Deeply Interpreting Fine Traditional Chinese Culture

Liu Zifan, male, born in March 1986, member of the Communist Party of China, Doctor of History, extraordinarily promoted to Researcher in June 2024. He currently serves as Director of the Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms History Research Office at the Institute of Ancient History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Master’s Supervisor at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and concurrently as Director of the Dunhuang Studies Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Council Member of the Chinese Tang History Society, and Council Member of the Chinese Dunhuang and Turfan Studies Society. His main research fields are Sui-Tang history and Dunhuang studies. He has published three monographs; over 70 articles in top-tier, authoritative, and core journals and newspapers such as *Historical Research*, *Ethno-National Studies*, and *Chinese Historical Studies*, some of which have been fully reprinted by *Replicated Journal Materials of Renmin University of China*; and has led two projects of the National Social Science Fund. He received the title “Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Youth Talent” (2021), was selected for the first batch of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Youth Talent “Peiyuan Plan” (2023) [1]1 The “Peiyuan Plan” is a Chinese Academy of Social Sciences program to cultivate young academic talent., and was rated “Young Top-Notch Talent of the National High-Level Talent Special Support Plan” (2024).

刘子凡，男，1986年3月生，中共党员，历史学博士，2024年6月破格晋升为研究员。现任中国社会科学院古代史研究所隋唐五代十国史研究室主任，中国社会科学院大学硕士生导师，兼任中国社会科学院敦煌学研究中心主任、中国唐史学会理事、中国敦煌吐鲁番学会理事。主要从事隋唐史、敦煌学等领域的研究工作。出版个人专著3部；在《历史研究》《民族研究》《中国史研究》等顶级、权威和核心期刊及报纸发表文章70余篇，部分文章被《人大复印报刊资料》全文转载；主持国家社会科学基金项目2项。获“中国社会科学院青年英才”称号（2021），入选中国社会科学院首批青年人才“培远计划”（2023），被评为“国家高层次人才特殊支持计划青年拔尖人才”（2024）。

As a young researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, I deeply feel that the present is a good time to devote myself to scholarship and realize my value. New policies such as extraordinary promotion in professional titles give young scholars hope and motivation. As a historian, I must deeply study Chinese history and culture and contribute more achievements.

作为中国社会科学院的青年研究人员，我深刻感受到当下正是潜心治学、实现价值的好时光，破格晋升职称等新政策让青年学者有了希望和动力。作为史学工作者，要深入研究中国历史和文化，贡献更多成果。

I. Peiyuan Casts the Soul, Making Good Use of New Development Platforms

一、培远铸魂，利用好新的发展平台

I was appointed to the position of Associate Researcher in 2021. Under the conventional promotion requirements, I could only apply to be evaluated as a Researcher in 2026. Under the policy of extraordinary promotion, I was promoted to a senior professional title at least two years earlier. Moreover, personnel granted extraordinary promotion do not occupy the professional title and position quotas of their institute for five years, providing a special promotion channel and policy support for young talent.

我2021年聘至副研究员岗位，如果按照常规晋升的要求，2026年才能申请参评研究员。在破格晋升的政策下，我至少提前2年评上了正高职称。此外，破格晋升人员在5年内还不占用本所的职称和岗位指标，为青年人才提供了特殊的晋升通道和政策支持。

Professional titles are the most important honor for researchers, reflecting academic pursuit and achievement. But for most young scholars, professional title evaluation is an “involution” [2]2 “Involution” (内卷, *neijuan*) refers to a phenomenon of intensified competition within a closed system that leads to no genuine progress or innovation. and agonizing process. Like the “qualifications-based selection” of the Tang Dynasty and the “merit evaluation” of the Song Dynasty [3]3 The Tang Dynasty’s “qualifications-based selection” (循资格) and Song Dynasty’s “merit evaluation” (磨勘) were bureaucratic systems that required officials to serve a minimum number of years before promotion, emphasizing seniority over merit., one must accumulate seniority through long waiting. While this is a fair selection procedure, it easily blunts the edge of rising stars. The extraordinary promotion policy is like a pebble, breaking the calm surface of conventional professional title evaluation, stirring ripples, and creating new rhythms. As long as young scholars achieve outstanding results in either academic research or policy research, they can be extraordinarily promoted, and everyone’s motivation is immediately mobilized.

职称是科研人员最重要的荣誉，是学术追求和成就的体现。但对于大多数青年学者而言，职称评审是一个“内卷”且煎熬的过程。就像唐代的“循资格”、宋代的“磨勘”，要在漫长的等待中排资历，这固然是一种公平的选拔程序，但很容易磨平新秀的锐气。破格晋升政策就像一颗石子，打破了常规职称评审的平静湖面，掀起了涟漪，创造出新的律动。青年学者无论是在学术研究还是对策研究方面，只要取得突出成绩就可以破格晋升，大家的积极性一下就调动起来了。

The requirement for high-quality achievements in extraordinary promotion has greatly spurred young scholars’ enthusiasm for writing high-quality papers. Taking the Institute of Ancient History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences as an example, in recent years the number of papers published by young scholars in top-tier and authoritative journals has been rising steadily. This year, nearly ten important journal papers have been published. The young people in the institute have formed a good academic atmosphere, which has also greatly aided our academic growth.

