Hunan University of Science and Technology Ranks First in the Province in "Niche and Endangered Disciplines" Grants

Hunan University of Science and Technology has been approved for two grants under the 2025 "Niche and Endangered Disciplines" Special Project of the National Social Science Fund of China, ranking first among universities in Hunan Province in terms of approved projects.

Professor Xiong Xiaohui and his team from the Li Jinhui School of Music received an academic team project grant for their research titled "A Historical Study of the Tusi Music System and Its Genealogical Records." The Tusi system was a hereditary tribal leadership system recognized by imperial courts in parts of southwestern China.

Associate Professor Qin Fenghe from the School of Humanities received an individual scholar project grant for her project "Examination and Interpretation of Difficult Characters on Northwestern Han Bamboo Slips and Database Construction."

Established in 2018, the "Niche and Endangered Disciplines" special project is a key funding initiative under the the National Social Science Fund of China. It supports academic fields that hold significant value for national development, cultural heritage preservation, and cultural security, or that have the potential to fill research gaps. The program consists of two categories—academic team projects and individual scholar projects—with funding standards equivalent to those of the National Social Science Fund’ major and key projects, respectively.

This year, higher education institutions in Hunan Province received a total of five grants under this program. HNUST ranks first in the province with its two approved projects.

(Translated by SUXinyi and YUJunlin)