The meeting was held to identify the conclusion of a major project of the National Social Science Fund “Multi-volume General History of Chinese Clans”
On the morning of September 27, the appraisal meeting of the major project of the National Social Science Fund "Multi-volume General History of Chinese Clans" presided by Professor Chang Jianhua from The Research Center of Chinese Social History of Nankai University was held in the Balitai Campus of Nankai University. Wang Qingjie, the director of Tianjin Social Science Work Office, presided over the meeting. Professor Guan Jian, the vice minister of the Humanities and Social Science Research Ministry of Nankai University, Professor Zhao Shiyu, the member of evaluation expert group and the professor of history department of Peking University, Wang Yuesheng, research fellow of the Population Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Professor Meng Xianshi of History Faculty in Renmin University of China, Professor Afeng of the history department of tsinghua university, Zhang Limin, research fellow of Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, Research Fellow Ren Jidong, the Director of History Research Institute of Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, Professor Guo Yufeng of History and Culture Faculty in Tianjin Normal University, Professor Chang Jianhua, chief expert of the project and project team members Professor Yan Aimin, Professor Chen Jie and Professor Xia Yan attended the meeting.
Director Wang Qingjie fully affirmed the academic and practical significance of this topic, and he pointed out that clan is an important topic in the study of Chinese history, the community of family and country in China gives the study of clan history unique practical significance. Professor Chang Jianhua, the chief expert of the project, gave a full introduction on the basic situation of the project implementation, the implementation process and the difficulties encountered, the achievements produced by the project and the structure and main contents of the final eight-volume General History of Chinese Clans. Professor Chang Jianhua pointed out that this study attempts to interweave the dynamic, transformational, blood relationship and geographical factors from the perspective of clan, with the help of the research path of social history, paying attention to the core of people and the reality of life. At the same time, Professor Chang made a corresponding review on the lack of coherence of each part of the multi-volume project due to its short time.
Subsequently, the members of the expert group of concluding appraisal made comments on the project. The Research Fellow Wang Yuesheng pointed out that the multi-volume General History of Chinese Clans is full of materials, which greatly promotes the study of Chinese clans and outlines the long-term evolution of Chinese clans, and he put forward some suggestions that the forms of each volume should be consistent. Professor Meng Xianshi believed it is really rare that the project capital input is little while the academic achievement output is big. The research breaks through the old understanding that the clan is the tool and subordinate of the grassroots governance of the autocratic dynasty since May 4th movement, and it has strong academic innovation. According to Research Fellow Afeng, the work will also help other disciplines such as sociology, as the authors of each volume have their own unique insights integrated into this multi-volume tome. Research Fellow Zhang limin pointed out that the project provides a model for the implementation of major national projects, which effectively overcomes fragmentation and connects clans in different time periods and regions. Further Suggestions for setting up an "overview" section are proposed. Research Fellow Ren Jidong pointed out that the project promoted the theorization, systematization and discipline of Chinese clans, it broke through the previous facial makeup understanding that politicized clans and restored them to life. Professor Guo Yufeng believed that the project integrates clan history into the perspective of daily life history, which is quite innovative. It will be more innovative to observe clan from the perspective of clan rather than institution if the materials are sufficient. At last, Professor Zhao Shiyu made a summary and evaluation and he believed that the project was economical, efficient and fruitful, which was rarely seen in the history project and it should be congratulated. There are a lot of achievements and innovations in this project, which makes sense. He would like to pay tribute to Professor Feng Erkang as the pioneer and the undertaker of the most important task. At the same time, he suggested that the characteristics of each volume can be further expanded, and it is not necessary to pursue the exact same style.
After the members of the project team respond to the opinions of the evaluation experts, the research group avoids, and the expert evaluation group focuses on discussing, voting and drafting the evaluation opinions. The multi-volume General History of Chinese Clans, the major project of the National Social Science Fund, will be concluded successfully.
(Contributer, Li Ercen)