Humanities Research

Feng Jicai Research Institute of Literature and Art

Address: Feng Jicai Research Institute of Arts and Literature, Weijin Road Campus, Tianjin University, No. 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin

Contact: (Tel) +86 22 27400263

Website: www.chuantongcunluo.com

E-mail: chuantongcunluo@126.com

Chinese Inheritors of Oral History Research Center 

The Chinese Inheritors of Oral History Research Center, jointly authorized by the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association and Tianjin University, and supported by the Feng Jicai Research Institute of Literature and Art, is the first national-level institute focused on expanding fieldwork and developing theoretical frameworks for oral history as intangible cultural heritage.

In the early 2000s, Feng Jicai innovatively applied oral history methods to protect Chinese folk cultural heritage, addressing gaps in the study of oral history inheritors. Since then, people-centered theories focusing on cultural memory and historical consciousness have evolved into systematic academic approaches. Beginning in 2005, folk culture workers have systematically collected, recorded, and published oral histories. Over the past decade, significant publications such as the "Chinese Outstanding Folk Culture Inheritors Series," "Chinese Wood-block New Year Picture Inheritors Oral History Series," and "Cultural Heritage Achieves of Imperial Heavenly Queen Temple in Tianjin" have emerged. In the fall of 2011, the project “Further Studies on Chinese New Year Pictures Database Construction and Oral History Methodology” was selected as a major National Social Science Fund project (No. 11&ZD064), resulting in the completion of a 300,000-word monograph within three years.

Utilizing methodologies from anthropology, history, literature, folklore, and communication, the Research Center develops and implements its own academic methods for studying oral history. It has established a theoretical system for oral history that guides the protection of folk cultural heritage. The center focuses on the collection, recording, organization, and conservation of endangered folk cultures, aiming to foster public awareness of the importance of cultural memory and heritage preservation.

The center has systematically gathered and archived primary data, including audio recordings, video content, images, and text, creating a digital archive to manage and preserve the oral histories of cultural heritage inheritors. At the forefront of academic research, the center hosts conferences and publishes scholarly works to advance its field. It also engages in domestic and international exchanges to promote the academic theories and vision of the Feng Jicai Culture and Art Research Institute. These theoretical advancements are applied in fieldwork through training programs for cultural workers, ensuring the scientific and systematic preservation of Chinese folk cultural heritage.

China’s Traditional Village Protection and Development Research Center

On June 4, 2013, the China Traditional Village Protection and Development Research Center (hereinafter referred to as "the Center") inaugurated its plaque at the Feng Jicai Research Institute of Arts and Literature at Tianjin University. Established with the approval of the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Society at Tianjin University and supported by the Feng Jicai Research Institute, the Center is dedicated to the preservation and research of traditional villages.

The Center is organized into several departments: the Academic Committee, Liaison Department, Research Department, Books and Magazines Department, and Information Department. Mr. Feng Jicai proposed the formation of the Expert Committee for the Preservation and Development of China’s Traditional Villages, which brings together leading experts and scholars in anthropology, architecture, folklore, and heritage studies. Mr. Feng serves as the director of the committee.

The committee focuses on building a comprehensive resource system and database, developing protective standards, and researching methods for preserving China’s traditional villages. Utilizing the Internet, it reports the current conditions of these villages to the government and disseminates advanced knowledge and methods for their preservation. Additionally, the committee organizes regular academic conferences and seminars to address the needs of the research center.

To facilitate the preservation, documentation, and establishment of records for traditional villages in China, the Center has initiated the "Traditional Village Database in China" project. This database, which includes textual data, audio recordings, images, and multimedia content, is compiled from field investigations and contributions from government departments, research groups, and volunteers. It is intended to serve as a comprehensive and systematic data recording system.

To support ongoing research, the Center has published several key documents, including the "Traditional Villages Investigation Field Manual of China," "Template of Traditional Villages Investigation in China," "Catalog of Chinese Traditional Villages," "Heritage of Villages," and "Work Communication."

The website www.chuantongcunluo.com, supported by the China Traditional Village Protection and Development Research Center, serves as a vital platform for the preservation and study of traditional villages. It provides an overview of the historical and current status of these villages, offers dynamic updates, and gathers public sentiment. The website features sections such as News, National Catalog, Surveys for Archive-Building, Village 120, Expert Opinion, Center Materials, and additional subsections like The University, The Center, The Website, Source, Policies and Regulations, Village Catalog, Maps, Project Introduction, Case Template, among others.

Since its founding, the Center has actively hosted domestic and international academic conferences and meetings, attracting experts from various fields and earning widespread recognition and acclaim globally.

