The educational project Jiangcun Academy aimed at inheriting and promoting the scholarly spirit of Chinese renowned sociologist Fei Xiaotong is under construction in Kaixiangong Village, Wujiang District in Suzhou City of east China’s Jiangsu Province.
Since its commencement in February of this year, the project has garnered widespread attention from the academic community and society at large.
Kaixiangong Village, also known as “Jiangcun”, is famous for the in-depth research conducted by Fei Xiaotong. Between 1936 and 2002, he visited the village 26 times and authored significant works such as “Peasant Life in China” and “From the Soil: The Foundations of Chinese Society”, making the village an important window for the study of rural China.
The construction of the project is not only an inheritance of Fei’s exploratory spirit but also a positive response to the rural revitalisation. The academy is positioned to create a nationally significant social survey base, a social science laboratory, and a training demonstration base for rural revitalisation with international influence.
The project covers an area of 35.5 mu (nearly 2.67 hectares), including teaching buildings and supporting facilities. Once completed, the teaching building will accommodate 300 students for teaching, discussion and office use. It is expected to be completed and put into use by next June.
Jiangcun Academy will establish one base and four centres, namely the Chinese modernisation Jiangcun research base, the international social science research centre, the economic and social survey and experimental centre, the rural revitalisation training and demonstration centre, and the cultural heritage and innovation centre.
The academy will conduct teaching and research on urban and rural integration, rural revitalisation, social governance and cultural heritage, committed to producing influential and replicable theoretical results.
*Photo Credit – jcomp from Freepik
