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The Guilin Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and Guangxi Normal University jointly established an institute for wartime cultural resistance on Dec 17.
The launch ceremony, held at the university's Yucai Campus, featured the signing of a cooperation agreement to formalize their joint efforts.
The inaugural meeting of the institute for wartime cultural resistance (Guilin) takes place at the Yucai Campus of Guangxi Normal University on Dec 17, 2025. [Photo provided to en.gxzf.gov.cn]
The institute stems from Guilin's unique role as a "cultural fortress" during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). From 1938 to 1944, the city gathered renowned cultural figures including Ouyang Yuqian, Tian Han and Mao Dun, forming the celebrated Guilin's "wartime cultural city" phenomenon.
This historical legacy, which once boosted national morale through literature, theater and publishing, has now become the institute's core research focus.
The government-university collaboration utilizes the university's decades-long expertise in related fields, built through its specialized cultural and historical research institutions.
Research will cover three key areas: theoretical studies, specialized history, and cultural resource development. A six-pronged initiative includes establishing a museum, academic brand, research book series, policy reports, documentation center and interdisciplinary community.
The institute aims to evolve into a leading academic platform integrating historical preservation, research and cultural communication. It will also explore the contemporary value of wartime culture to enrich Guilin's identity as a world-class tourist city.
By uniting administrative resources and academic strengths, the institute seeks to elevate the study of Guilin's unique wartime heritage onto the international stage.
