About CCICH

     The CCICH is a united-front research institute established by the CPC and the government for unity with and in honor of the old-age intellectuals. Its purpose is to honor the senior citizens and uphold culture. The President, Vice President and researchers of the CCICH are engaged by the Premier of the State Council. All those engaged are great learned literates, celebrities and experts above the age of 60.

　　The CCICH was personally initiated by Mao Zedong. Before the liberation of Beijing, Mao Zedong said to his teacher Fu Dingyi in Shijiazhuang that the CPC shall make proper arrangements for the old scholars of noble character and high prestige who live a poor life and a body shall be instituted to that end. On 2 December 1949, Mao Zedong talked about this again in his letter to Liu Yazi. As he wrote in the letter, the matter on the institute for culture and history has been entrusted to Premier Zhou Enlai. Later, Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai invited Fu Dingyi, Liu Yazi, Zhang Shizhao and some other respected teachers to be involved in the preparation for the establishment of the institute and appointed Lin Boqu and Qi Yanming to take charge of the matter. On 29 July 1951, Vice Premier Dong Biwu officially announced the establishment of the China Central Institute for Culture and History by the central people’s government. Fu Dingyi was the first President and Ye Gongchuo, Liu Yazi and Zhang Shizhao were vice presidents. In 1958 when President Fu Dingyi passed away, Zhang Shizhao succeeded him and some more took office as vice presidents, including Xu Senyu, Chen Yinque, Shen Yimo, Xing Zanting, Xie Wuliang and Shang Yanliu. In 1974, Yang Dongchun became the third president. In 1980, Ye Shengtao took office as the fourth president. In 1989, Xiao Qian assumed the fifth presidency. And Qi Gong succeeded as the sixth president in 1999.  Yuan Xingpei holds the current presidency. Since 1986, the vice-presidency has been successively held by Xiao Qian, Wu Kong, Qi Gong, Wang Chuguang, Yuan Xingpei and Feng Yuan.  Now the CCICH has 65 researchers.

      Over the past six decades and more since the inception of the CCICH, a great number of famous old-age scholars in the cultural fields have been engaged, including, Fu Dingyi, Ye Gongchuo, Liu Yazi, Zhang Shizhao, Xu Senyu, Chen Yinque, Shen Yinmo, Xie Wuliang, Xing Zanting, Yang Dongchun, Shang Yanliu, Qi Baishi, Chen Banding, Zhu Qiqian, Xiao Longyou, Zhang Boju and Zhang Henshui. Properly provided for in their old age at the CCICH and gratified by the government of political integrity, these senior intellectuals have their youth renewed. They are motivated to engage in compiling history, writing books, making artistic creation or studying poetry, scoring remarkable achievements.

      Since the third plenary session of the 11^th CPC Central Committee, CCICH researchers have got their mind further liberated and, with a greater enthusiasm for social services, they have made great accomplishments in historical and cultural research and in literature and art. There have been book publications, personal exhibitions, monograph publications and international forum participation by the researchers. For example, the CCICH held a launch ceremony for the publication of the “Complete Works of Zhang Shizhao”. When President Xiao Qian’s “Collected Works of Xiao Qian” was published, then Premier Zhu Rongji personally wrote a congratulatory letter. There have been five editions of Mr. Wang Shixiang’s collected works – “Jin Hui Dui” – within just two years. Mr. Zhu Jiajin’s collected works – “Gu Gong Tui Shi Lu” – is highly popular among the literary and cultural circles. Wu Xiaoru and Yuan Xingpei were both published authors in the series of books of contemporary Chinese scholars. There have also been published albums of paintings or personal exhibitions from Sun Tianmu, Qin Lingyun, Lu Guangzhao, Huang Jun, Yu Feng, Xu Linlu, Feng Zhonglian, Yang Xuanting, Sun Ying, Hou Jiming, Liu Jiying and other researchers. In addition, some researchers, such as Cheng Xinnong, have also made contributions in their respective fields.

　　Over the past six decades and more, the CCICH has made remarkable achievements, from its initial prosperity at the beginning of the founding of the People’s Republic of China to renewed development during reform and opening up, with a pause in the mid-period. It has contributed positively in terms of uniting cultural masters of great virtue, talent and reputation, compiling history, writing books, cultural and historical research and calligraphy and art, developing the united front for enhanced friendship and promoting the peaceful reunification of the motherland.