The 22nd International Congress of Historical Sciences (ICHS) kicked off in Jinan city in east China's Shandong Province on Sunday, marking the first time the congress has been held in Asia. Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong attended the opening ceremony on Sunday afternoon.

The ICHS, known as the most influential academic event on the subject, enjoys a reputation as the "Olympics of Historical Sciences". It has been held every five years since 1900, except during the World War I and World War II.

Jointly held by Association of Chinese Historians and Shandong University, the 22nd ICHS attracted approximately 2,600 historians with about 900 international scholars.

The Congress includes 4 major themes, "China from Global Perspectives", "Historicizing Emotions", "Revolutions in World History: Comparisons and Connections" and "Digital Turn in History" .

A total of 170 academic activities including specialized theme discussions, joint sessions, round tables, evening discussions, and poster session for postgraduate and PHD students will be held during the seven-day meeting.