Selected Studies on Zheng He's Voyages to the West (1905-2005)

Author: Organizing Committee for the Celebration of the 600th Anniversary of Zheng He's Voyages to the West
Publisher:
Publishing Date: TBA
Features: It has been exactly 100 years since Liang Qichao published "Great Navigator of Our Country, Zheng He." The Selected Works on Zheng He's Voyages to the West (1905–2005) is primarily compiled from the research achievements of Zheng He over the past 100 years, carefully selected from the writings of scholars in China over the century. It is an academic anthology themed around "loving the motherland, fostering friendly relations with neighboring countries, and scientific navigation," adhering to the principles of "letting a hundred flowers bloom and letting a hundred schools of thought contend" and "using the past for the present." Based on promoting Zheng He's maritime achievements and inheriting maritime culture, this book aims to present a clear research context, comprehensive mainstream viewpoints, and a well-rounded field of study. The anthology includes 108 selected papers.
The editorial committee of The Selected Works on Zheng He's Voyages to the West (1905–2005) (hereinafter referred to as The Selected Works) held a meeting in Beijing to review the Selected Works, which was organized and compiled by experts under the guidance of the Organizing Committee for the Celebration of the 600th Anniversary of Zheng He's Voyages to the West. On behalf of the Director of the Committee, Minister Zhang Chunxian, and the three Deputy Directors, Comrade Yao Mingde, Director of the Organizing Committee and Editor-in-Chief of The Selected Works, presided over the meeting. The editorial committee consisted of representatives from some member units of the Organizing Committee and several historians and experts in Zheng He studies, with over 20 members in attendance.
After hearing a report on the editorial work of The Selected Works, the meeting carefully reviewed the submitted manuscript of the editorial outline. It was unanimously agreed that the Selected Works adequately reflects the research achievements of Chinese scholars on Zheng He's maritime activities since 1905, demonstrates the fundamental trajectory of Zheng He studies over the past century, and upholds the principle of "letting a hundred flowers bloom and letting a hundred schools of thought contend." It is a significant outcome of the national commemoration of the 600th anniversary of Zheng He's voyages to the West. At the same time, the attending experts proposed revisions to further improve the editorial outline of The Selected Works. These suggestions will be studied by the Editor-in-Chief of The Selected Works according to the editorial process, reviewed by the Director of the Editorial Committee, and finalized into the definitive manuscript.
The Selected Works is an anthology of papers organized and compiled by the Organizing Committee for the Celebration of the 600th Anniversary of Zheng He's Voyages to the West, reflecting the research achievements on Zheng He's voyages over the past century in accordance with the arrangements for the commemorative activities. The editorial work of The Selected Works was initiated at the end of 2004. After thorough preparations, including publishing plans, drafting an editorial outline, selecting contributing experts, and arranging for publication, the specific editorial work began in early this year with the goal of high quality and high standards.
On February 19, an [unspecified number] of editorial working meetings were held in Beijing to define editorial tasks, align editorial perspectives, and subsequently form the foundational framework and outline of The Selected Works. On March 26–28, a second editorial working meeting was held in Nanjing, resulting in the initial draft of the editorial outline of The Selected Works. Following multiple consultations with experts and repeated revisions, a third editorial working meeting was held on May 16–17 in Beijing to discuss expert feedback, finalize the comprehensive draft of The Selected Works, and prepare the submitted manuscript for review.