破格晋升职称对高质量成果的要求，极大促进了青年学者撰写高质量论文的积极性。以中国社会科学院古代史研究所为例，近几年青年学者发表的顶级期刊、权威期刊论文数量不断攀升，今年有近10篇重要期刊论文发表。所里的青年人形成了良好的学术氛围，也大大助力了我们的学术成长。

II. Taking History as a Mirror, Shouldering New Cultural Missions

二、以史为鉴，肩负起新的文化使命

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage Development that it is necessary to deeply grasp the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization, and that combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture is the only path [4]4 This refers to the “Two Integrations” (两个结合), a key theoretical formulation by Xi Jinping.. Systematically studying Chinese history and culture and exploring how to inherit and develop Chinese civilization are important responsibilities of historians at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in the New Era. In recent years, I have participated in multiple tasks assigned by the Party Central Committee, deeply summarizing the specific connotations and historical wisdom of fine traditional Chinese culture, and received important approvals. I participated in writing works such as the *Outline of (Newly Compiled) General History of China* and the *Concise Reader of the History of Chinese Civilization*, making contributions within my ability to the research and interpretation of Chinese civilization. As arranged by the Chinese Academy of History, I have also undertaken the review of content related to films, TV dramas, documentaries, and exhibitions, doing a good job in social service.

习近平总书记在文化传承发展座谈会上指出，要深刻把握中华文明的突出特性，把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际、同中华优秀传统文化相结合是必由之路。系统研究中国历史和文化，探索如何传承发展中华文明，是新时代中国社会科学院史学工作者的重要责任。近年来，我参加多项中央交办任务，深入总结中华优秀传统文化的具体内涵和历史智慧，获得重要批示。参与撰写《（新编）中国通史纲要》《中华文明史简明读本》等著作，为研究阐释中华文明作出力所能及的贡献。根据中国历史研究院安排，我还承担了影视剧、纪录片、展览等相关内容审读，做好社会服务工作。

As the head of the research office, my colleagues and I leverage the team’s strengths and, combined with disciplinary backgrounds, have formulated a research plan centered on the collation of unearthed documents and transmitted classics to interpret fine traditional Chinese culture. For example, we undertook the collation of over 10,000 rubbings of ancient inscriptions and bronzes in the collection of the Institute of Ancient History, excavating elements of fine traditional Chinese culture within them. We cooperated with the Dunhuang Academy to carry out a collation and research project on Dunhuang documents, responding to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s call to build a “high ground” for Dunhuang studies. We conducted a reading group on the *Rituals of the Great Tang Kaiyuan Era* [5]5 The *Rituals of the Great Tang Kaiyuan Era* (大唐开元礼) is a Tang Dynasty code of state rituals, compiled during the Kaiyuan reign (713–741)., interpreting the Chinese ritual and music culture within the institutional system.

作为研究室负责人，我和研究室同事发挥团队优势，结合学科背景，制定了以出土文献和传世典籍整理为核心的阐释中华优秀传统文化的研究计划。例如，承担古代史研究所旧藏万余件金石拓片的整理工作，发掘其中的中华优秀传统文化元素。与敦煌研究院合作开展敦煌文献的整理研究项目，响应习近平总书记号召，建设敦煌学研究“高地”。开展《大唐开元礼》读书班，阐释典章制度中的中华礼乐文化。

III. Diligently Forging Ahead, Pursuing Scholarship with Thought and Originality

三、潜心砥砺，做有思想有创见的学问

My personal research interests mainly focus on the political system history, military history, and frontier history of the Tang Dynasty, emphasizing the use of unearthed documents from Dunhuang and Turfan, as well as stele inscriptions and epitaph materials, to explore new questions and new methods in Tang history through solid textual research. First, in Tang history research, I have conducted new explorations of the political culture characterized by the blending of agricultural and nomadic civilizations in the early Tang Dynasty, echoing the issues of the unity and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization. My monograph *Ten Thousand Miles to Anxi: Unearthed Documents and the Study of Tang Dynasty’s Northwest Administration* deeply summarizes the historical process and experience of the Tang Dynasty’s management of the Western Regions and was selected for the “Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Library.” Second, in document collation, my monograph *Collation and Study of Tang Dynasty Beiting Documents* comprehensively reveals the appearance of Beiting documents in the form of transcribed texts, plates, and research. It is the result of years of painstaking collation and has received attention and funding from the local governments of Changji Prefecture and Jimusaer County in Xinjiang.

