Shijiazhuang, April 30, 2026 – The North China Research Center for Epigraphic Documents was officially inaugurated at Shijiazhuang University on April 29, alongside a symposium and an exhibition of rare stone tablet rubbings.

The center, jointly established by the university and the journal China Epigraphy, aims to advance the study of inscriptions and their role in regional history and culture. It is part of the university’s broader “Shijiazhuang Historical and Cultural Series” research initiative.

At the opening ceremony, Vice President Feng Baoqiang emphasized the university’s commitment to local cultural development. President Wang Yongqin, together with renowned historian Sun Jimin, unveiled the center’s plaque. Wang called for integrating academic resources to produce impactful research and build the center into a key think tank for the provincial capital’s cultural development.

A parallel exhibition, “Treasures of Yanzhao: Fine Rubbings of Inscribed Stones Through the Ages,” opened at the university’s art museum, displaying epitaphs, statue inscriptions, and cliff carvings from the Shijiazhuang area.

During the symposium, experts discussed methodologies for studying regional epigraphic documents and their significance for Shijiazhuang’s urban cultural identity. Notable speakers included Sun Jimin, former vice president of the Hebei Academy of Social Sciences, and Feng Jinzhong, editor-in-chief of Hebei Academic Journal.

The event was co-organized by the Shijiazhuang Academy of Social Sciences and several university departments.

(Contributed by: the Scientific Research Office and the School of Literature and History; Written by: Wang Yao)