The Chinese Association of Quyuan was established in July 1984 with the approval of the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee. In June 1985, the inaugural meeting and the first annual conference of the association were held in Jingzhou, Hubei Province. In 1992, in accordance with national regulations on social organizations, the association was registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, placed under the administration of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and its secretariat was hosted by the Hubei Academy of Social Sciences. In 2000, following re-registration with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the association was placed under the administration of the Ministry of Education starting in 2001, with its secretariat hosted by Beijing Language and Culture University.
The Chinese Association of Quyuan has focused on the study of Qu Yuan and the Songs of Chu. For over 40 years, under the guidance of its competent authority and with the active support of its host institution, the society has developed soundly. It has held 20 annual conferences and various academic seminars at different levels each year, playing a significant role in advancing the research on Qu Yuan and the Songs of Chu as well as promoting local cultural development. Media outlets, including China Media Group, People's Daily, and Guangming Daily, have repeatedly covered the society's activities.
The members of the Chinese Association of Quyuan come from various academic fields both domestically and internationally, including history, literature, philosophy, archaeology, political science, Chinese studies, and Sinology. The society has over 600 members and nearly 30 affiliated units at the provincial, municipal, and county levels. It also includes secondary branches such as the Song Yu Research Branch, the Siku Quanshu Research Branch, and the Independent Education Special Committee. Additionally, the society has collaborated with local governments and universities in Hebei, Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, and other regions to establish academic research institutions related to Qu Yuan studies. The society's journal, Chinese Studies of Chu Ci, has published 32 issues to date.
