On Sept. 28, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) held a thematic press conference in Beijing to introduce 14 major achievements in rare and endangered studies.

Addressing the event, CASS Vice President Zhao Rui asserted that as the premier institution of philosophy and social sciences research in China, CASS has long boasted a strong tradition and solid foundation in rare and endangered studies. Pioneering scholars, represented by figures such as Guo Moruo, He Changqun, Wang Jingru, Luo Niansheng, Hu Houxuan, Zhang Zhenglang, and Shui Jianfu, devoted themselves to their fields with perseverance and dedication. Their unremitting efforts helped build solid academic foundations in disciplines that were once underdeveloped or at risk, establish a relatively comprehensive disciplinary framework, cultivate a cohort of rigorous and committed researchers, and forge an enduring academic legacy.

In recent years, Zhao continued, CASS has made unprecedented efforts to advance the high-quality development of rare and endangered studies. Significant progress has been achieved in building disciplinary systems, innovating research mechanisms, and strengthening talent development. These efforts have yielded notable progress in the cultivation of a new generation of scholars, produced important academic achievements, and established a multidimensional preservation system for endangered fields of study.

At the press conference, 14 major research outcomes were introduced, including 11 monographs, one translated work, and two ancient book compilations.

Heroic Epic and Oral Tradition: The Textual Forms of the Manas Epic and the Singing Art of Its Performers, authored by Adili Jumatuerdi, was published by the Xueyuan Publishing House in September 2023.

A Study of the Dongba Epic was written by Yang Jiehong and published by the Xueyuan Publishing House in October 2024.

Translations of Sanskrit Literature (Volume 1-12), undertaken by Huang Baosheng et al., was published by the Zhongxi Book Company from 2020 to 2024.

A Comparative Study of Sanskrit and Chinese Texts and the Grammar of Buddhist Translations from the Middle Ancient Times was authored by Jiang Nan and published by China Social Sciences Press in May 2025.

Noun-Verb Conversion in Archaic Chinese: From the Perspective of Lexical-Semantic Analysis, by Ren He, was published by China Social Sciences Press in July 2020.

A Critical Review of the Periodization Criteria for the Yinxu Oracle Bones, by Chang Yuzhi, was published by China Social Sciences Press in December 2020.

The Wooden Slips from the Han Tomb at Jizhuang, Tianchang was compiled by the Research Center for Bamboo and Silk Manuscripts at CASS and other institutions under the chief editorship of Yang Zhenhong and Wu Wenling, and published by the Zhonghua Book Company in April 2025.

A Study on Cartographic History, by Sun Jingguo, was published by China Social Sciences Press in December 2024.

A Study of Qiang Dialects: Phonetics and Lexicon, by Sun Hongkai, Liu Guangkun, and Huang Chenglong, was published by China Social Sciences Press in December 2024.

A Comprehensive Compilation and Study of the Tangut Version of the Mahāratnakūta Sūtra: First Series (10 Volumes), with Sun Bojun as chief editor, was published by the Huangshan Publishing House in March 2024.

Interlinearized Text and Grammatical Research of the Old Tibetan Literature sba bzhed was written by Long Congjun and published by China Social Sciences Press in April 2022.

Orkhon Inscriptions of the Uyghur Kaghanate, by Mireguli Heilili, was published by China Social Sciences Press in February 2022.

Chinese Civilization in the Ilkhanate: Immigrants, Envoys, and Material Exchange, by Chen Chunxiao, was published by the Social Sciences Academic Press (China) in December 2023.

A Series of Textbooks on the Manchu Language (5 Volumes), compiled under the chief editorship of Chao Ke, was published by China Social Sciences Press in January 2025.

The conference also released a directory of the first group of supported rare and endangered disciplines, a list of disciplines funded in 2024 and 2025 under the “Rare and Endangered Disciplines Support Program” of the Chinese Academy of History at CASS, and a directory of research centers established by the Institute for Collaborative Innovation in Rare and Endangered Studies at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Information about the research works was provided by the Bureau of Scientific Research Management at CASS.