Zhang Jian, a famous industrialist and educator in modern China, advocated "saving the country through industry". He founded more than 20 enterprises and more than 370 schools in his life, which made valuable contributions to the rise of modern national industries and the development of education in China. He is called "the No.1 industrialist". Mao Zedong once said when talking about China's national industry: "China's light industry can't forget Zhang Jian of Haimen (now Haimen, Nantong, Jiangsu)".

He was an early pioneer in the field of cotton textile in China. He founded the first textile professional school in China, which was the first in China textile higher education. Establish a cotton textile raw material supply base for the first time to improve and promote cotton planting; Based on my hometown of Nantong, I vigorously developed the modern textile industry and made important contributions to the development and growth of the national textile industry in China.

As an educator, Zhang Jian founded Nantong Normal School, the first normal school in China, and the first special education school for the deaf in China (now Nantong Special Education Center). He is the founder or founder of many famous schools including Fudan University and Nanjing University.

Zhang Jian's achievements also include the establishment of Nantong Museum, the first museum in China.