SMITHFIELD — Bryant University will celebrate the grand opening of the college’s Confucius Institute, which is devoted to the study of Chinese culture, with an appearance by Zhuang Zedong, the famous Chinese Ping-Pong player.

Zhuang, the table tennis champion who in 1971 launched what came to be known as Ping-Pong diplomacy, will speak at Bryant on Friday as part of the university’s weeklong commemoration of the opening of the Confucius Institute.

Zhuang’s talk, in Chinese with English translation, begins at 7 p.m. in Janikies Theatre on the Bryant campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The grand opening festivities begin this evening and continue through Friday.

Here is a schedule of events.

Today: 6 p.m. Golden Jasmine Film Festival, Tales of Rain and Magic and Chinese Dumplings, Janikies Theatre.

Tomorrow: 6 p.m. Golden Jasmine Film Festival, The Orchard, Janikies Theatre.

Wednesday: 4 p.m. Silk Road Jeopardy, presentation by Rhode Island high school students who studied Chinese at Bryant this summer, Stephan Grand Hall, Bello Center.

6 p.m. Golden Jasmine Film Festival, Across the Plateau, Janikies Theatre.

Friday: 4 p.m. Formal opening ceremonies for the Confucius Institute at the Unistructure Rotunda and moving to the John H. Chafee Center.

7 p.m. Presentation of honorary professorship to Zhuang Zedong, followed by Zhuang’s speech, Janikies Theatre.

8 p.m. Ping-Pong demonstration by Zhuang.