3. The Chinese Wood-block New Year Picture Study Center

The Chinese Wood-block New Year Picture Study Center was established by the Feng Jicai Research Institute of Literature and Art at Tianjin University, authorized by the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association in 2007. This center is the first state-level institute dedicated to the preservation and research of Chinese wood-block New Year pictures, safeguarding this rich cultural heritage.

The center focuses on the collection, organization, protection, and academic study of New Year picture heritage, supported by a comprehensive database and a collection, as well as a “Local Art Museum,” making it a pivotal platform for research. Since its founding in 2006, the Feng Jicai Culture and Art Research Institute has led a major project funded by the National Social Science Foundation focusing on database construction and oral history research of these New Year pictures.

The Institute has published significant cultural archives, such as "Chinese Wood-block New Year Pictures: Hua County," "Chinese Wood-block New Year Pictures: Russian Collection," and "Chinese Wood-block New Year Picture Oral History." The Institute has also organized notable exhibitions and international seminars, including the“Achievement Exhibition of Hua County New Year Picture Investigation” and the“International Seminar on Chinese Wood-block New Year Pictures.” Additionally, it has published over ten articles in leading National Social Science journals and is currently compiling Chinese wood-block New Year pictures for consideration as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. These efforts have garnered significant attention from both academia and the public.

4. Wang Xuezhong Art Research Institute

Research in Fine Arts at Wang Xuezhong Art Research Institution belongs to one of the national key disciplines of China. The institute has five orientations, and each has a specific research subject. The five subjects are freehand brush work, calligraphy, oil painting, traditional Chinese realistic painting, and the history of art.

The Master's degree program in the research of fine art was the first approved among other art institutions or schools of China in 1986. There are eight main specialized courses for Master's degree candidates: research in modern ink painting, research in Chinese calligraphy schools, research in classical oil painting skills, analysis of western oil painting schools, comparison and contrast of Chinese and Japanese art, introduction to western art, Chinese line drawing art, traditional Chinese fine arts, and traditional Chinese poetry.

The institution has six professors, four associate professors, and four lecturers. In addition, professors from the Chinese National Academy of Arts, Japan's National Kobe University, Osaka Kyoiku University, University of Tsukuba, and other schools and institutions both at home and abroad are invited as guest professors.

The institution enjoys a good reputation in China and in overseas countries. It has received foreign academic visitors and also has exchange programs.

Currently, the institution is engaged mainly in research relating to traditional Chinese fine arts to expand and deepen research by creating relationships with other research subjects, like research in culture and history. It has developed several educational programs to increase Chinese talent in art and welcomes international students to study at the institution.

Additionally, international collaborative research projects and international seminars are in operation.

Wang Xuezhong was called “Min” by his father. His genealogy name was Min Zi, his alias was Huyan Yebo and he called himself Min Weng later in life. He was born in 1925 in Teng County (now Tengzhou City), in Shandong Province, and graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1953. He worked as a professor in Tianjin University and a guest professor in Nankai University, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Tsukuba in Japan. At the same time, he was a member of the Traditional Chinese Painting Group in the National Ministry of Culture, a presidium member of the Chinese Literary Federation and a panel member of UNESCO.

Numerous of his works have been published, including the art collections Yebo Paintings, Wang Xuezhong Paintings, Wang Xuezhong Calligraphy, Chinese Painting Learning and Calligraphy Abstract; the prose collections Four Records of Inkslab, Working Collection, and Wang Xuezhong Prose Collection; the poetry collections Looking at the World by Three Eyes, Selected Shoter Poems of Wang Xuezhong, Selected Painting, Calligraphy and Traditional Poems of Wang Xuezhong and Selected Poems of Wang Xuezhong; a full-length novel Hooha and some theoretical writing about painting, calligraphy, literature and art.

Many institutions honoring his memory have been established and include the Wang Xuezhong Art Institute of Tianjin University, the Wang Xuezhong Art Institute of Tengzhou City in Shandong Province, the Wang Xuezhong Art Institute of Xuzhou City in Jiangsu Province (known as the Min Xue Academy of Classical Learning) and the Wang Xuezhong Gallery of Qufu City in Shandong Province.

