University academics join hands with local historians for Ningbo’s cultural heritage preservation
04 December 2020
2 December: The Ningbo Studies Research Priority Area (RPA) was launched at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC). The launch meeting saw scholars joining up from across the University disciplines and local museums.
Dr Thomas Hirzel, Lead of the Ningbo Studies Research Priority Area, speaks at the launch event
Led by Dr Thomas Hirzel, Assistant Professor in Digital Humanities and Chinese Studies, the Ningbo Studies RPA is a multi-disciplinary research group that aims to explore and raise the profile of Ningbo’s rich history and cultural heritage, as well as to generate policy advice for the municipal government.
Being a scholar on Chinese history, Thomas has a strong academic interest in Ningbo and has made several research publications on Ningbo’s history. He works collaboratively with local and national historians. He said the idea of creating such a research group came along one year ago during a conversation with a local expert, Shui Yin (pen name).
Thomas said: “Ningbo has an extraordinarily large amount of primary sources, which is very unique in China. Yet the city’s rich history is unknown to many and there are questions about its past yet to be answered.”
Being Thomas’ research partner and a key external member to the RPA, Shui Yin is confident in what the group’s research output can achieve.
He said: “The city of Ningbo is unique in three ways. It has a long history – the Chinese character Yong (Ningbo in classical Chinese) first appeared more than 2,400 years ago. The city geographically boasts a vast area and diverse features. More importantly, Ningbo has long been a global hub for cultural, economic and trading relations. There are a great amount of primary sources about Ningbo existent both in and outside of China.”
Ningbo local historian Shui Yin (middle front) and other attendees
The main research themes of Ningbo Studies RPA will not be limited to history and culture, but also include sustainable water management, urban development and film studies. Academics from different faculties and schools take the lead of each theme.
The Ningbo Studies Research Priority Area sits in the Institute of Asia and Pacific Studies (IAPS). Professor May Tan-Mullins, Director of IAPS and UNNC’s Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning said that the University will be supportive of the group’s research.
She said: “We’re excited about the launch of this research group, partly because of Thomas’ passion for the local history and culture, and because we believe through its research and activities, the group will make a difference to the city of Ningbo.”