Philologists from Voronezh State University gave a series of online lectures on Russian literature of the 20th century. The event was organised by Professor Sun Chao, Head of the Russian Language Institute of the University of Heilongjiang and a well-known expert in the field of Russian literature. VSU has been cooperating with the universities of the People's Republic of China for a long time, including Ningxia University, Sichuan International Studies University, Shandong University, and Sanya University. This academic year the University of Heilongjiang (Harbin) also joined this list. Professor Alexander Zhytenev gave lectures on modern Russian literature as part of the event.
On 4 June, Olga Berdnikova gave a lecture “Why is the main character of Ivan Bunin’s story “Natalie” from Voronezh? The image of “central Russia” in the author’s works” and explained the notion of “zemlyachestvo” (“community”) which was often mentioned by Bunin himself and which is not only a geographical but also a cultural phenomenon. Voronezh realities and Voronezh gubernia are clearly identified in “Natalie”, a story from the “Dark Avenues” collection of Bunin’s short stories. Natalie Stankevich, the main character of the story, is from a well-known noble family of Voronezh that has left a considerable mark in the cultural life of Voronezh gubernia. There is good reason why one of the central streets of modern Voronezh, not far from the monument to Ivan Bunin, was named after Stankevich.
On 5 June, Professor Tamara Nikonova gave a lecture “‘The Secret Person’ of Andrey Platonov in the dialogue with the world”. She talked about the principal topics and images of the writer, described the Voronezh period of his work, the topic of revolution, and the image of “the secret person” in the integral fiction world of Andrey Platonov. Chinese colleagues were interested in Voronezh realities in the plot of “The Secret Person”, the image of the main character in the context of Platonov’s characterology, the end of the story, and specific features of Platonov’s metatext. The lecturer prepared a presentation and showed the teachers and students from Harbin the monument to Platonov, one of the most unusual Russian writers of the 20th century, and some commemorative sights related to the period of his life and work in Voronezh.
Professor Sun Chao, who organised and supervised the series of lectures of Voronezh philologists, expressed his hope for further creative cooperation between the Russian Language Institute of the University of Heilongjiang and philologists from VSU.
