As the World Turns

On January 8, 2023, at Peking University Khoo Teck Puat Gymnasium, six Professors of the Physical Education and Research Department at Peking University, namely: 孙玉洁 (Sūn Yùjié), four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 刘伟 (Liú Wěi), 丁宁 (Dīng Níng), 柴云龙 (Chái Yúnlóng) (pictured below left to right), and 车磊 (Chē Lěi) (in videoconference), held a seminar on the theme “From the Arena to the Classroom”. As for her discipline, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (pictured above) said that the students who enroll in her course usually come from scientific faculties, and they vary greatly from one another in level of chess knowledge. It’s up to her to square the circle and set a “default” for each one which includes everyone in the same class. Group work usually fosters a common experience for all students, while cultural and historical references help ignite interest in understanding chess beyond its rules. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), in fact, thinks that chess are not merely a self-referential ability meter, but rather a broad model of higher education and culture formation. Photos courtesy of Peking University Physical Education and Research Department.