International Sinology has been established for 30 years and has become an important platform for international Sinology research. The publication was born in the National Library, and its detailed process needs further exploration. This article reveals the full picture of the birth of "International Sinology" in Guotu from five aspects, aiming to pay tribute to scholars who have silently worked hard, recognize the contributions of Guotu colleagues, and provide experience and inspiration for current and future Sinology research, inspiring more scholars to engage in Sinology research.

1、 Introduction

The first issue of International Sinology was published in January 1995, and compilation began in 1991. In early 1994, Zhang Xiping proposed to establish an "International Sinology Editorial Department" at the Beijing Library. On May 6, 1994, Zhang Xiping proposed to Director Ren Jiyu and Deputy Director Tang Shaoming the establishment of an editorial department, with reasons including: 1) to standardize editorial work and ensure academic quality; 2) Strengthen the research on Chinese studies in the reference department; 3) In line with the spirit of reform in the museum. The preliminary candidates for the editorial department are Zhang Xiping, Zhang Hong, and Li Ran. The editorial department may conduct relevant research projects while publishing the collection. This letter records the historical background, birth process, and future development direction of the founding of International Sinology, providing valuable references for subsequent development and Chinese studies research.

2、 Traditional

In the 1920s, the Chinese academic community advocated the use of Western Sinology methods to study Chinese culture, with the ideal of "sorting out national heritage", hoping to occupy a place in the world academic community. In this context, the National Beiping Library has become a center for the collection, organization, and research of Chinese academic literature, forming a unique tradition of Chinese academic research. Deputy Director Yuan Tongli played a key role in the modernization of China's library industry and the emphasis on the collection, organization, and research of Chinese academic literature. He emphasized the selection of literature and academic research, which promoted the development of the library industry. Under the leadership of Yuan Tongli, the National Beiping Library compiled and published numerous books and academic journals, such as the "National Beiping Library Journal" and the "Book Quarterly", which cover multiple disciplinary fields and pay attention to international academic development trends, especially the research achievements of overseas Chinese studies. The launch of the Chinese and English versions of the Book Quarterly reflects the international characteristics of the editorial team of the publication. The academic pursuit and efforts to promote cultural exchange between China and foreign countries of the National Beiping Library are closely related to its positioning. The three missions proposed by Yuan Tongli demonstrate the vision of Guotu becoming a treasure trove of Chinese culture and a key academic hub both domestically and internationally. The birth of "International Sinology" is based on the academic tradition and internal logic of the National Beiping Library.

3、 Origin

After the Third Plenum of the Eleventh Central Committee, China entered a new era of reform and opening up, with economic recovery and development, and the country's borders reopened, providing a material foundation and development space for the academic community. In the 1980s, the academic community began to emerge from stagnation, eager to understand the world, introduce and absorb Western culture, and critically reflect on traditional culture. Faced with different historical concepts, narrative techniques, and evaluation perspectives of Western scholars, domestic scholars actively pursue new perspectives and in-depth understanding with a learning attitude, attempting to examine national history, reality, and future from new angles. The domestic academic community has little understanding of overseas Chinese research and urgently needs improvement. In this context, research fields and institutions for Chinese studies abroad have gradually emerged, such as the "Foreign Chinese Studies Research Laboratory" founded by Sun Yuesheng of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Beitu Reference Research Department. Two institutions once selected important foreign papers and books on Chinese studies and compiled and published the "Index of Foreign Studies on China: 1977-1978", but it was interrupted after only one volume was published. The Beitu Reference Research Department grasps the needs of the times and academic development requirements, promotes the development of Chinese literature research services, and forms the second development of the collection and service of Chinese literature in Guotu. The Reference Research Department will prioritize the investigation and study of books and materials with scientific reference value both domestically and internationally, as well as foreign books and materials studying China. Zhou Xun was the first to propose the idea of establishing a Chinese Studies Literature Center, and Wang Jingyuan officially proposed the establishment of a Chinese Studies Literature Research Office. In 1989, the Reference Research Department applied to the museum for the establishment of the Chinese Literature and Information Center, and in 1991, the work began to take off. The founding idea of "International Sinology" came from Zhang Xiping, who was engaged in contemporary Western philosophy research at the Institute of Philosophy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and later transitioned into the field of Sinology research. After discussing with Director Liu Zhuoying of the Literature and History Editing Office, Zhang Xiping decided to collaborate with the Chinese Literature Research Office to establish "International Sinology". In November 1991, the two sides held talks on co founding the International Sinology magazine. The initial plan was to use a bibliographic publishing house as a platform to collaborate in editing and publishing the irregular publication International Sinology. The two sides had detailed discussions on column design and topic selection, and thus International Sinology entered the formal preparation stage.

