In early March, the compilation of theHubei Volume of the Compilation of Historical Materials on the Exchanges, Interaction and Integration of the Chinese Nation(hereinafter referred to as theCompilation – Hubei Volume) passed the final acceptance of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission. As a core component of the compilation project ofThe History of Exchanges,Interaction and Integration of the Chinese Nation, a major cultural project under the national 14thFive-Year Plan, the successful completion of this initiative marks a significant milestone for our university in building China’s independent systems of historical materials, discourse, and theory on the community for the Chinese nation, as well as in serving major national cultural strategies.
Hubei Province treated the Compilation – Hubei Volume as a major political task, establishing a leading group for the compilation work headed by the Standing Committee member of the Provincial Party Committee and head of the United Front Work Department. The group coordinated six provincial-level departments to work in synergy, providing solid guarantees for the compilation efforts. The project was led by our university, bringing together 10 universities, 17 museums, and 20 libraries from within and outside the province to form a compilation alliance. Eleven renowned experts were appointed to an advisory committee, pooling efforts to advance the compilation. The University placed great emphasis on the project. Professor Duan Chao, chief expert of the Research Base for Consolidating the Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation established by four central ministries and commissions, served as the principal investigator of the overall project. Four professors – Tian Min, Kong Dingfang, Cui Rong, and Li Ran – undertook four sub-projects. Professor Cao Daming from China Three Gorges University, Professor Yang Honglin from Hubei Minzu University, and Professor Zeng Yurong from Hubei University undertook three sub-projects.
The compilation was guided by the main theme of consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation, adhering to the correct historical view of the Chinese nation based on the “five commonalities” and the concept of the community featuring the “four bonds”. It delved deep into the historical genes embedded in cultural relics such as the Yangtze River culture, the Yandi (Shennong) culture, the Chu culture, the Three Kingdoms culture, as well as the Wuling Ethnic Corridor and the Ten-Thousand-Mile Tea Road. The scope of historical material collection covered over 520 works of various types of literature, including handed-down documents, unearthed texts, cultural relic records, archaeological reports, local chronicles, archival documents, newspaper and periodical materials, social survey data, folk literature, and foreign sources. In total, more than 5,600 entries of historical materials were compiled, with a total word count exceeding 2.76 million Chinese characters. This achievement has received high praise from renowned scholars in history and ethnology, including Ma Min, Liu Yutang, Huang Baiquan, as well as Wu Qi and Liu Anzhi, members of the editorial board ofThe History of the Exchanges, Interaction and Integration of the Chinese Nation.
The achievement has yielded notable results in serving the work of consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation. A series of related outputs have been published on the “Dao Zhonghua” platform, providing strong support for the exhibition enhancement project of the Hubei Provincial Museum. A policy advisory report titledProposals onTapping the Historical and Cultural Resources of the “Jindao Xihang”was adopted by theOutcome Reportof the National Social Science Fund. Several reports have received affirmative instructions from the principal leadership of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission and relevant leaders of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
In February this year, after deliberation at the meeting of the leading group for the compilation of "History of Exchanges,Interaction and Integration of the Chinese Nation", it was agreed that theCompilation – Hubei Volumehas thoroughly studied and implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thoughts on strengthening and improving ethnic work. It closely adheres to the main theme of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, upholds a correct historical perspective on the Chinese nation, delves deeply into and organizes distinctive and precious historical materials, and comprehensively, authentically, and systematically reflects the historical trajectory of extensive exchanges, interaction, and integration among various ethnic groups in Hubei. This work has effectively ensured the smooth implementation of the compilation project ofThe History of Exchanges, Interaction, and Integration of the Chinese Nationand provided significant support for accelerating the construction of China's independent historical material system, discourse system, and theoretical system regarding the sense of community for the Chinese nation. The project was approved for completion.
