E-tu Zen Sun (24 July 1921 – 28 June 2021) 孫任以都 was a historian, especially of "economic history of pre-20th century China." The eldest daughter of

Chen Hengzhe Chen Hengzhe (; 12 July 1890 – 1976), pen name Sophia H. Z. Chen (), was a pioneering writer in modern vernacular Chinese literature, a leader in the New Culture Movement, and the first female professor at a Chinese university. Chen is known f ...

and H. C. Zen, she was born in Beijing. She arrived in the United States in 1941 and attended Vassar. She completed her PhD at Radcliffe under the supervision of

John King Fairbank John King Fairbank (May 24, 1907September 14, 1991) was an American historian of China and United States–China relations. He taught at Harvard University from 1936 until his retirement in 1977. He is credited with building the field of China ...

, on some of whose projects she also collaborated. She was professor for many years at

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...

, until retirement in 1988. She also served as president of the

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances Justice, equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide Social net ...

State College from 1959 to 1961. With her husband Shiou-chuan Sun, a professor of engineering with a mining specialty, she produced the first English translation of

Tiangong Kaiwu The ''Tiangong Kaiwu'' (), or ''The Exploitation of the Works of Nature'' was a Chinese encyclopedia compiled by Song Yingxing. It was published in May 1637 with funding provided by Song's patron Tu Shaokui.Needham, Volume 5, Part 7, 36.Song, xi ...

. This was the first time the work appeared in a European language.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:E-tu Zen Sun 1921 births 2021 deaths Vassar College alumni Radcliffe College alumni Pennsylvania State University faculty