ANCIENT ROOTS FROM QUANTITATIVE PERSPECTIVES
Explores prehistoric and historical China through archaeological data and discoveries.
CULTURE, RELIGION AND LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES
Examines religious interactions and economic impact on China's development.
STATE CAPACITY, INSTITUTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT
Quantifies state capacity in historical China, examining evolution and impact on outcomes.
FINANCIAL HISTORY, TRADE AND THE RISE OF HONG KONG AS A FINANCIAL CENTRE
Examines China's financial development, historical influences, and trade dynamics.
ANCIENT ROOTS FROM QUANTITATIVE PERSPECTIVES
Explores prehistoric and historical China through archaeological data and discoveries.
CULTURE, RELIGION AND LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES
Examines religious interactions and economic impact on China's development.
STATE CAPACITY, INSTITUTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT
Quantifies state capacity in historical China, examining evolution and impact on outcomes.
FINANCIAL HISTORY, TRADE AND THE RISE OF HONG KONG
Examines China's financial development, historical influences, and trade dynamics.
Area of Excellence (AoE) Project
Quantitative History of China:
Historical Roots of Recent Success and Future Development
“Uniquely among nations, China has a wealth of historical and archaeological archives covering almost all aspects of society, from politics to business, law and regulation, crime and unrest, family and lineage, culture and customs, religion and social organisation and science. Many of these records have been recently digitised, offering quantitative historians an unprecedented opportunity to re-examine various aspects of China’s past.”
Professor Zhiwu Chen
Project Coordinator
News Highlights
由廣西師範大學出版集團有限公司、廣西師範大學歷史文化與旅遊學院聯合主辦，並由復旦大學經濟思想與經濟史研究所、香港大學量化歷史研究中心協辦的首屆「漓江雅集」國際學者來華交流活動，於 2026 年 6 月 22 日到 24 日在廣西壯族自治區桂林舉行。
Jointly organised by Guangxi Normal University Press Group Co., Ltd. and Guangxi Normal University’s School of History, Culture and Tourism—in collaboration with Fudan University’s Research Centre for Economic History and Economic Thoughts and The University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Quantitative History—the First Lijiang Forum was held from 22–24 June 2026 in Guilin, Guangxi, China.
Twelve editions on, the QH community gathered in Wuhan to explore how data, AI, and new methods are reshaping the study of history.
We are delighted to present《物值幾何：清代抄產檔案中的價格資料與數據》—a major scholarly work that brings together rich historical records and rigorous data-based analysis. Written by our Director, Zhiwu Chen, as well as our Co-Principal Investigator, Zhan Lin, together with their co-author, Yan Yun, the book offers a systematic approach to understanding Qing-dynasty asset and commodity values.
Co-organised by the Centre for Quantitative History (CQH) and the HK Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IHSS), the workshop brought together archaeologists, historians, economists and legal scholars to explore how new data, quantitative methods and archaeological evidence are reshaping the study of early China.
Deadline: April 20, 2026 | We now invite submissions of research papers on all relevant historical topics using quantitative approaches including but not limited to economic and social history, political history, cultural history, business and financial history and archival history. Submitted papers can be either in English or Chinese. Submissions must be unpublished and original. Discussants will be assigned for each accepted submission.
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Training
Enhance your quantitative skills through specialised programmes