Recently, the first meeting of the Compilation Steering Committee for the Comprehensive History of Taizhou was held at the Taizhou Municipal Administration Building. Shen Mingquan, Party Secretary of Taizhou Municipal Committee, attended and delivered a speech. Le Chuanyong, President and Deputy Secretary of the CPC TU Committee, along with Cai Haijiang, Party Committee Member and Minister of the Publicity Department, were also in attendance.

The first meeting of the Compilation Steering Committee

The meeting reviewed and approved the working regulations of the Steering Committee, and issued appointment letters to Chief Editor Cui Zhihai, Academic Committee expert representative Li Hongyan, Deputy Chief Editors, and the editors-in-chief of each volume.

Le Chuanyong emphasized that, as the university of Taizhou people, TU’s roots have always been closely intertwined with the city. Serving the local community and preserving its cultural heritage are at the heart of the university’s mission. He stressed that to ensure the compilation becomes a reliable and exemplary historical record, TU will uphold three core principles, supported by three layers of robust safeguards. First, a moral and ideological compass to ensure the book’s political, ethical, and scholarly integrity; second, a scholarship-driven quality assurance system to maintain the highest standards of academic rigor; and third, a university-wide institutional safeguard. A leadership team jointly led by Secretary of the CPC TU Committee Zhu Jian and Le Chuanyong himself will oversee the project, ensuring its smooth and successful implementation.

To honor this commitment, Taizhou University, as the core institution responsible for the project, has assembled a top-tier academic team. With a nationwide perspective, the university has invited the renowned scholar Mr. Cui Zhihai to serve as chief editor, helping to establish the book as an academically authoritative work. Within the core team, the School of Humanities has mobilized its leading scholars: Dean Professor Luo Zhengming serves as deputy chief editor, while key faculty members such as Professors Zhang Jinghua and Zhang Chengzhong lead the compilation of the foundational volumes covering the Pre-Qin to Sui–Tang periods and the Song Dynasties. This broad-ranging, highly capable scholarly team will provide a solid academic foundation for the compilation.

Professors Luo Zhengming (far right), Zhang Jinghua (second from left), and Zhang Chengzhong (far left) receiving their appointment letters

Scholars from the School of Humanities exchanged ideas with renowned domestic experts, including Professor Pang Naiming from Nankai University, Professor Zhang Kan of Xiamen University (Chief Editor of the Qing Dynasty Volume), Researcher Fellow Xu Tao from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (Chief Editor of the Republic of China Volume), and Professor Zhou Donghua from Hangzhou Normal University. They discussed strengthening inter-university visits and deepening collaborative research projects in the future. This exchange not only harnesses the collective expertise of scholars nationwide for the compilation but also opens broader avenues for academic development and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The Comprehensive History of Taizhou, as a landmark project, has been designated a flagship initiative under the “5851 Plan” for Cultural Taizhou in the New Era. The compilation team, working closely with top scholars nationwide to advance the project with diligence and rigor, aims to construct a comprehensive chronicle of Taizhou’s enduring cultural and spiritual heritage. This undertaking not only systematically traces the city’s millennia-old cultural heritage but also represents a solemn practice of TU’s commitment to serving and giving back to the local community. We are committed to producing a distinguished scholarly work that celebrates Taizhou’s unique cultural spirit and reflects the academic rigor of our times.