First volumes of the Zhang Jian Library. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

A major archival project dedicated to Zhang Jian (1853-1926) took a significant step forward on Aug 25 with the release of the first volumes of the Zhang Jian Library in Nantong.

Zhang was a renowned patriot, industrial magnate, educator and philanthropist in Nantong who devoted his whole life to developing local industries, education and social welfare.

The publication event brought together scholars, business representatives and journalists to mark the launch, which falls in the centenary year of Zhang's death.

The Zhang Jian Library is a large-scale collected works project compiled through the partnership of Nantong Jian Culture Technology Development and Guangling Publishing House. Work on the project began in 2021, with the aim of carrying out a systematic organization of primary historical materials related to Zhang and strengthening the documentary foundation for research on his life and legacy.

The first batch comprises seven volumes across four titles, totaling more than 4.6 million Chinese characters. The complete project is planned to encompass about 50 titles across about 100 volumes, organized into three core sections: historical documents, biographies and research outputs.

The collection is expected to serve as a systematic foundational resource not only for Zhang Jian studies but also for research on modern Chinese economic history, regional development and the history of education.

Scholars at the launch described the publication as both a substantial scholarly tribute and a milestone in Zhang Jian research.