From July 6 to 10, 2026, Jean Grondin, Fellow of the Academy of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences of the Royal Society of Canada and Professor of Philosophy at the Université de Montréal, was invited to visit the School of Philosophy at Zhejiang University and deliver a lecture series on the theme of “Hermeneutical Culture.” At the opening ceremony, Professor Lou Wei, Vice Dean of the School of Philosophy, Zhejiang University, delivered a welcome address. The event was jointly organized by the Chu Kochen Honors College and the School of Philosophy of Zhejiang University, and was chaired by Professor Karl Kraatz from the School of Philosophy. More than 70 students from Zhejiang University and other universities across China participated in the course.
The lecture series consisted of five sessions, focusing respectively on “Hermeneutical Culture,” “Culture and Art,” “History,” “Language,” and “Being.” Through these themes, Professor Grondin systematically explored the intellectual origins, core ideas, and contemporary significance of philosophical hermeneutics. Drawing upon his extensive research, Professor Grondin offered an in-depth interpretation of Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics, addressing fundamental questions concerning understanding, interpretation, historicity, linguisticity, and the intelligibility of Being. He emphasized that hermeneutics is not merely a method or technique, but rather a cultural form deeply connected with human existence. Hermeneutical culture is grounded in an awareness of historicity, finitude, and openness; through continuous understanding and dialogue, it enables human beings to deepen their understanding of themselves, others, and the world.
In the first lecture, titled “What Is Hermeneutical Culture?”, Professor Grondin first outlined the historical development of hermeneutics, tracing its evolution from early studies of the rules of understanding and interpretation, through modern methodological reflections, to the turn toward philosophical hermeneutics initiated by Heidegger and Gadamer. He demonstrated how hermeneutics gradually developed from a specialized art of interpretation into a fundamental mode of philosophical inquiry. Professor Grondin pointed out that methodological requirements and ontological concerns have always been closely intertwined within the history of hermeneutics. Understanding is not an external operation imposed upon objects, but rather a fundamental way of being in which human beings are always already involved. A genuine hermeneutical culture is one that recognizes its own historicity and interpretative character, continuously advancing self-understanding and mutual understanding through dialogue.
The second lecture focused on “Culture and Art.” Beginning with the conceptual relationship between Kultur (culture) and Bildung (education/formation) in German, Professor Grondin explored the intrinsic connection between the humanist tradition and hermeneutical culture. He argued that the essence of culture and education lies in the formation of the human being, a process that necessarily involves openness, communication, and an awareness of one’s own finitude. Drawing upon Gadamer’s Truth and Method, Professor Grondin further explained that the significance of artistic experience lies in the fact that art is not merely an object of aesthetic appreciation, but rather an important form through which truth can be revealed, understanding can be deepened, and human beings can be formed. He also compared Aristotle’s differentiated understanding of methods according to various fields of inquiry with the modern scientific ideal of a unified methodology, emphasizing that the humanities possess their own distinctive forms of truth.
The third lecture addressed the theme of “History.” Professor Grondin systematically examined the development of historical consciousness in modern philosophy and its influence on hermeneutics through an exploration of the concepts of “history” and “historical consciousness.” He pointed out that the rise of the historical consciousness in nineteenth-century human sciences led to an increasing awareness that understanding always takes place within a concrete historical situation. At the same time, historical consciousness also gave rise to challenges associated with historicism and relativism. In response, the hermeneutical circle seeks to establish an open form of universality between historicity and understanding, allowing interpretation to remain rooted in history without falling into relativism.
The fourth lecture focused on “Language.” Professor Grondin emphasized that understanding history does not mean simply returning to the past; rather, it takes place through the linguistic fusion of past and present. This idea is closely related to Gadamer’s discussion of language in the third part of Truth and Method. Understanding is essentially linguistic: it involves finding appropriate expressions and clarifying meaning through language. Professor Grondin further stressed that hermeneutical culture is, first and foremost, a culture of listening. It requires human beings to remain open to meaning and to attend carefully to what remains unspoken within speech.
The fifth lecture centered on the question of “Being.” Professor Grondin focused on Gadamer’s important proposition that “Being that can be understood is language.” He argued that Being is neither incomprehensible nor entirely inaccessible; rather, human understanding unfolds through language, thereby establishing meaningful relations between human beings and the world. Through this perspective, hermeneutics acquires not only epistemological and methodological significance but also reopens philosophical discussions concerning Being, truth, and the possibility of metaphysics.
Throughout the lecture series, Professor Grondin closely engaged with the classical texts of Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics while also incorporating contemporary philosophical debates and his own latest research. He provided students and faculty with a systematic and accessible account of the rich meanings and contemporary relevance of hermeneutical culture. Delivered entirely in English, the course not only promoted international exchange in philosophical education and research but also provided young scholars with an important opportunity to broaden their academic horizons.
During the lectures, Professor Grondin also paid particular attention to the differences between various languages and their modes of thought. By comparing the characteristics of German, French, Latin, and other languages, he encouraged students to reflect on the relationship between language and philosophical expression, and invited them to explore differences between Chinese and Western linguistic traditions from a cross-cultural perspective. Through this process, Professor Grondin not only conveyed philosophical knowledge but also demonstrated, through his own teaching practice, the openness, attentiveness, and dialogical spirit advocated by hermeneutics.
The “Hermeneutical Culture” lecture series represents an important initiative of the School of Philosophy at Zhejiang University in promoting international philosophical exchange and advancing research in hermeneutics. The course further deepened students’ and faculty members’ understanding of the philosophical hermeneutical tradition and its contemporary significance, while providing new intellectual possibilities for cross-cultural philosophical dialogue.
