--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: U.S. professor shows a class act image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt28bdacc0392824d4/6a4b523c8df1a66bfd6e157c/5B74851E5323433E90D7725261529C64.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # U.S. professor shows a class act  _This content was paid for and prepared by China Daily, an official publication of the People's Republic of China. The TIME editorial and advertising departments were not involved in the creation of this content._ Peter Ditmanson (center) appreciates a stone sculpture during the Cultural and Natural Heritage Day celebration in Changsha, Hunan province, in June. YANG FEIYUE / CHINA DAILY By YANG FEIYUE Under the midday sun at the main celebration venue of China’s Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, Peter Ditmanson, in shaded glasses, took the stage — his lenses darkened by the glare, though they couldn’t quite hide the faint smile on his face. Speaking in gentle, fluent Mandarin, the American historian and professor at Yuelu Academy, Central China’s Hunan University, was the only international guest to address a large audience at the celebratory event in the provincial capital Changsha on June 14. Ditmanson shared a story that stretched back 1,000 years — a tale of debate, scholarship, and the enduring spirit of one of China’s oldest academies. For more than six years, the man in his 60s has made Yuelu Academy his intellectual home. He has translated historical documents, championed digital humanities initiatives, and brought new light to old traditions. Sitting at the foot of Yuelu Mountain in Changsha, Yuelu Academy was founded in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Over time, it was expanded to include key functions such as lectures, book collections, and ceremonial offerings. Despite the rise and fall of dynasties and having been destroyed and rebuilt several times, the academy has preserved its traditions and scholarly legacy for over 1,000 years. Today, it remains the only university-affiliated institution (under Hunan University) in China that continues to bear the name of a traditional academy, offering a full spectrum of programs from undergraduate to postdoctoral levels. Ditmanson regards protection of the ancient academy as a case in point for the heritage day. “It reminds us of the importance in safeguarding the academy and encouraging its global engagement,” he says. Years of teaching have convinced Ditmanson that Yuelu Academy is not merely an ancient institution but a living symbol of China’s openness to the world. What first impressed him were the spirited philosophical debates between two great Confucian thinkers of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) that elevated the academy’s reputation. The renowned Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi visited Yuelu Academy and engaged in a long spirited philosophical debate with Zhang Shi, then head of teaching at the academy. As he spent the past six years teaching at the academy, Ditmanson has found that it “remains a place that welcomes scholars from diverse backgrounds and regions, and continues to uphold the value of open dialogue and debate.” “I believe this spirit of openness and inclusiveness is one of the key reasons why the academy has remained so dynamic and relevant across the centuries. It is also what makes me feel truly at home here.” Ditmanson’s family’s connection with China runs deep, tracing back generations. His paternal grandparents came from the United States, and his maternal grandparents from Australia. “They arrived in China in the early 20th century, dedicating themselves to social welfare and relief work. Amid the turmoil of war, my parents met and bonded over a shared commitment to compassion and service,” he recounts. From 1945 to 1948, his father worked for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. “After World War II, he conducted fieldwork in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, seeking to learn more about conditions in northern China. As a physician, he continually refined his skills, striving to provide accessible, effective medical care to those in need. Their stories formed the earliest impressions I had of China,” he says. Ditmanson was born in China and lived in the country until he was 8 years old, when he moved back to the U.S. Driven by a personal desire to reconnect with his roots, he began studying Chinese language and literature at the University of Minnesota, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts. He later pursued Chinese history at Harvard University, receiving a PhD with a primary research focus on the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). When he was working as a research fellow in Taipei, he was invited to give a lecture at Yuelu Academy in 2017. “At the time, I knew little about the academy’s history. But what left a lasting mark on me was a traditional Dragon Boat Festival ceremony,” he says, adding that the moment revealed to him that the academy is not only a place for academic pursuit and talent cultivation but a living space of tradition. The open academic atmosphere and friendly student-faculty relations also left a strong impression on him, which led him to accept a full-time teaching offer in 2018. Beyond his teaching duties, Ditmanson has led a team in translating key documents such as the academic regulations and the historical records of Yuelu Academy, with the goal of making this historic institution more accessible to international audiences. Given today’s relations between China and the West, Ditmanson says it’s crucial to build personal and academic connections. “Whether you’re a teacher in China, America, or Europe, you’re still pursuing knowledge, still trying to teach. I hope visitors leave with the understanding that — at heart — we’re all the same,” he says. 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