Collection of the 87 theses received by the seminar. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

This year marks the 170th birthday of Zhang Jian, a renowned industrial magnate, educator, philanthropist, and political activists in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province.

To celebrate the anniversary, a seminar themed on Zhang Jian and China's early modernization was held on July 8. It saw participation by more than 140 scholars and people from all walks of life.

Professor Dai Angang at Fudan University compared Zhang with his contemporary Sun Yat-sen. He believes that all great men have something in common and that in modern China the then great people were eager to save the impoverished.

The seminar received 87 theses, more than any previous Zhang Jian-themed seminars, according to Wang Dunqin, vice-chairwoman of the Jiangsu Zhang Jian Research Society and professor at Nantong University.

Wang noted that researchers expounded on their opinions on Zhang Jian from different perspectives, including Zhang's practice, entrepreneurial spirit, and law-based governance.

"Finding new historical materials", "proposing new ideas", and "innovating research methods" are Wang's summary of the seminar.

She noticed that in addition to Zhang Jian's writings, many researchers paid more attention to historical materials, newspapers, magazines, and biographies related to Zhang as well as the diaries, letters and collection by people who were associated with him.

The research about Zhang Jian in Nantong, the birthplace of Zhang, has been long-standing. As early as Zhang was still alive, there were researchers studying him.

With the support of Nantong authorities, researchers on Zhang Jian have made a series of results over the past four decades. To date, the Jiangsu Zhang Jian Research Society has held six international seminars, carried out 30 monographic studies, and published the Complete Works of Zhang Jian twice.