Liao Jingwen (Curator of the Xu Beihong Memorial Hall): On the basis of inheritance, innovation, openness and reform, Wang Xuezhong’s scholarly paintings are outstanding. He is a talented poet, artist and calligrapher who has contributed to the emergence of a new model in modern scholarly painting. Wang grew up in a scholarly family and was deeply influenced by his father. The same as the painting, his talented poems are full of reserved and refined sentiment. His calligraphy foundations are so solid and profound that it has been praised by Xu Beihong saying: “His accomplishment in calligraphy can not only be achieved by diligence, but by talent”. His contemporary painting, features the spice of life and has broken the humdrum boundaries of traditional scholarly painting subjects. This is achieved by connecting a range of subjects, including landscapes, figures and flowers with practical life. His works are wide-ranging in style, he expresses his feelings, thoughts, observations and pursuits by delicate techniques, simply portrayed, or exaggerated and using various styles. His scholarly paintings enrich the modern art circles of China and attract great attention both at home and abroad. He has enhanced his great reputation by holding many exhibitions at home and abroad. It is undoubted that the scholarly painting combining poetry, calligraphy and painting is difficult to create, which he characterizes as his rather "unique specie”. However, he is bound to obtain more achievements and success due to his unremitting exploration and pursuit of perfection.

Xu Beihong:His accomplishments in calligraphy as a teenager could not be achieved without raw talent. Compared to ancient artists, he is like Li Beihai1 of the Tang Dynasty, Shan Gu2 of the Song Dynasty and Ni Wenzheng and Wang Juesi3 of the Ming Dynasty. People like Zhao Mengfu and Dong Qiming4 cannot be compared to him.

Zang Kejia: Mr. Wang is a poet and artist. The combination of painting and poetry is the symbol of beauty since ancient times.

Horst ∙Koehler (Germany): Wang Xuezhong, the artist, calligrapher and poet, has pointed out the magnificent distinction between eastern and western art in his theoretical writings and provided prrof of it by his own artistic creations. In order to create new forms from the traditional, he chose to integrate the conflicting styles of modern German art and ancient painting traditions. When the young artists in Germany abandoned the ancient subjects deriving from nature and human life, Mr. Wang recreated the familiar scenes of nature and lives; when the young artists started to pursue abnormal or even subjects and techniques outside art, Mr. Wang firmly upheld the power of calligraphy and painting. He combined and harmonized the three subjects in painting by the faithfully adhering to the Chinese style. He purposely developed a painting technique, which corresponded to the model pursuit of modern artists so enlarging artistic expression around the world. Wang Xuezhong paints in the “Chinese style” which enables him to march alongside artists all over the world, who obey their regional artistic style. Only the artist faithful to himself can create world-class artwork.

Kuwabara Simio (Japanese): In my view, Wang applies fluent and unconstrained strokes in large paintings, like the paintings of Lu Mountain, Fujiyama and Tsukubasan; and delicate and magical strokes to small paintings to present the elusive atmosphere of real lives. On the basis of traditional inheritance, bold innovation and consistent style, his is excellent in painting landscapes, figures, flowers and birds. All the while, he persistently pursues the form of realistic oil painting, especially incorporating poems that integrate the themes of the paintings. It is a further expression of feelings that makes the poem, painting and calligraphy one. It is his art work that makes me regard Wang Xuezhong as a excellent traditional Chinese painter characterized by bold inheritance, exploration and innovation. Meanwhile, he is a distinguished painter that dares to explore a delicately different artistic world, a doer that wants to reform the depth of Chinese painting.

5. Research Center for National Intellectual Property Strategy Implementation

The Research Center for National Intellectual Property Strategy Implementation received formal approval from the State Intellectual Property Office in April 2013. Tianjin University has taken primary responsibility for the construction of the Center under the guidance of the State Intellectual Property Office and with the assistance of the Municipal Intellectual Property Office in Tianjin.

Affiliated with the College of Management and Economics at Tianjin University, the Center operates under the leadership of a Coordination Committee, with Director Zhang Wei overseeing its activities. An expert committee has been established, comprising senior scholars and experts from both domestic and international backgrounds in the field.

In contrast to other similar research centers that primarily focus on legal studies and are affiliated with law schools, this Center conducts research on the implementation of intellectual property strategies and provides strategic support based on management science and relevant disciplines such as economics and information science. Its initiatives are grounded in the scientific and engineering expertise of Tianjin University.

The Center has received the designation of "Outstanding Research Base of the Year" three times in the annual assessment conducted by the State Intellectual Property Office. In 2016, it was selected as one of the "First Batch of Think Tanks in Tianjin Universities." In 2017, it joined the Tianjin Think Tank Alliance and was recognized as a source think tank in the China Think Tank Index (CTTI), ranking in the Top 100 for comprehensive scores among university think tanks. In 2018, it received the second prize for best management in the CTTI-BPA Think Tank Best Practice Award issued by Guangming Daily and Nanjing University, and was again selected as one of the top 100 think tanks among national universities in the China Think Tank Index.