Cultural industry has been given a new meaning in the new millennium. It is viewed as one of the rising industries of the 21 century. Culture and Industry are from two completely different fields. Today the two fields are merging together and bringing out new energy.

In China, developing cultural industry is an important part of science development, general development and sustainable development strategy. The National Statistic Bureau has stated seven categories of cultural industry in March 29, 2004. These seven fields include services of news, publishing, broadcasting and film, art, internet culture, leisure, convention and advertising.

Cultural industry has both economic and social functions involving a great number of fields including economic, politics, media, society and etc. We are facing the challenge of developing our own cultural industry with Chinese features among fierce competition abroad. We will need academic supports to develop research theories to study the industry. We need to look into issues relating reforms of cultural industry and market development rules. There are many questions to be answered and policies to be made. Tsinghua Research Center for Cultural Industry hopes to work with everyone to contribute to the development of cultural industry.