In recent years, the deep integration of media and the rapid advancement of technology have been gradually reshaping the ecology of the publishing industry, bring with them multiple challenges. How publishing professionals can uphold a humanistic stance and strengthen cultural confidence has become a critical issue that demands immediate attention for resolution. The year 2025 marks the 120th anniversary of ZANG Kejia's birth. Against this backdrop, this paper reviews ZANG Kejia's editorial practice spanning over six decades, analyzes the connotations of his thought and the challenges it faces today, and aims to provide insights for the high-quality development of contemporary publishing.

The study takes ZANG Kejia's editorial career as its foundation, dividing his editorial practice into three stages for analysis. Based on a review of his editorial journey, the paper extracts the core connotations of ZANG Kejia's editorial philosophy from three dimensions: the perspective on the editor-author relationship, the view of content selection, and the philosophy of editorial values. It further interprets the practical implications of his editorial thought for publishing professionals in the contemporary context.

The research finds that the 1930s marked the early exploratory stage of ZANG Kejia's editorial career, during which his grounded-in-reality, open and inclusive editorial philosophy gradually took shape. In the wartime period of 1940s, he further reflected on how editors could select and showcase works that reflect the reality and the voices of the people amid national resistance. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, ZANG Kejia actively embraced the dominant themes of the times, becoming a key promoter of cultural development in the new nation. The core of ZANG Kejia's editorial philosophy includes three aspects: First, A view of the "respect and symbiosis" relationship between editors and authors, advocating for the preservation of the original integrity of works, and respect for the labor of authors, and the establishment of an "editor-author community" based on emotional resonance. Second, a perspective on content selection that emphasizes "inclusiveness and guidance", which involves embracing diverse artistic styles, breaking down sectarian biases, and closely aligning with the spirit of the times and guiding value orientations with professional judgment. Third, an editorial value system of "responsibility and identity", highlighting the cultural gatekeeping responsibility accountable to readers, the historical mission of nurturing outstanding writers for society, and the professional identity of finding joy in editing and connecting personal mission with the times. These ideas retain contemporary relevance, offering insights for reconstructing the editor-author relationships, optimizing the content ecosystem, and shaping professional identity, thereby aiding the publishing industry in navigating the challenges of the integrated media era.

ZANG Kejia's editorial philosophy is not only the crystallization of experience within a specific historical context but also an editorial philosophy that transcends eras. Regardless of how media forms evolve, the essence of publishing—"speaking for the people and chronicling the times"—remains unchanged. In contemporary publishing practice, inheriting ZANG Kejia's editorial thought helps publishing professionals stay true to their original cultural aspiration, deepen their professional consciousness, uphold their humanistic stance in an ecosystem dominated by technological rationality, and realize the enduring value of publishing activities in both preserving culture and leading the times.