Members of Shanghai University's Center for Egyptology take part in the Sino-Egyptian joint archaeological project at the Temple of Montu in Egypt. CHINA DAILY

　　On a sweltering summer day at Shanghai University, 30 students crowded into a classroom, their enthusiasm undimmed by the heat outside. Selected from over 70 applicants worldwide, they had gathered for five intensive days to learn one of humanity's oldest writing systems: ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

　　Professor Guo Dantong, the university's leading Egyptologist, delivered six hours of instruction each day. "Many people mistakenly believe hieroglyphs are just pictorial symbols to be interpreted literally," she explains. "I felt an obligation to clear the air, to teach Egyptology in its authentic form, and build foundational understanding rooted in our own linguistic context."

　　That workshop reflects a broader mission. This year marks the first anniversary of Shanghai University's Center for Egyptology.

　　"If I had to use one word to summarize our first year, I would choose 'starting'," says Guo, who directs the center. "Not starting from zero, but starting through exploration, growing through exchange, and accumulating through cooperation."

The launch of the book Legal Records of New Kingdom with Transliterations, Chinese Translations and Annotations. CHINA DAILY

　　A fresh perspective