Wang Yuji: The Spring Culture of Jinan, The Harmony between Man and Nature

At the beginning of 2009, the Association of Chinese Historians officially bid to host the twenty-second International Congress of Historical Sciences (ICHS). On August 26th, 2010, at its 2nd General Assembly, the International Congress of Historical Sciences passed the resolution that the 22nd ICHS will be held in Jinan, China by a vote of 36 to 8 with 5 abstentions. With the participation of more than 2,000 top-ranking historians from all over the world, it will greatly lift the international influences of Qilu Culture, the Confucianism of Confucius and Mencius and of Shandong province.

The Association of Chinese Historians believed that Confucian ideas have become the most recognizable symbol of Chinese culture worldwide. As the hometown of Confucius and Mencius and the birthplace of Chinese culture, Shandong province鈥檚 continuously developing economy also provides a good environment for hosting such an internationally influential and academic pageant.

With enormous achievements of literature and history, Shandong University is eligible to organize the ICHS since it possesses a favorable academic atmosphere in the study of history. Some famous historians such as Gu Jiegang, Ji Xianlin Yang Xiangkui and a number of renowned scholars have studied or worked here.

The ICHS has selected Shandong University as the organizer because it possesses a favorable academic atmosphere in the study of history. Besides, the university has actively raised several significant academic topics concerning historical research over the past 60 years. To this extent, Shandong University has an absolute superiority in hosting the 22nd ICHS.

The delegate countries were impressed by the historical and cultural elements that are deeply rooted in Jinan. Throughout the city's history of 8,000 years, the springs have long been considered a cultural symbol of Jinan. Numerous "core elements" of the traditional Chinese culture originated in Jinan. Jinan has often taken the initiative to undertake the responsibilities for cultural renaissance and historical transformation in the face of the major events in history.