The Ritsumeikan University Confucius Institute (立命館孔子学院)
The Ritsumeikan University Confucius Institute is a private school whose purpose is to propagate education in Chinese and culture. Its main office is located in Kita-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture.
In 2005, Gakkohojin Ritsumeikan established 'Academeia Ritsumei 21' in the Ritumeikan University Kinugasa Campus in association with the Chinese government. The Chinese government provides instructors and textbooks. The school is run through means of joint management with Peking University.
Ritsumeikan University is the fifth establishment of the Confucius Institute. As of 2008 there are approximately 200 schools worldwide.
Principal
The first principal, ZHOU Weisheng (a professor at Ritsumeikan University)
History
In 1900, Ritsumeikan Gakuen was originated in Kyoto Hosei Gakko (Kyoto School of Law and Politics), which was established by Kojuro NAKAGAWA, who was the secretary to Kinmochi SAIONJI. The current school name, 'Ritumeikan,' took over from the Ritumeikan private school, which was opened by Kinmochi SAIONJI at the Kyoto Imperial Palace in 1869.
Origin of the school's name
The name 'Ritsumeikan' was derived from 'Jinshinsho,' a statement by Mencius: "Human life is decided by destiny, but while waiting for fate you must improve yourself." Because of that, the Chinese government donated a statue of Mencius that had been sculpted from white granite from Shandong Province, and announced at the opening ceremony of the Ritsumeikan University Confucius Institute.