Center for the Art of East Asia

The Center for the Art of East Asia at the University of Chicago will host a roundtable event spotlighting voices from China’s vibrant museum field. Bridging Worlds: Roundtable on Innovation in Chinese Museum Education Practices offers insights into how museums in China are adapting to rapidly evolving cultural, educational, and technological landscapes. Reflecting on transnational practices in curation, education, and institutional development, this program aims to foster dialogue between Chinese museum institutions and our UChicago community and local museum affiliates. 

The program will feature presentations from:  

AI Jingfang, researcher at the Curatorial Department of Beijing Luxun Museum and Deputy Secretary General of ICOM-China, will present “Bridging Cultures through Museum Communication: Innovative Practices of Chinese Museums Today.” Drawing on her broad experience in national museum assessments and editorial leadership, AI highlights recent communication strategies in Chinese museums—from digital engagement to community-centered programming—that are reshaping how museums connect with audiences across cultural and geographic boundaries. 

ZHONG Ling, Deputy Director-General of the Sichuan Museum, will present “Educational Philosophy and Practices of the Sichuan Museum.” With an extensive career in public education, exhibition development, and cultural diplomacy, Zhong will discuss how the Sichuan Museum has become a hub for lifelong learning. She will explore museum-led initiatives including K-12 education, mobile museums, and smart learning platforms, underscoring the museum’s growing role in promoting social harmony and public access to cultural heritage. 

LIU Xiao, Executive Director of the Xi’an Tile Art Museum, will offer a dynamic case study in her presentation “Viewing the World from the Eastern Eaves: A Non-State-Owned Museum’s Journey of Cultural Breakthrough.” Representing a new generation of museum leadership, Liu will explore how non-state-owned institutions in China are evolving from private collection spaces to public cultural service platforms. Through digital innovation, creative industry partnerships, and interdisciplinary approaches, the Xi’an Tile Art Museum offers a compelling model for sustainability and outreach. 

Program Schedule: 

3:00 PM: Welcome and Opening Remarks 

3:10 PM: Guest Presentations 

4:00 PM: Introduction to CAEA’s Dispersed Chinese Art Digitization Project (DCADP)  

4:15 PM: Open Discussion 

5:00 PM: Catered Networking Reception 

Presenter Information: 

AI Jingfang is a researcher at the Curatorial Department of Beijing Lunxun Museum, Director of the Editorial Office of Chinese Museum Journal, and Deputy Secretary General and executive board member of Chinese Museums Association and ICOM-China. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism from Communication University of China. Ai has broad experiences in both practical and theoretical sides of museum work with vast subjects. She has also undertaken various national academic research projects. She translated and published The English Chinese Terminology Dictionary of Conservation (2021) and Chinese Museum Special Issue -ICOM-CC 2021 Conference Papers (2022). She also took part in the translating, editing, and publishing of the Chinese version of A Guide to Risk Management of Cultural Heritage (2022), and co-edited Chinese Museums Today (2023) and Museum Development in China-Understanding the Building Boom (2019). Currently, Ai serves as a reviewing and proofreading expert for the Chinese edition of The Dictionary of Museology of ICOM and is collaborating with other specialists to advance the editorial and publication process of the book. 

ZHONG Ling began her career as Director of Department of Science and Popular Education, Zigong Dinosaur Museum (Zigong, Sichuan, China) between 2000 and 2005. She then joined Sichuan Museum in 2005, where she was appointed the Coordinator of the External Relations, Sichuan Department of Cultural Affairs. She learned and worked in the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles as cultural consul since 2008 through 2011. Sponsored by National Arts Fund, she was the visiting scholar in the Children Museum of Indianapolis, USA in 2015. She was appointed the deputy director of the Sanxingdui Museum since 2016 through 2017. She was the Head of the Public Education Department, Sichuan Museum in 2013, a position she held until her appointment as Deputy Director-General of Sichuan Museum in June 2020. Zhong has published more than 30 papers and two books, and developed numerous curriculum and programs and finished dozens of national or provincial projects. She has curated lots of exhibitions and promote the development of Mobile Museum in Sichuan and abroad. She created the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Museum Education in 2015 and promote the integrative development between museum and school education. As the Guest Professor at the Shaanxi Normal University (Xian, Shaanxi, China) and at Sichuan University (Chengdu, Sichuan, China), she has taught courses on Museum Management and Heritage Education. She has extensive experience on Museum Education and Management through her position as Secretary-General of Sichuan Museums Association from 2020 through 2025.  

LIU Xiao graduated from the Faculty of Humanities and Philosophy at the University of Florence, Italy. She currently serves as Executive Director of Xi'an Tile Art Museum, Chief Planner of Xi'an Shilin Academy, Vice Chairwoman of the Italian Chinese Designers Association, Standing Committee Member of the Youth Working Committee, and Chinese Museums Association. Specializing in curation, spatial design, and brand development, Liu's research focuses on ancient Chinese material culture, symbolic patterns, and motifs. 

Contact: 
Dr. Ellen Larson 
Associate Director, Center for the Art of East Asia 
ellenlarson@uchicago.edu 

This program is sponsored by the Pritzker Art Collaborative and the Chinese Museums Association.