Unforgettable Hu Xianshao

Author: Hu Zonggang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The poem by Elder Hu introduces new discoveries in Chinese science, proving that Chinese science can be autonomous and innovative without needing to rely on others。——Chen Yi praised Hu Xiansuo. The meaning, theory, and spirit of Elder Hu's poetry are all superior。——Chen Sanli reviewed Hu Xiansuo. At the age of 20, he picked up the brush and devoted himself to poetry. The Dabu transmission bag, the West Sea spreads the sect wind. Among the school streams, he specialized in plants. The famous garden held a grand event, and all admired him from all directions。——Qian Zhonglian inscribed for the memorial exhibition of Hu Xiansuo at Lushan Botanical Garden.
Dr. Hu Xiansuo is undoubtedly the father of Chinese plant taxonomy. In 1950, he proposed a polyphyletic system that is still recognized worldwide today, bringing honor to the Chinese people。——Dr. Zhu Guanghua of the Missouri Botanical Garden commemorated the 110th anniversary of Hu Xiansuo's birth. Hu Xiansuo (1894-1968), a native of Xincheng, Jiangxi, came from a prominent family and was exceptionally intelligent from a young age. After studying at the Capital University, he studied abroad in the United States twice, earning a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a doctorate from Harvard University. Upon returning to China, he taught at institutions such as Nanjing Normal School, Southeast University, Peking University, Beijing Normal University, and Tsinghua University. He was the first president of National Zhongzheng University, a member and evaluator of the Academia Sinica, and led and participated in the establishment of China's first university biology department and biology research institute. He promoted the founding and development of scientific research institutions such as the Jingsheng Biological Survey Institute, Lushan Botanical Garden, and the Yunnan Forestry and Agricultural Botanical Research Institute, as well as the compilation and publication of botanical textbooks, atlases, and monographs. He was the father of Chinese plant taxonomy and the president of the Chinese Botanical Society. In 1948, he jointly published the new species of "living fossil" Metasequoia with Zheng Wanjun, causing a sensation internationally. Amid the waves of the New Culture Movement, Hu Xiansuo upheld traditional ideas as the leader of Xueheng and engaged in a debate with Hu Shih. Throughout his life, he made many literary friends and was skilled in poetry and lyrics, receiving high praise from masters and experts. Chan'an Poetry Manuscript was compiled by Qian Zhongshu, and his long rhyming poem Song of Metasequoia was recommended for publication by Chen Yi. Hu Xiansuo was straightforward and stubborn, speaking without restraint. After 1949, he suffered unfair treatment and criticism, and his works that upheld truth and opposed Lysenko's pseudoscience were banned. He was rejected twice when the Chinese Academy of Sciences selected academic members. During the Cultural Revolution, he was again persecuted and his property confiscated, and he died suddenly in 1968. This book uses a wealth of historical archives and over 120 historical photographs to leave a precious memorial for Dr. Hu Xiansuo and the pioneers of biology and botanical science.