Wang Yuanyuan

cheekywang@hotmail.com

The School of Humanities at Tsinghua University was reopened on Friday after being closed about 60 years ago.

The school will offer basic humanities courses and majors such as Chinese literature, history, philosophy and literature in foreign languages and set up research institutes on traditional Chinese culture and sinology, the university said on Friday.

The former School of Humanities and Social Sciences has been split into School of Humanities and School of Social Sciences.

More than 20 research institutes, such as a sinology institute, humanities and social science institute, unearthed literature and files protection center, morality and religion research center and language research center, will be set up.

The school currently has more than 1,100 undergraduate students, 200 postgraduate and doctoral students and more than 1,000 overseas students.

“More outstanding teachers will be recruited to the school, making it a garden for the country’s sinology masters,” said Chen Jining, president of the university.

The university first set up its humanities school in 1925. It offered majors such as sinology, Western literature, history and philosophy. Four of China’s greatest sinology masters, including Wang Guowei, Liang Qichao, Chen Yinke and Zhao Yuanren, taught there, heavily influencing Chinese academia in the 20th century.

In 1952, the university canceled all majors related to literature and law due to an overhaul of the nation’s higher education system.

The university has been reopening majors of arts since 1978, aiming at becoming an integrated university as a more balanced education would be better for students’ growth.

In the 1980s, the university reintroduced arts courses such as English literature. Several of China’s greatest literature and translation masters, such as Cao Yu, Qian Zhongshu, Ji Xianlin, are among the alumni.

“Reopening the school will help pass on the university’s traditions and spirits, making more contributions to the country’s academic development,” Chen said.