4、 Preparation

The preparation work for "International Sinology" was divided into two stages. In the initial stage, Zhang Xiping and the Chinese Literature Research Office of the Reference Research Department were the main focus, while in the later stage, the Marxist Leninist Office was the main focus. On December 5, 1991, the Reference Research Department held a business demonstration meeting to discuss the compilation plan of "International Sinology" and determined the four main columns of the publication, including Sinologists, Sinology Publications, Introduction to Sinology Institutions, Sinology Research Papers, Introduction to Domestic Literature, History and Philosophy Research, and Information, Trends, Introduction, etc. The first issue was planned to be published in the summer of 1992 as a tribute to the museum's 80th anniversary celebration. The content of the column covers a review of Sinology research in various countries, introductions to famous Sinologists, selected Sinology papers, etc. The foreign section invites authoritative figures in the field of Sinology to write. The preparatory work faced difficulties in publishing funds and organizing manuscripts. The issue of publishing costs was funded by Dr. Miweili, Zhang Xiping's German teacher, and he was therefore hired as an academic advisor for International Sinology. As the actual person in charge, Zhang Xiping organized the manuscript work, including the manuscripts of scholars inside the museum and famous scholars outside the museum. After 1992, the preparatory work was gradually taken over by the Marxist Leninist Office, and Zhang Xiping was transferred to the Marxist Leninist Office to promote the establishment of the editorial department of International Sinology. The establishment of the editorial department facilitated the orderly progress of editorial and distribution work, accelerating the publication of the first volume.

5、 Born

In May 1994, the publication plan of International Sinology was announced in Guangming Daily. The first issue originally scheduled to be published in June was delayed due to Zhang Xiping's overseas travel, and Zhang Minghua took over the editing work. The core team consists of Zhang Minghua, Zhang Hong, Li Ran, and Li Chong'an, who rigorously proofread and edited, doubling the word count of the first issue to 410000 words. In January 1995, the first issue of "International Sinology" was published at the Commercial Press, with Ren Jiyu as the editor in chief. The editorial board included renowned sinologists from China and abroad. In the first issue, colleagues from the National Library contributed nearly half of the articles. The birth of "International Sinology" marked a new stage in China's overseas Sinology research, stimulated academic enthusiasm, and led to the emergence of other Sinology research journals. At first, the publication did not clearly define "international Sinology", but later clarified its overseas academic positioning for the study of traditional Chinese culture and emphasized the interaction between Sinology and Chinese studies. International Sinology is not only a platform for showcasing academic achievements, but also promotes the in-depth development and international exchange of Sinology research.

6、 Continuation

After the publication of "International Sinology" in Guangming Daily, Zhang Minghua, Zhang Hong, and Li Ran were responsible for its distribution and reader purchase requests. The editorial and distribution work continued until May 1995. In April 1994, the editorial department began soliciting manuscripts for the second issue, but due to various reasons, the second volume was not published until October 1998, and the publishing institution was transferred from Beitu to Elephant Publishing House. After returning from studying in Germany, Zhang Xiping hoped to continue editing "International Sinology", but was unable to do so due to the business reform of Beitu. In the 1990s, Beitu faced problems of insufficient funding and employee turnover. In 1995, a significant reform of its business management mechanism was carried out, which led to the stagnation of Guotu's Chinese academic literature work. Zhang Xiping ultimately chose to join BFSU, and the fate of "International Sinology" became a new issue. With the support of Ren Jiyu, "International Sinology" was transferred to the Overseas Sinology Research Center of Beijing Foreign Studies University and published for a long time at Elephant Publishing House. Ren Jiyu served as the editor in chief of the 16th edition of the publication and devoted a lot of effort to its growth and development. In 2007, Zhang Xiping replaced Ren Jiyu as the editor in chief, and Ren Jiyu continued to serve as the honorary editor in chief. In 2014, International Sinology was officially published. Zhang Xiping carefully cultivated "International Sinology" and made it an important platform in the field of Sinology research. Although International Sinology was born in Guotu, with the foresight and support of Ren Jiyu, it opened up new possibilities for the future development of the publication.