On the occasion of the 165th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Yan Xiu, a well-known patriotic educator as well as the “founding father of Nankai University”, and the 149th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Zhang Boling, a well-known patriotic educator as well as the founding president of Nankai schools, the “Education and Tianjin-style Culture” activities were officially lauched at Nankai University on April 4, coinciding with the Qingming Festival. The event is sponsored by the Yan Xiu Research Association, Zhang Boling Research Association and Nankai Alumni Association.

The scene of “Education and Tianjin-style Culture” activities 

Yan Wenkai and Yan Shi, descendants of Mr. Yan Xiu; Zhang Yuanlong, Zhang Yuanhua, and Zhang Yuanling, descendants of Mr. Zhang Boling; Hou Zixin, former president of Nankai University; Zhang Zaisheng, member of the Party Leadership Group and full-time vice chairman of Tianjin Federation of Social Science; Yao Yang, curator of Tianjin Museum; Su Jian, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and general manager of Tianjin Publishing and Media Group; Bai Chengming, vice president of Nankai University and vice chairman of Nankai Alumni Association; Zhang Xiaoyan, former deputy secretary-general of Tianjin Municipal People’s Government; Sun Zhuo, secretary of the Party Committee of Tianjin The Second Nankai School, as well as representatives of Tianjin Ancient Books Publishing House, Tianjin Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Yan Xiu Research Association, Zhang Boling Research Association, Nankai University, Tianjin Normal University, etc. attended the event.

Bai Chengming, Zhang Zaisheng, and Yan Wenkai delivered speeches at the event.

At the opening ceremony, a launch event was held for the newly published book Yan Xiu’s Diary (1898-1910).

Feng Erkang, a historian and honorary professor at Nankai University, said that Yan Xiu’s Diary (1898-1910) was not only a historical record of Yan Xiu’s glorious educational achievements, but also provided vivid historical materials for the study of politics and daily life in the late Qing Dynasty.

Chen Xin, director of the University History Research Office of Nankai University and chairman of the Tianjin Yan Xiu Research Association, served as the compiler of the book. He said that it took 10 years to arrange and publish the book, during which he received generous support from many colleagues and friends as well as Yan’s descendants in the process. He also shared that he was deeply inspired by Mr. Yan Xiu’s spirit throughout the process.

An academic seminar on “Education and Tianjin-style Culture” was held on the same day. Experts and scholars discussed topics such as education and the history of Tianjin’s development, university cultural heritage and urban cultural heritage, and visited the exhibition of “Nankai Sages and Tianjin-style Culture”.

（Edited and translated by Nankai News Team.)