Taizhou scholar shares strategies for globalizing Hehe Culture

Li Jianjun, vice president of Taizhou University, speaks about promoting Hehe Culture overseas at the 2025 Beijing Culture Forum’s Hehe Culture Salon on Sept. 24, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the 2025 Beijing Culture Forum]

A Chinese scholar called for greater international promotion of Hehe Culture on Wednesday, a traditional philosophy emphasizing harmony and cooperation.

Li Jianjun, vice president of Taizhou University, outlined strategies for bringing the cultural concept to global audiences during the 2025 Beijing Culture Forum's Hehe Culture Salon.

Hehe Culture originated in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, and emphasizes harmony, diversity and coexistence. The philosophy advocates family unity, teamwork and ecological balance, reflecting Chinese values of inclusiveness and shared prosperity.

Li said the key challenge is making Hehe Culture's philosophical concepts accessible to international audiences. The solution is to highlight universal themes that resonate across cultures, including family unity, harmony in diversity, and balance between humanity and nature, he said.

Li outlined Taizhou's international promotion efforts. The city has established 29 Hehe Culture Stations across 15 countries and appointed five prominent international figures as cultural ambassadors.

The ambassadors include former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, former U.N. Under-Secretary-General Erik Solheim, former UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and Special Olympics board member Piet Steel. Taizhou has also organized overseas promotional events.

This year, the city held a promotion conference in Tokyo showcasing its cultural identity, particularly Hehe Culture. The city also featured a Hehe Culture section within China's pavilion at the Paris Expo.

"Through the establishment of overseas stations, engagement of ambassadors and international promotional events, Taizhou has significantly enhanced the global influence of Hehe Culture," Li said.

Li said Taizhou plans to expand its overseas cultural stations, increase ambassador engagement and participate in more international exhibitions."We will innovate while remaining consistent, ensuring long-term and sustainable promotion," he said.

Li expressed optimism about the global prospects of Chinese culture. "As China's strength in economy, technology and culture continues to grow, its traditions are gaining greater global recognition. To tell the story of Hehe Culture is to tell the story of China," he said.