On December 24, Fang Hanqi Foundation was established at Renmin University of China. Professor Fang Hanqi, the famous journalist historian, Honorary Level I Professor of Renmin University of China, donated a sum of 1 million yuan to set the foundation in order to support the study of journalism history, promoting the development of journalism and communication disciplines. The money was the bonus he gained from the “Wu Yuzhang Humanities and Social Sciences Lifelong Achievement Award”.

Jin Nuo, Secretary of the Party Committee of Renmin University of China and Chairman of the Education Foundation, attended the ceremony of Fang Hanqi Foundation's donation and inauguration ceremony, presenting a certificate of donation to Prof. Fang Hanqi. Zhang Jianming, Vice Chairman of the Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Education Foundation delivered a speech. Du Peng, Vice President, Vice Chairman and  Secretary-general of Education Foundation signed a donation agreement with Professor Fang Hanqi. Chen Changfeng, president of The Chinese Association for History of Journalism and Communication, presented the certificate of appreciation to Professor Fang Hanqi on behalf of the association.

Jin Nuo (left), Party Secretary of Renmin University of China, issued a certificate for Professor Fang Hanqi (right)

The Fang Hanqi Foundation will take Prof. Fang Hanqi’s donation as a startup fund to strive for the continuous raising of funds, ensuring the healthy operation, which will play an important role in the construction of journalism and communication disciplines. It will mainly support the development of The Chinese Association for History of Journalism and Communication and support the study of journalism and journalism history.

Professor Fang Hanqi said in his speech that Wu Yuzhang is not only an outstanding revolutionary and educator, but also a practitioner of journalism. When accepting the honor, he came up with the idea that he wanted to take Wu Yuzhang’s bonus as feedback for the humanities and social sciences, especially for the study of Chinese journalism and journalism history. He thought this idea would also be believed to be the wish of Wu Yuzhang. He hoped that this donation will play a role in promoting the development of the humanities and social sciences in China, as well as the construction of journalism and communications disciplines, adding some positive energy.

Hu Baijing, Executive Director of the School of Journalism, introduce the fund’s general situation and said that RUC Journalism School has been holding academic education for more than 60 years. The initial force for sustainable development lies in“ full of spirit an keeping moving forward”. Professor Fang Hanqi's academic character is the most valuable spirit of the School of Journalism of RUC. It has to be absorbed and passed on. We must make good use of the fund, making it “as unbroken as the academic spirit of Professor Fang."

Prof. Chen Changfeng stated that Prof. Fang Hanqi has been diligent and donated the fund that was honored for all his life devoted to academic research. This is a valuable spiritual asset and an eternal property of the academic world. At present, in the field of journalism history that Professor Fang Hanqi pioneered, the academic influence has been increasing. The young scholars are growing vigorously. I hope that everyone will continue to make progress to salute Professor Fang.

Zhang Jianming, deputy secretary of the school, expressed his highest respect to Prof. Fang Hanqi on behalf of the school. He hoped that everyone would feedback to Professor Han Hanqi's deep love for the school and his earnest expectation for the future development of the school with the dedication of hard work. It will make RUC’s journalism and communication disciplines keep innovating and developing. He said that the school has established the Fang Hanqi Fund Management Committee, hoping to manage well and make good use of donations, so that it can play an important role in the construction of the history of journalism, which can influence the country based on RUC’s work. The school hopes that the development of the fund will be based on contemporary China, take rooted in China practice and promote Mr. Fang’s academic character. He hoped that the fund would convey Mr. Fang’s humility, prudence, independence, as well as his dedication to diligence, rigorousness and innovation to whole society, encouraging and inspiring more young scholars and students.

The donation ceremony was hosted by Guo Haiying, deputy secretary-general of the Education Foundation of Renmin University of China. Representatives of the journalism and communication academic circle, students of Professor Fang Hanqi, teachers and students from the School of Journalism of Renmin University of China attended the ceremony.

On September 28, the 6th Wu Yuzhang Lifetime Achievement Award for the Humanities and Social Sciences was announced. Professor Fang Hanqi, 91 years old, won the award. The award was established by the Wu Yuzhang Fund Committee for scholars who have made outstanding contributions to the field of humanities and social sciences. It was first awarded in 2012 with a bonus of 1 million yuan per person. It is considered to be the highest honor in the field of humanities and social sciences in China.

Professor Fang Hanqi has been engaged in the teaching and research of Chinese journalism history for more than 60 years. He is an important founder and pioneer of Journalism in new China. He wrote and edited the History of Modern Chinese Newspapers and Periodicals, the General History of China's Journalism, and the Journalism in China. These have become masterpieces of the history of Chinese journalism. Chinese Association for History of Journalism and Communication is a national first-rate academic group in the field of journalism and communication. It was founded under the advocacy of Fang Hanqi and Ning Shufan. In December of 2016, in order to inherit Professor Fang Hanqi's academic tradition, Chinese Association for History of Journalism and Communication established the Fang Hanqi Award for the study of news historiography to reward the young and middle-aged news historians.