RENMIN UNIVERSITY, 17 May 2014 (Via RUC English News): On May 17th, a celebration was held by Australian Studies Center, School of Foreign Languages in Renmin University of China (RUC), to mark the 50th anniversary of Prof. Colin Mackerras’s stay in China, as well as his 10th anniversary of teaching in RUC. Prof. Colin Mackerras, an Australian sinologist, now holding a chair professor’s post in RUC, is often known in China by his Chinese name Ma Kelin. He came to lecture in China with his wife after the graduation from Oxford University 50 years ago, when China hadn’t established diplomatic relations with Australia. During the past five decades, Prof. Mackerras have been to China for over 60 times, teaching in RUC and other Chinese universities. His research fields include China’s ethnic minorities, Chinese theatre, Chinese history, Sino-Australian relations, and  images of China in international community. He also published lots of important works, including “Western Images of China since 1949”, the Chinese transliation of which was published by Renmin University Press in 2013. This book attempts to interpret China from western and historic perspectives. It discusses the forming of Western Images of China as well as their problems, displays western countries’ views toward China in various periods since 1949, and showsnew images of a big power which are different from those in traditional western thinkings. One of the translators of the book is Prof. Zhang Yongxian, Director of Australian Studies Center at RUC. At present, Prof. Mackerras is conducting courses for the MA program in RUC, and advising MA and PhD candidates from Australian Studies Center here. “It was under my mother’s influence that I decided to come to China, and China changes my life as my mother did”, said Prof. Mackerras when talking about his enthusiasm forChinese studies. “I really appreciate China and people here and sincerely admire what they have achieved after overcoming so many obstacles during the past 50 years.” By displaying pictures taken by him, he showed to the audience what great changes have taken place in this vast land. He also said that, as he experiences the life from a stranger to a part of the Chinese society, Sino-Australian relations also undergo changes from misunderstanding and lack of communication to frequent exchanges and close ties nowadays. Therefore he is willing to present a real China to the west. At the ceremony, Prof. Zhang Yongxianacknowledged in the speech Prof. Mackerras’s contributions to the school’s Australian studies and Sino-Australian exchanges. Mrs. Isabel Crook, wife of the famous lexicographer David Crook, a quasi-centenarian, paid a special visit here and affectionately recalled their half-century friendship. Prof. Stephen Mackerras, Mackerras’s son,as the first Australian national born after the founding of PRC, expressed congratulations to his father, and his own heartfelt emotion to China. The Australian Ambassador to China, Frances Adamson, sent a congratulatory message to Mr. Mackerras.Representatives from RUC and other related agencies also extended warm congratulations to him. ( Transwritten by Yan Zhaolai, Chen Mo, Zhu Yujin, Gao Li, Su Xuan. Reviewed by Long Yan ) Resume of Colin Mackerras： Colin Mackerras (1939—  ), a famous sinologist, is a honorary professor at Griffith University, academician at Australian Academy of Humanities, chairing professor at RUC. He is selected into the “Introduction of Foreign High-Level Cultural and Educational Experts Program”, awarded Outstanding Tenure of Xinao International, RUC. He received his bachelor, masterand PhD at Melbourne University, Oxford University and Australian National University, respectively. His research areas include China’s Ethnic Minorities , Chinese theatre, Chinese history, Sino-Australian relations, and Western Images of China. His representative works include “Western Images of China since 1949”, “China’s Ethnic Minorities and Globalization”, “New Cambridge Handbook of Contemporary China”, “Western Images of China”, “China in Transformation, 1900-1949”, “Peking Opera”, “China’s Minority Culture: Identities and Integration since 1912”, “Chinese Drama, A Historical Survey” and “The Chinese Theatre in Modern Times from 1840 to the Present Day”.