Professor Liu Yunfeng of the School of Journalism and Communication, NKU, has dedicated himself to education with profound commitment and a strong sense of responsibility. Over the past twenty-four years, he has written a moving chapter in the pursuit of teaching and nurturing talents. Upholding the spirit of educators, he has offered a wide range of courses, including editing and publishing studies, research on modern Chinese literature, and calligraphy, while also contributing to textbook development and curriculum design, yielding a number of landmark achievements.
Professor Liu tailors his teaching to the individual needs of students, providing meticulous guidance on their theses and practical projects and creating platforms for hands-on experience. He consistently advances his research, integrating his findings into teaching to foster a virtuous cycle between teaching and research. His embodiment of the educator's spirit has earned him the respect and admiration of his students.
Devoting to Frontline Teaching and Educational Reform
From Professor Liu's perspective, the teaching profession is both noble and highly responsible. He approaches every lesson with a rigorous attitude. From the very beginning of preparation, he invests considerable effort, planning every detail of the teaching process in advance. He carefully verifies the pronunciation of uncommon characters and thoroughly delves into theoretical questions. Even for courses he has taught for over a decade, he remains diligent, continually updating course content and revising lecture notes to ensure they stay current and professionally relevant. Before each class, he reviews his notes, brings reference books, and prepares backup copies of his slides, showing his deep respect for teaching through his careful preparation.
Over the past five years, to provide guidance to more students, Professor Liu has taught a variety of specialized undergraduate courses at the School of Journalism and Communication, including Editing and Publishing Studies, History of Chinese Editing and Publishing, Book Planning, and Introduction to Publishing and Digital Publishing. He has also offered the general education course on Chinese Calligraphy for all undergraduates across the university and has carefully designed courses such as Theory and Practice of Editing and Publishing and Comparative Studies of Modern Chinese Literary Editions for master's and doctoral students.
Beyond his commitment to daily teaching, Professor Liu has actively engaged in educational reform and the foundational development of teaching, achieving remarkable results. In recent years, he contributed to the editing of History of Modern Chinese Editing and Publishing, a project under the Publishing Plan of National Key Publications in the 13th Five-Year Plan and supported by the National Publication Foundation. He independently authored several important chapters, including Chapter 7: Key Editors in Modern China, and the first two sections of Chapter 8: Publication of Key Books in Modern China, making significant contributions to research and knowledge dissemination in the field.
Additionally, Professor Liu independently compiled the 250,000-word book Twenty Chapters on the History of Chinese Editing and Publishing, which was selected for the NKU 2022 Textbook Reform Project and published by Tianjin People's Publishing House. The textbook Introduction to Publishing and Digital Publishing, led by Professor Liu, has been approved as a textbook under NKU's 14th Five-Year Plan project.
Promoting Teaching Development through Tailored Instruction
Liu Yunfeng has also achieved remarkable results in curriculum development. In January 2021, the course he taught, Theory and Practice of Editing and Publishing, was successfully recognized as a model of Ideological and Political Theories Teaching in All Courses for graduate students of NKU. This course aims to cultivate correct perspectives on editing and publishing and a sense of mission among graduate students, comprehensively enhancing their editorial and publishing capabilities through lectures and practical activities. The culminating project, In Search of Publishing Wisdom: A Reading Report Collection by Graduates of Class of 2022 of the School of Journalism and Communication, Nankai University, not only showcases their learning outcomes but also serves as a valuable opportunity for practical training.
Professor Liu has learned that in an era of increasingly specialized labor, comprehensive literacy remains crucial for students' growth and development. Therefore, guided by the principle of general education, he focuses on cultivating students' skills in reading, writing, analysis, critical thinking, and practical application in his teaching. For example, in courses such as Introduction to Publishing and Digital Publishing and History of Chinese Editing and Publishing which might seem narrowly focused, he skillfully incorporates knowledge from multiple disciplines, including linguistics, history, textual criticism, edition studies, cataloging, book design, and marketing, thereby broadening students' intellectual horizons.
Professor Liu has devoted great effort to guiding students in their theses and practical projects. For each paper, he supervises every stage of the thesis process, from proposal and mid-term review to pre-defense and final defense. He carefully reviews drafts word by word, provides timely feedback, and offers specific guidance. In the past five years, he has supervised two undergraduate theses, twelve master's theses, and four doctoral dissertations, among which two master's theses were recognized as outstanding.
Professor Liu has actively built platforms for student social practice. In collaboration with Tianjin Ifengspace Media Co., Ltd., the Nankai University - Tianjin Ifengspace Media Practice Base was established, providing students with precious hands-on experience and effectively enhancing their social competitiveness.
Through both words and deeds, Professor Liu has quietly left a deep impression on his students and earned widespread praises: Professor Liu is approachable and often shares personal experiences that inspire us, encouraging us to work diligently and stay grounded. He is meticulous in teaching and rigorous in research, maintaining high standards while offering understanding and support to the students. In class, Professor Liu writes neatly on the blackboard; we not only learn knowledge but also his scholarly rigor
Promoting Calligraphy Education and Enhancing Mutual Learning
Since February 2013, Professor Liu has been offering the general education course Chinese Calligraphy across the university, leading a dedicated teaching team. Over the past 12 years, the course has attracted over a thousand students, gaining popularity not only among the domestic students but also among international students from Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Through this course, many students have made remarkable progress from beginners to mastering copying skills and creating simple original works.
Through his lectures on the calligraphy history and the knowledge of calligraphic creation, Professor Liu has enabled students to appreciate the unique charm of Chinese calligraphy, cultivating their aesthetic literacy through immersion in art. This course has made a significant contribution to the aesthetic education curriculum of Nankai University while also playing an active role in inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture.
