechtenstein, together with her fellow students Amina Islamovic and Elias Strauch. Their efforts reflect the growing engagement of young academics in promoting publ

When Qingming Festival meets Easter, two traditions of remembrance and renewal come together—offering a quiet reflection on life, loss, and continuing forward.