The International Conference on the History of Song Dynasty Commemorating the Centenary of the Birth of Mr. Qi Xia & the 20th Annual Conference of the China Association for Song Dynasty Studies was held successfully in Hebei University

“The International Conference on the History of Song Dynasty Commemorating the Centenary of the Birth of Mr. Qi Xia & the 20th Annual Conference of the China Association for Song Dynasty Studies” took place in HBU from August 12th to 13th. The conference was hosted by the China Association for Song Dynasty Studies and the Song History Research Center of HBU. Periodical Press of HBU provided academic support for it. The conference was held to deeply commemorate the famous historian Mr. Qi Xia, and deepen academic communication to promote the research on the history of Song Dynasty and the inheritance and innovation of fine traditional Chinese culture.

On the morning of August 12th, the opening ceremony was held at the lecture hall of Qiyi Road Campus of HBU. As the member of the standing Party committee of HBU and the Vice President of HBU, Prof. Shan Yaojun, on behalf of HBU, extended his warm congratulations on the successful opening of this conference and expressed the heartfelt appreciation to the China Association for Song Dynasty Studies and Academic colleagues for their concern and support for HBU and the Song History Research Center of HBU. Director of the Office of Science and Technology of Hebei Education Department Lei Yanguang, President of the China Association for Song Dynasty Studies, Prof. Li Huarui, the member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, researcher Shi Jinbo, Prof. Wang Ruilai from Gakushuin University, President of the Society of Korea Song and Yuan History, Prof. Cao Fuxuan, Prof. Wang Lingling from the Song History Research Center of HBU and President of Periodical Press of HBU, Prof. Yan Shutao delivered speeches successively. The conference was presided over by Prof. Jiang Xidong, Director of the Song History Research Center of HBU, and Prof. Song Fengxuan, Director of Social Sciences Division of HBU and Executive Director of the Song History Research Center. A feature film commemorating the centenary of Mr. Qi Xia's birth and a video of the speech recorded by Mr. Qi's family for the conference were shown at the opening ceremony. After the opening ceremony, the China Association for Song Dynasty Studies held a plenary meeting and heard the work report produced by the secretariat. Entrusted by the Department of History of PKU, the Center for Research on Ancient Chinese History of PKU and the Evaluation Committee of Deng Guangming Academic Award Fund, the Association announced the result of the 12th Deng Guangming Academic Works Award and presented awards to the award-winning scholars.

There was one main venue, six sub-venues and seven thematic forums for the conference. More than 300 scholars from over 100 universities and scientific research institutions at home and abroad took part in the conference discussion. During the two-day academic discussion, 3 conference reports were given and 16 scholars presented thematic reports. At the same time, the scholars present at the conference had discussions in groups around the six topics: Mr. Qi Xia and Economic History of Song Dynasty, the Culture and Literature of Song Dynasty, the Theory and Academic Studies of Song Dynasty, the Nation and Frontier of Song Dynasty, the Politics and Military Affairs of Song Dynasty and the Science, Technology and Society of Song Dynasty. They shared latest achievements, had in-depth discussions and achieved fruitful results.

On the afternoon of August 13th, the closing ceremony was held. Vice President of the China Association for Song Dynasty Studies Professor Su Pinxiao presided over the ceremony and Professor He Yuhong from Northwest Normal University made an academic summary. The annual conference is the largest one on the history of Song Dynasty in recent years where academic colleagues commemorated Mr. Qi deeply and exchanged their ideas about academic frontier issues. Young and Middle-aged scholars participated in it positively. The papers submitted at the conference include extensive research content, novel research methods and diverse research perspectives, and pay high attention to current major academic issues, showing the vigorous development of research on Song History.

Professor Jiang Xidong delivered a speech at the closing ceremony. He expressed his gratitude to experts and scholars at home and abroad for their long-term support and help to the Song History Research Center of HBU. He said that HBU would inherit and carry forward Mr. Qi Xia's glorious tradition of studying history, imparting knowledge and cultivating talents under the guidance of Marxism and give full play to the leading role of the Song History Research Center as the key research base of humanities and social sciences of the Ministry of Education. He expressed that the Song History Research Center would continue to do the work of the Secretariat of the China Association for Song Dynasty Studies well and build a communication platform for academic colleagues at home and abroad to share ideas about research on history of Song Dynasty to make new and greater contributions to the research on the history of Song Dynasty.