On April 9, the inaugural publications under the Wuhan Cultural Heritage integrated publishing project were released. This marks significant progress in Wuhan's most extensive literature compilation and research initiative to date. The initial release includes 21 volumes across seven categories.
The Wuhan Cultural Heritage project aims to catalog Wuhan's local historical documents, trace the city's cultural evolution, and build a comprehensive historical database. Over the next decade, the project plans to systematically sort out local literature resources, ultimately publishing over 500 printed volumes and establishing a digital resource platform.
The initial release focuses on reproducing historical local chronicles, which are regarded as treasures of ancient Chinese culture. Ma Min, the project's Editor-in-Chief and a distinguished professor at Central China Normal University (CCNU), explained that these chronicles systematically document over a millennium of Wuhan's environmental changes, political and economic developments, and cultural achievements. "They hold irreplaceable value for understanding Wuhan's cultural legacy and guiding its future development," he emphasized.
The published chronicles span from the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, covering Wuhan's three historic districts—Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang. Yan Changhong, a project advisor and professor at CCNU, noted that the selected works exemplify Wuhan's profound cultural legacy and enduring historical continuity.
Launched in June 2024, the Wuhan Cultural Heritage project involves multiple scholars from CCNU, including advisors Yan Changhong and Liu Shouhua, as well as editorial board members Zhou Guolin, Yao Weijun, and Wei Wenxiang.
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