Organized by Hong Kong, Macao, and the Taiwan Office under the Ministry of Education, co-organized by the Open University of China (OUC) and the Greater China Youth (www.GCyouth.net), Chinese History Website Experts Symposium was recently held in the OUC. Chinese History Website was founded and led by Liu Naiqiang, a member of the Drafting Committee for the Basic Law of HKSAR and organizer of Greater China Youth Online.
The symposium aims to collect and benefit from fruitful Chinese history research results from related academic institutions and agencies in mainland China; discuss the use of resources; establish a long-term cooperative relationship with the OUC and other relevant institutions in mainland China; and promote the construction of the Chinese history website.
A delegation of four people, including Liu Naiqiang, a member of the Drafting Committee for the Basic Law of HKSAR and organizer of Greater China Youth Online, Wang Cuilan, deputy organizer of Greater China Youth Online and manager of the Chinese history website project, Wang Zhiwei, Deputy Director of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Office under the Ministry of Education, Zhang Shaogang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the OUC, as well as experts and scholars from Peking University, Tsinghua University, the OUC, and other institutions attended the symposium.
The Chinese history website aims to build a website from a new perspective, help readers to learn history in an amusing way, create a website featuring fun-based learning, using a combination of ancient and modern topics, and being enriched with both artistry and beauty, so as to help the young people of Hong Kong to learn and understand Chinese history. The website will accommodate the tastes of young people in Hong Kong, and disseminate historical and cultural knowledge through mobile learning (on smart phones) and other learning portals to strengthen their recognition of Chinese history and culture. At present, Chinese history website construction has been officially launched in Hong Kong, and the website developers, the expert panel, and the fund for the preliminary building of the website have been basically put in place, but the most important element - Chinese history material and content - is still insufficient. There is an urgent need to absorb and learn from relevant mainland academic institutions and agencies in order to acquire fruitful Chinese history research results. The developers hope to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with the OUC, Tsinghua University Press, Peking University Press, and other institutions through this symposium and seek guidance and advice from relevant experts.
Relevant personnel from the Digital Learning Resources Centre, the Chinese Language Centre (CLC), the Multimedia Press, and the Press of the OUC introduced the “OUC Mini-Lectures” as well as books and media products associated with Chinese culture and history. Professor Wang Chaozhong, Associate Professor Wu Zhenghong, and other experts delivered presentations with historical themes. Henan Radio and TV University presented its local history and other historical and cultural resources typically representative of the Central Plain.
Each participating institution introduced the current state of their Chinese cultural and historical resource construction, showcased their youth oriented Chinese history and culture digital resources, and discussed their perception of possible cooperation with the Hong Kong side.
The Hong Kong delegation said that through this symposium it has established an effective communication mechanism with the OUC, Peking University Press, Tsinghua University Press, and other institutions, and discussed possible avenues for cooperation in the future. Thanks to the variety of resources showcased at the symposium, the development team of the Chinese history website will benefit from the strengths and better utilize available assets.
By Chen Haishan, the OUC