The study of Marxism is showing signs of a resurgence in China's academic circles with a booming number of programs and institutions specialized in the subject.

Dozens of universities, academies and government think-tanks have set up Marxism schools studying subjects ranging from the disintegration of the Soviet Union to the problems faced up by China in its social and economic development.

"Other than basic philosophical research, the application of Marxism in China is the focus of our study," said Wu Enyuan, deputy president of the Marxism Institute with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, which was set up at the end of 2005.

Wu said over the past year, his institution had been in China’s prosperous coastal provinces researching the development of the socialist market economy, social changes, rural development and welfare coverage of employees in the private sector.

The institution has also carried out a large-scale survey of universities, trying to form a true picture of Marxist influence among college students.

"Marxist scholars must come out the ivory tower and get close to the realities so as to find a better way for the development of Marxism in China," Wu said.

Marxism was first introduced into China at the beginning of the20th Century. The school of philosophy led to the founding of the Communist Party of China, which later founded the People's Republic of China.

Wu said the development of Marxism in China was not always a smooth journey and it had encountered obstacles at different stages.

"The Great Leap Forward (1958-1959) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) showed misunderstanding and deviation of the basic theories of Marxism," Wu said.

Observers said the revival of Marxism study represents the Chinese authorities' promotion of Marxist theory in China.

Over the past two years, Chinese leaders have repeatedly urged Marxism scholars to enhance research on the application of Marxist theory in China and put forward sound theories for China's development.

In 2004, the Communist Party of China Central Committee launched a Marxism Theory Research and Construction Project.

Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, described the project as a major theoretical innovation project and an important component of the drive to build China into an innovation-oriented country.

"People expect the project to provide theoretical guidance to the building of a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way," Li was quoted as saying in early reports.

The drive to seek better theoretical guidance for the country, which is currently under unprecedented rapid social and economic changes, has attracted an increasing number of Chinese scholars.

Wu said so far his institution had employed 130 researchers, with half of them recruited last year.

"Our new faculty members are all in their thirties," Wu said, adding that the specialties of the researchers covered a variety of fields, including politics, philosophy, economics and even security analysis.  

"We are planning to recruit four researchers this year. So far, we've received more than 100 applications," he said.