Nankai News (Correspondent Li Ercen) The academic dialogue “Nankai History Centennial Lecture – Bring out the Charms of History” hosted by the Faculty of History of Nankai University was held in Tianjin on October 3. On the occasion of the centenary of Nankai University’s history discipline, Mr. Feng Erkang, an honorary professor at Nankai University, and Mr. Yan Chongnian, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, held an academic dialogue at the Eastern Art Building of Nankai University as a prelude to academic activities celebrating the centenary. Du Jiaji and Chang Jianhua, professors at the Faculty of History of Nankai University, acted as the moderators. Nearly 300 people attended the dialogue event, including Huang Jiayou, Secretary of the Party Committee of Nankai University Faculty of History; Yu Xinzhong, the Dean; Xia Yan, the Vice Dean; Song Zhijun, General Manager of SDX Joint Publishing; Zhang Long, Vice President of Dazhong Publishing Branch; as well as experts, scholars, social elites and students from around the world.
Before the dialogue, Yu Xinzhong delivered a welcome speech. He said that Mr. Feng Erkang and Mr. Yan Chongnian have solid and profound academic knowledge, and are also enterprising figures who pursue new knowledge. This academic dialogue is an important component of the centennial celebration of Nankai University’s history discipline. It is a benefit to the academic circles and the public to invite the two masters to brainstorm the wisdom of life in the form of dialogue. After expressing his gratitude, Yu Xinzhong sincerely wished that the two masters of an advanced age would keep in good health and produce more ideological results for the academic community.
Mr. Feng Erkang and Mr. Yan Chongnian, first-generation celebrated historians who emerged after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, have academic affinity and are bosom friends who were born on the same day. They are both also masters in the study of Qing Dynasty history. Generations of talented experts in China’s history have emerged. While carrying forward the historical inheritance of the predecessors, the two scholars have made new contributions to the study of China’s history, becoming valuable assets for the younger generations. The dialogue started with a discussion of the areas of expertise of the two scholars. Mr. Feng Erkang, who originated the study of social history, is the founding president of the Chinese Society of Social History. In terms of the significance of social history research, Mr. Feng Erkang believes that since the 1980s, social history research has changed historical research focusing on the theme of class struggle, highlighting the paradigm shift from the perspective of society. It had progressive significance at that time, because the era of “crisis of historical science” came to an end. It is the new look brought by social history research to historical science. Today, when social history is becoming fragmented, Mr. Feng Erkang hopes that younger scholars will continue to advance the research areas of social history in scope and depth. In the field of social history, Mr. Feng Erkang puts a particular focus on clan history and genealogy. The purpose of his research on clan history is to explore the real operation of traditional clans in China. He emphasized that the study of clan history is significant for exploring the real operation of families in ancient and modern China, and also for exploring the historical origin of family organizations, clan affinity and even patriotism for Chinese people around the world.
Mr. Yan Chongnian specializes in Manchu studies, which is also an important academic growth area in the field of history since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Mr. Yan Chongnian is a standard-bearer figure in the field of Manchu studies. During the dialogue, he talked about anecdotes on the launch of Manchu studies, and categorically said that the focus for Manchu studies should be China and Beijing. Mr. Yan Chongnian has accomplishments in the field of Gugongnology (Palace Museum studies), he said that Beijing was the political center of the Ming and Qing dynasties for most of the time, and in the center was the Palace Museum. Gugongnology was an essential topic in the study of Qing Dynasty history. Mr. Yan Chongnian’s study of Gugongnology was born of the interesting stories of the Qing Palace he heard in his childhood. It was also closely associated with his life and academic process. These factors have resulted in the magical association between Mr. Yan Chongnian and Gugongnology. Over the years, he has kept to the academic spirit of thorough investigation and personal practice, and has adopted the concept of the “Great Palace Museum”, demonstrating the noble academic style of seeking truth among the veteran scholars.
As the dialogue went on, the two scholars covered more ground. Mr. Feng Erkang talked about the characteristics of the Qing Dynasty history and its place in the history of ancient China. In terms of the political system, the Qing Dynasty saw the pinnacle of traditional Chinese autocratic monarchy. It is precisely the pinnacle of autocratic monarchy that bequeathed the cultural mentality of emperor worship. This gives us a long-term historical task of eliminating the emperor worship. The Qing Dynasty was also a stage for the development of China as a multi-nationality country. In particular, different administrative systems were implemented according to the situation of various ethnic regions, which is of reference value for today’s China. The territory of China was finally established during the Qing Dynasty, which is of great historical significance. Overall, many elements originating from the Qing dynasty can be seen in modern times.
The sparkling and informative dialogue took place in an animated atmosphere. The three-hour talk presented a rare spiritual feast for the audience, who was surprised at the two elderly men making witty remarks in high spirits. In the end, Mr. Yan Chongnian shared the story of their discovery in Taipei that they were born exactly on the same day and were engaged in the same profession.
Feng Erkang and Yan Chongnian, two master historians studying Qing history, are the first-generation historians who emerged after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Their academic life and growth bear witness to the period when the historical science of the People’s Republic of China has developed, transformed and thrived. The two veteran scholars, as witnesses to the development of historical science after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, present the best gift for the bright future of China’s historical science in the new era through their dialogue on the 100-year-old historical science.
