At 9 a.m. on August 10th, the Thesis Proposal Meeting & Academic Symposium for the 2019 National Social Science Fund’s Major Project “Research on Trials and Social Changes in Modern China” was held online, which was sponsored by HENU Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences and HENU College of History and Culture, and undertaken by HENU China Modern Society Transformation Research Center and HENU Institute of Modern China. Famous scholars attended: Zhang Haipeng, a member of the Faculty of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Prof. Ma Min, Director of the Institute of Modern China of Central China Normal University, Prof. Wang Chaoguang, Director of the Institute of World History of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Prof. Chen Qianping of Nanjing University, Prof. Li Fan and Prof. Zhu Hanguo of Beijing Normal University, Prof. Wang Xianming of Nankai University, Prof. Chen Hongmin from Zhejiang University, and Prof. Zhang Qing from Fudan University. Prof. Zhan Long, Dean of HENU Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, presided over the opening ceremony.

Prof. Zhang Baoming, Deputy Secretary of HENU CPC Committee, said in his speech that since the establishment of Henan University for more than a hundred years ago, she has adhered to the school motto of “明德新民，止于至善” (meaning to illuminate virtue, renovate the people and rest in the highest excellence), rooted in the fertile soil of the Central Plains Culture, and contributed to China’s higher education and the development of economy and society. The College of History and Culture has a strong style of study and a high-level teaching faculty. The college has formed an academic tradition that blends Chinese and Western cultures and combines the knowledge of ancient and modern times. The Chinese Modern History team has formed its own academic characteristics. This online conference brought together excellent experts and scholars from domestic research institutes and first-class universities to conduct in-depth discussions on the major subject, which can greatly promote in-depth development of related research. He expressed his sincere gratitude to the participants and hoped that all experts and scholars would speak freely, share their insights, and provide suggestions for the construction and development of Henan University and the Modern Chinese History discipline.

Zhang Haipeng, member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and leader of the panel of experts, presided over the agenda of the meeting.

The chief expert of the project, Prof. Zhao Jinkang, gave a report analyzing the value, content, methods and framework of the research. Prof. Weng Youwei, Prof. Liu Yuewu and other sub-project leaders provided supplementary explanations on the research work from different perspectives.

The panel stated that the project focused on building a modern Chinese trial system, exploring the historical relationship between trials and social changes in modern times of China, and expanding the research fields of Modern Chinese History. It is valuable. The ideas of the research are clear, and the framework structure is reasonable. The expert group put forward constructive opinions and suggestions on the ideas and specific methods of the project from different perspectives. They believed that the project met the requirements and agreed to start this project.

Prof. Zhang Ligang, Executive Deputy Dean of HENU College of History and Culture, claimed that the college will provide full support for the development of the project.

At 3:00 in the afternoon, Prof. Ma Xiaoquan from HENU College of History and Culture presided over a symposium on modern Chinese trials and social changes. Prof. Zhao Jinkang gave a brief introduction to the origins of the research on trials and social changes in modern China. The participating experts conducted free discussions on issues related. Prof. Chen Qianping from the College of History of Nanjing University pointed out that it was necessary to combine legal provisions and systems with typical social cases to show the history of modern Chinese judicial trials and social changes more vividly. Researcher Li Zaiquan from the Institute of Modern History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences proposed that we should attach importance to the relationship between the history of law, the history of society, and the history of institution, balance the relationship between the maintenance and transformation of law and social order, and take the differences in judicial systems at different times into account. Zhang Haipeng, Zhang Qing, Zuo Yuhe, Li Yancheng, Chen Weiqi, Zhang Lei, Huo Xiaoling, Liu Jianguo, and other experts and scholars have shared their own thoughts and suggestions.

Prof. Zhao Jinkang expressed gratitude to the panel and participating experts for their affirmation and pertinent suggestions. He said they would absorb the suggestions to further improve the design of the project. They would complete the research tasks of the project with high quality, showing their responsibility for the subject, for the country and for academic research.

More than 200 people attended the Thesis Proposal Meeting & Academic Symposium, including Prof. Wang Ruifang of our college, Zhao Guangjun, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal "History Monthly", young teachers, members of the project team, doctors and graduate students of our college.