我个人的研究兴趣主要集中于唐代政治制度史、军事史、边疆史研究，注重利用敦煌吐鲁番出土文书和碑刻墓志资料，通过坚实考证探索唐史研究的新问题和新方法。一是唐史研究方面，对唐代前期具有农牧文明交融特点的政治文化进行新的探讨，呼应了中华文明统一性与包容性的问题。专著《万里向安西——出土文献与唐代西北经略研究》，深入总结唐代经营西域的历史过程和经验，入选“中国社会科学院文库”。二是资料整理方面，专著《唐代北庭文书整理与研究》以录文、图版、研究的形式全面揭示了北庭文书的面貌，是沉心多年的整理成果，受到新疆昌吉州和吉木萨尔县地方政府的重视和资助。

In the coming years, I plan to attempt research on Chinese civilization with a broader macro perspective from both internal and external aspects. First, research on the Tang Dynasty’s world order, mainly exploring the Tang Dynasty’s frontier order and system of foreign relations, also involving state construction from the perspective of the relationship between the Hua (Chinese) and the Yi (non-Chinese). This is a frontier issue concerning how to define the world and China, and also a new concept on which consensus has not yet been formed. It requires both empirical research and theoretical innovation. Second, research on Tang Dynasty chancellors, mainly starting from the actual textual research on the titles, powers, and operations of chancellors, to observe the characteristics of ancient China’s centralized system and the achievements of Tang Dynasty political civilization.

未来几年，我计划从内外两方面尝试更具宏观视野的中华文明研究。一是唐代天下秩序研究，主要探讨唐代边疆秩序与对外交往体系，也涉及华夷关系视野下的国家建构。这是关涉如何定义天下与中国的前沿问题，也是尚未形成共识的新概念，既需要实证研究，也需要理论创新。二是唐代宰相研究，主要从宰相的称号、权力和运作的实际考证入手，观察中国古代的中央集权体制特点以及唐代政治文明成果。

In short, the extraordinary promotion to Researcher has given me more ample time and confidence. I hope to produce research results that are more thoughtful and original.

总之，破格晋升研究员给了我更充裕的时间和底气，希望可以做出更加有思想、有创见的研究成果。

Liu Zifan’s Main Representative Works

刘子凡主要代表作

1. *Ten Thousand Miles to Anxi: Unearthed Documents and the Study of Tang Dynasty’s Northwest Administration* (Monograph), Social Sciences Academic Press, 2024.

1.《万里向安西——出土文献与唐代西北经略研究》（专著），社会科学文献出版社2024年版。

2. *Collation and Study of Tang Dynasty Beiting Documents* (Monograph), Zhongxi Book Company, 2024.

2.《唐代北庭文书整理与研究》（专著），中西书局2024年版。

3. *Vast Seas and High Mountains: A Study of the Military and Administrative System of the Tang Dynasty’s Yi, Xi, and Ting Prefectures* (Monograph), Zhongxi Book Company, 2016.

3.《瀚海天山——唐代伊、西、庭三州军政体制研究》（专著），中西书局2016年版。

4. “A Study on the Evolution of the Tang Dynasty Military Town System” (Article), *Historical Research*, Issue 8, 2024.

4.《唐代军镇体制沿革研究》（论文），《历史研究》2024年第8期。

5. “The Title ‘Heavenly Qaghan’ and Tang Dynasty State Construction” (Article), *Historical Research*, Issue 6, 2021.

5.《“天可汗”称号与唐代国家建构》（论文），《历史研究》2021年第6期。

6. “The Military Strategy of Combining Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in the Early Tang Dynasty” (Article), *Ethno-National Studies*, Issue 6, 2022.

6.《唐前期农牧结合的军事战略》（论文），《民族研究》2022年第6期。

7. “Reshaping the ‘Vast Sea’: The Establishment of the Tang Dynasty’s Hanhai Army and the Transformation of the Connotation of the Ancient ‘Vast Sea’” (Article), *Chinese Historical Studies*, Issue 2, 2022.

7.《重塑“瀚海”——唐代瀚海军的设立与古代“瀚海”内涵的转变》（论文），《中国史研究》2022年第2期。

8. “The Tang Dynasty’s ‘Jiaohe’ and ‘Xizhou’” (Article), *Journal of Literature, History and Philosophy*, Issue 3, 2023.

8.《唐代的“交河”与“西州”》（论文），《文史哲》2023年第3期。

9. “A Re-examination of the Tang Beiting Longxing Temple Stele: Centered on the Composite Rubbing of the ‘Tang Jinman County Fragmentary Stele’ Formerly Collected by Li Zheng” (Article), *Journal of Capital Normal University (Social Sciences Edition)*, Issue 5, 2021.

9.《唐北庭龙兴寺碑再考——以李征旧藏“唐金满县残碑”缀合拓片为中心》（论文），《首都师范大学学报（社会科学版）》2021年第5期。

10. “Why Merchants from the Western Regions Did Not Enter the Fan Territories: On the Tang Dynasty’s Commercial Trade Laws from the *Tang Kaiyuan Hubu Ge Fragmentary Manuscript*” (Article), *China’s Borderland History and Geography Studies*, Issue 1, 2021.

10.《何以商胡不入蕃——从〈唐开元户部格残卷〉看唐代的商胡贸易法令》（论文），《中国边疆史地研究》2021年第1期。

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