The International Symposium on Mencian Thought and Civilization in the States of Zou and Lu, co-organized by IAHS, took place in Zoucheng, Shandong Province, Jun.6, 2014. The International Symposium on Mencian Thought and Civilization in the States of Zou and Lu, which was hosted by the Mencius Institute and co-organized by IAHS of Peking University, the China Studies Institute of Tsinghua University and the Qi and Lu Culture Institute of Shandong Normal University, took place in Zoucheng, Shandong Province, Jun.6, 2014. Zoucheng is the hometown of Mencius. Mr. Chen Lai, Director of the China Studies Institute at Tsinghua University, Mr. Wang Zhimin, Director of the Mencius Institute, Mr. Guo Qiyong of the China Studies Institute of Wuhan University, Mr. Li Cunshan, Director of the Philosophy Department of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Mr. Qi Simin, Dean of the Eastern Asia Department of University of California, Berkley, Ms. Sima Dailan, Professor of Gettysburg University, Mr. Yang Chaoming, Director of the Confucius Institute, and more than 70 famous scholars from over 40 universities and institutes around the world, as well as some local scholars and representatives, attended the opening ceremony. Mr. Zhao Yong, Deputy Secretary of Zoucheng municipality presided. Mr. Chen Lai, Director of the China Studies Institute of Tsinghua University, read a congratulatory letter by Mr. Tu Weiming, Director of IAHS at Peking University, world famous scholar and Honorary Director of the Mencius Institute, on the opening ceremony. Mr. Tu first expressed his respect for Mencius as the Second Sage and the Confucian culture he represents. He said, Zoucheng is hometown to Mencius, so it cannot be more appropriate to hold the International Mencius Studies Seminar here. It was the duty of contemporary Confucian scholars to support the research, transmission, and development of Mencius studies. Today, the a revival of Confucian culture and education has occurred in the hometowns of Confucius and Mencius, which bodes well for future of Cultural China. Concluding his address, Mr. Tu sincerely pondered how, as modern people, we should treat our own cultural tradition. This is especially important as we must relearn from Mencius the philosophy of “being human” to push back against a contemporary world flooded with utilitarianism and instrumental rationality. An African proverb goes like this, “earth is not a resource left for us by thousands of ancestors, but the fortune entrusted to us by the later generations for us to preserve.” This opinion should not only be viewed from a historical perspective, but also from the future ones. Nowadays, we could feel it more and more obvious that today's China was going through a shift from material richness to culture renaissance. The spiritual value of Cultural China will become more specifically highlighted in this process. We believed that Mencius Studies would be beneficial to China, and we also looked forward to Mencius thoughts would becoming a significant spiritual resources of “learning to be human” in the 21st century. After the opening ceremony, the scholars present held insightful discussions on the development and influence of Mencius from perspectives of politics, economics, culture and thought. Topics included: “Mencius and Culture of Zou and Lu”, “Research on the Textual Culture of Mencius”, “Research on the Oversea Influence and Transmission of Mencius”, “Study on the contemporary values of Mencius thoughts”, “Connotation and Extension of the Culture of Zou and Lu.” Many experts pointed out that this international symposium would establish a shared platform for the study of Mencius and Culture of Zou and Lu, which would be beneficial in integrating the academic resources of Mencius Studies and developing the cultural spirit in Mencian thought. Finally, Mencian thought and culture of Zou and Lu would take on new responsibilities in the cultural conversation between East and West, and thus bring about a new future.