Chang Ch'i-yun (29 September 1901 – 26 August 1985) was a
Chinese historian, geographer, educator and politician. He was the founder of the
Chinese Culture University
The Chinese Culture University (CCU; ) is a private Taiwanese university located in Yangmingshan in Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan. Established in 1962, CCU is one of the largest universities in Taiwan with an enrollment of about 32,000 student ...
and the
Nanhai Academy, and served as
Minister of Education
An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...
of the
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
from 1954 to 1958.
He was a lead editor on the ''
Zhongwen Da Cidian
__NOTOC__
The ''Zhongwen Da Cidian'', also known in English as the ''Encyclopaedic Dictionary of the Chinese Language'', is an unabridged Chinese dictionary, edited by Zhang Qiyun and others. The first edition had 40 volumes including its radi ...
''.
Biography
Chang Ch'i-yun graduated from the Division of History and Geography of
National Nanjing Higher Normal School (later renamed
National Central University and
Nanjing University
Nanjing University (NJU) is a public university in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. It is affiliated and sponsored by the Ministry of Education. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Construction. The univers ...
), where he studied from scholars such as
Liu Yizheng,
Zhu Kezhen and
Liu Boming.
After graduating, Chang worked for ''
The Commercial Press
The Commercial Press () is the first modern publishing organization in China. The Commercial Press is known for its academic publishing and translation work in humanities and social sciences, as well as the '' Xinhua Dictionary''.
History
In ...
'' as an editor, and later taught at his alma mater, the National Central University. In 1936, he was transferred to
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University (ZJU) is a public university, public research university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education (China), Ministry of Education. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and D ...
and taught history and geography, later becoming the university's dean of the Faculty of Arts. In 1943, Chang was invited to give lectures at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
in the U.S.
In 1949, Chang escaped to Taiwan, where he became the
Secretary-General of the Kuomintang Central Committee, and in 1954, he became the Minister of Education.
In 1955, Chang became the first Minister of the
Atomic Energy Council, a position he held until 1958.
In 1962, Chang founded the Far East University, later renamed the
Chinese Culture University
The Chinese Culture University (CCU; ) is a private Taiwanese university located in Yangmingshan in Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan. Established in 1962, CCU is one of the largest universities in Taiwan with an enrollment of about 32,000 student ...
.
Chang died in Taipei in 1985.
His son is
Chang Jen-Hu, an educator in
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
.
Works
*《清史》 "Qing Shi" History of Qing, 1961.
References
1901 births
1985 deaths
Chinese geographers
20th-century Chinese historians
Nanjing University alumni
Senior advisors to President Chiang Ching-kuo
Ministers of education of Taiwan
Writers from Ningbo
Educators from Ningbo
Academic staff of Zhejiang University
Academic staff of the National Central University
Scientists from Ningbo
Kuomintang politicians in Taiwan
Politicians from Ningbo
Republic of China politicians from Zhejiang
Taiwanese people from Zhejiang
Historians from Zhejiang
20th-century geographers
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