Center for Research on Ancient Chinese History
Peking University

1. History of Establishing the Center    A flourishing spring of scholarly development began after the fall of the “Gang of Four” in October of 1976. In January of 1978, Professor Deng Guang-ming and his colleagues set forth the idea of an organization to research the Tang and Song era (618-1279). After three years of deliberations, five professors (Deng Guang-ming, Zhou Yi-liang, Tian Yu-qing, Su Bai, and Wang Yong-xing) jointly proposed establishing an organizational structure and working regulations for a center for research on the middle period of Chinese history. The then Assistant Premier of the State Council Yao Yi-lin and the Minister of Education Jiang Nan-xiang sent handwritten letters expressing enthusiastic support. In October of 1982, the Ministry of Education formally authorized the establishment of Peking University’s Center for Research on the Middle Period of Chinese History as a research institute with rank equivalent to a department. The first director was Professor Deng Guang-ming; the second was Professor He Fang-chuan; the third was Professor Wang Tian-you; and the present Director is Professor Zhang Xi-qing and Vice-director Professor Li Xiao-cong. In December of 1999, the name was changed to the Center for Research on Ancient China. In October of 2000, the Ministry of Education designated it as a National Higher Education Key Research Unit for the Humanities. In February of 2001, the Research Center’s academic category of ancient Chinese history was again declared by the Ministry of Education to be a key national discipline.     Presently the Center has 12 fulltime researchers, including 9 professors and 3 associate professors; there are also 26 affiliated researchers, including 20 with the rank of professor or academician, and 6 associate professors.     2. Fulltime Researchers Bo Xiao-ying Associate Professor Archeology of the Wei, Jin, Northern & Southern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dunhuang Studies Chen Su-zhen Professor History of the Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, and Northern & Southern Dynasties History of Political Institutions and Political Culture of Ancient China Deng Xiao-nan Professor History of the Song, Liao and Jin Women’s History Liu Pu-jiang Professor History of the Liao and Jin History of National Minorities Li Xiao-cong Professor, Vice Director Historical Geography History of Sino-Foreign Cultural Exchanges Comparative History of Cities History of Cartography Luo Xin Associate Professor History of the Wei, Jin and Northern & Southern Dynasties History of Sino-Western Communications Bamboo Slips and Tomb Inscriptions Rong Xin-jiang Professor History of Sino-Western Cultural Exchanges History of the Sui and Tang Central Asian History Dunhuang and Turfan Documents Wang Xiao-fu Professor History of the Sui and Tang Tibetan History History of China's Frontier Relations Yan Bu-ke Professor, Director of the Committee on Scholarship History of the Wei, Jin, and Northern & Southern Dynasties History of Political Institutions and Political Culture of Ancient China Zang Jian Associate Professor, Director of the Center Library Women’s History Information Technology, Historical Documentation, and Cateloging Specialist Zhang Xi-qing Professor, Director History of the Song, Liao and Jin History of Chinese Political Institutions and Culture     Tel: 86-10-6275 1656 Fax: 86-10-6276 5040 E-mail: gzgsky@pku.edu.cn