With its major-history as one of the superior traditional major in NWU, Department of History boasts a long history and prestigious teachers and scholars. Professor Xu Shoushang, Ma Shiru, TaoYuanzhen, Huang Wenbi, Hou Wailu, Chen Dengyuan, Ma Changshou, Chen Zhi, Zhang Qizhi, Peng Shuzhi, Lin Jianmin, Zhou Weizhou have been teaching here successively since the thirties of last century. These outstanding scholars have not only accomplished influential achievements, but also nurtured numerous historical special talents.

 

The ancient capital Xi’an serves as a blessed fundamental research base for the study of Ancient Chinese History in NWU. Focusing the research of the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties of this blessed land, the Department of History has accomplished influential achievements, the publication of the book, Civilization of Zhou, Qin, Han, Tang Dynasties, and successive editing and publishing of academic magazine of The Research of Culture of Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties, to name a few.

 

Being traditionally a strong discipline of the Department of History, ancient Chinese History was authorized to set up master degree program in 1981. Chinese Ideological History was authorized to set up PhD program in 1984, which belongs to the first group of PhD programs in China. Both Ancient Chinese History and Chinese Ideological History was selected as the brand majors in Shaanxi universities and colleges in 2001. In 2007, The Ancient Chinese History was ranked as secondary key discipline by Department of Education in ShannxiProvince. Till today, significant achievements has made in the study of Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties, as well as in the History of Minority Nationalities, History of Military and History of Buddhism.

Department of History enjoys profound and solid academic research background in the field of History of Minority Nationalities. Initiated by professor Ma Changshou and Zhou Weizhou, the research of History of Minority Nationalities has always been a distinctive strength. The Research Institute of Northwestern China History emphasizes both the history and current situation research of minority nationalities in Northwestern China. Therefore the research outcomes not only contain scientific significance but also serve as guidance for the development and construction of this region.

 

The new research focus on Chinese Military History and Strategy emerges due to the active research of a group of energetic and learned scholars. In 2009, ChineseMilitaryHistoryResearchCenter was set up, which serves and will always serves as a distinctive research focus of the School. The research team headed by Professor Chen Feng for the first time brings to light the forming of country-governing ideology of valuing civil more than military through the research of ancient Chinese military institution. They also made important progresses in the study of many subjects, such as ancient Chinese military culture, military expenditure in Tang Dynasties,  the view of military war supported mainstream Song ideology, military law in Song Dynasty, the policy of putting the military officers under the control of “civilian officials” during the Northern Song Dynasty, the group of military generals in the Northern Song Dynasty, to name a few.

 The teachers concentrating on Buddhism history research have made quite influential research achievements in Avalokitesvara belief, Diamond Sutra, history 

of Esoteric Buddhism, Esoteric Buddhism belief, the cultural exchange of Esoteric Buddhism, the relationship between religions and harmonious society 

construction in northwest region of China. The research of Buddhism history has become another unique focus of Ancient Chinese history.

The teachers of Modern Chinese History, whose research fields are the Xi’an Incident, the history of the Shaansi-Kansu-Ningsia Border Region and the 

development history of northwest region, have studied the industrialization of northwest region of P.R. China. In recent years, they studied the famine and the 

custom in northwest region of China, the commercial groups of Shaanxi and the social protection system, which are innovative.

 The Middle East research is the traditional strength of World History in the Department of History, which was authorized to set up master and PhD programs in 1982 and 1986 respectively, and was selected as the brand majors in Shaanxi universities and colleges in 2001. Modern Middle East History, Middle East politics and international relations are the characteristic of World History in Department of History. The teachers have been paying attention to the close relations betweenhistorical research and reality concern, and have made distinctive achievements in Middle East authoritarian politics, the contemporary issue of Jerusalem, the relation between America and the Middle East, which have academic value and practical significance. 

Now, the research of history adheres to the following principle: “prioritize, maintain and strenthen the priorities, and innovate for new research focuses”. While they 

are strengthening the original advantageous research direction, they have developed new growing point of this subject. The Department of History is one of the

 first talent training bases for national liberal arts and one of the first scientific research bases authorized by the State Education Commission, set up the post-doctoral research station of history in 1995, and was authorized doctor degree-awarding power of the Primary Disciplines of history in 2005. 

Chinese History was ranked as Key Primary Disciplines by Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education in 2011. The “Talent Training Mode Innovation 

Trial Plot for History Study”, which is headed by Chen Feng, was ranked as “National Grade Talent Training Mode Innovation Trial Plot” in 2008. The major of 

History Study was also rated as the brand major at both provincial and national level in 2008. Now, the Department of History has become a domestic first-rate talent training and scientific research platform.