20th Century Chinese Academic Encyclopaedia: Hydraulic Engineering

Author: Zhu Junming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The 20th Century Chinese Academic Canon is a large-scale reference work that summarizes the academic achievements of Chinese scholars in the fields of natural sciences, engineering technology, social sciences, and humanities over the past century in the form of entries. The 20th Century Chinese Academic Canon is published in volumes according to academic disciplines. Each volume is structured around the framework of the discipline, featuring seven types of entries: disciplinary research, thematic research, academic events, academic figures, famous academic works, academic institutions and organizations, and academic journals. Among these, disciplinary research and thematic research are the main content, occupying the majority of each volume. In July 1994, our publishing house initially proposed the publishing concept of The 20th Century Chinese Academic Canon. Subsequently, we consulted experts from academic institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University, and Tsinghua University on multiple occasions, held numerous forums, and conducted discussions to evaluate and assess the significance and value of the project, which received strong affirmation from authoritative figures in academia. In 1996, the compilation plan was formulated, the overall framework was designed, and invitations were extended to authoritative expert groups. That same year, the State Press and Publication Administration included the book in the national "Nineth Five-Year Plan" for key book publishing projects. The compilation and publication of The 20th Century Chinese Academic Canon is a pioneering endeavor. It differs from encyclopedias, academic histories, and academic yearbooks. This Canon adopts the format of an encyclopedic dictionary to create a unique academic "century," representing a novel exploration. Although this exploration is not academic research but rather an academic summary, it must uphold a high academic standard; it must respect history, advance scientific development, disseminate truth, and critique pseudoscience and falsehoods. To avoid bias, the Canon inclusively incorporates all entries that involve debates between disciplines or schools of thought, as long as they represent academic innovation.