Home

China

World

Politics

Business

Sci-Tech

Health

Opinions

Video

Live

Radio

World Asia-Pacific Middle East Europe Americas Africa

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser.

I agree

How can we make thousands of years of imperial history accessible to learners around the world? From using a catchy children's tune to teach Chinese dynasties, to launching expansive open-access platforms, Professor Peter K. Bol reimagines how we connect with the past.

10:19

In this discussion, he takes us behind the scenes of the China Biographical Database (CBDB), a monumental project uniting scholars from China, the US and Europe. This massive cross-border effort proves that international academic collaboration is about much more than sharing data – it represents a shared commitment to safeguarding humanistic values in a digital world.

Addressing universal anxieties about the utility of a history degree and the modern obsession with academic rankings, Professor Bol delivers a reminder: the humanities are not just tools for making a living, but essential pathways to self-cultivation.

Executive producer: Zhang Jingwen

Producer: Yang Sha

Directors: Zhong Xia, Zhang Yuying

Video editor: Zhong Xia

Videographers: Gao Zhihong, Leng Junpeng

Cover photo: Liu Shaozhen

Open in CGTN APP for better experience

Search Trends

More than a tool for a living: Peter K. Bol on the true value of history