The seventh Frontline History Forum was held in Xi’an from the 1st to the 3rd of November. The event was hosted by the Editorial Department of Historical Research of the Social Sciences in China Press（SSCP）and organized by the Center for Historical Environment and Socio-Economic Development in Northwestern China, and by the College of History and Civilization of Shaanxi Normal University. Dang Huaixing, Assistant President of Shaanxi Normal University, presided over the opening ceremony. Gan Hui, Party Secretary of Shananxi Normal University and Li Hongyan, Editor-in-Chief of the Historical Research of Social Sciences in China Press（SSCP）, both delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. More than 30 scholars from various institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences(CASS), Renmin University of China, Nankai University, Fudan University, Northwestern University and Fujian Normal University, held debates centering on the forum’s main theme of “Crossover and Dialogue: multidisciplinary approach and Historical Research”.

Li Hongyan expressed gratitude to the participants and organizers of the forum on behalf of Gao Xiang, Secretary General of CASS and Editor-in- Chief of the SSCP. Mr. Li reminded those present that as the initiator of the “Frontline History Forum”, Mr. Gao Xiang proposed during the first forum that the event should be held continuously and turned into an influential academic brand. In fact the forum, which has turned into a respected academic brand through the common efforts of historians, is having an always greater impact on the development of Chinese historiography, added Li. He noted that the forum has been focusing on issues which are at the forefront of the development of Chinese and world historiography and promoting the progress of Chinese historiography. Li stressed that on this occasion the forum and its theme are aimed at further propelling the development of historiography under the guidance of historical materialism, as well as the exchange and dialogue between historiography and other subjects. He expressed his hope that Chinese historians will make a particularly great contribution to realizing the “Chinese Dream” of a great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Gan Hui said in his address that as a magazine with the highest authority in the realm of Chinese historiography, Historical Research has long enjoyed prestige in academia. The Frontline Forum of Historiography is a high-level academic platform established by the Editorial Department of Historical Research to encourage the healthy development of Chinese contemporary historiography as well as deepen historical studies. Gan claimed that the forum has played a very important role in both setting academic trends and in promoting academic progress. He also expressed his wish that it will promote the organic combination of a multidisciplinary approach and historical studies, and further enlighten the future development of Chinese historiography.

The forum received dozens of academic papers in three historical subjects including Chinese history, world history and archaeology. The papers concerned a variety of topics including cultural anthropology, historical geography and sociology. While analyzing the theme of “Crossover and Dialogue: a multidisciplinary approach and Historical Research” from various angles, the scholars discussed the application of an interdisciplinary approach to historical studies. They advocated for a new theoretical direction, a diversity of approaches and the use of new material for research, in a bid to provide new theories and methodologies for the development of historical studies. The participants pointed out that with the increasingly meticulous division of subjects and the intensified academic exchanges between China and other countries, the theories and methodologies of a wider range of subjects, including cultural anthropology, psychology and religious studies are all injecting fresh vitality into the ancient subject of history.