Hou Renzhi
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Hou Renzhi (; December 6, 1911 – October 22, 2013) was a Chinese
geographer A geographer is a physical scientist, social scientist or humanist whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society, including how society and nature interacts. The Greek prefix "geo" means "earth" a ...
and a pioneer of modern
historical geography Historical geography is the branch of geography that studies the ways in which geographic phenomena have changed over time. In its modern form, it is a synthesizing discipline which shares both topical and methodological similarities with histor ...
in China. He made outstanding contributions to the development of historical geography both in theory and in practice.


Biography

Hou was born in
Zaoqiang County Zaoqiang County () is a county in the southeast of Hebei province, China, served by G45 Daqing–Guangzhou Expressway. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Hengshui } Hengshui ( zh, s=衡水) is a prefecture-level city ...
,
Zhili Province Zhili, alternately romanized as Chihli, was a northern administrative region of China since the 14th century that lasted through the Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty until 1911, when the region was dissolved, converted to a province, and renamed ...
, on December 6, 1911. He grew in
Encheng Encheng () is a town in Pingyuan County, Dezhou, in northwestern Shandong province, China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it ...
, Pingyuan County,
Shandong Province Shandong is a coastal province in East China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It has served as a pivotal cultural and religious center ...
. At the age of 21, he was inspired by
Gu Jiegang , module = , workplaces = Peking University, Xiamen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Yenching University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Gu Jiegang (8 May 1893 – 25 December 1980) was a Chinese historia ...
to start learning history at the
Yenching University Yenching University () was a Private university, private research university in Beijing, China, from 1919 to 1952. The university was formed out of the merger of four Christian colleges between the years 1915 and 1920. The term "Yenching" come ...
,
Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
. He studied history with
Gu Jiegang , module = , workplaces = Peking University, Xiamen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Yenching University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Gu Jiegang (8 May 1893 – 25 December 1980) was a Chinese historia ...
and from William Hung. He graduated with both a B.A (in 1936) and later an M.A. in history and continued to teach at the university, where he met and later married Zhang Weiying. Hou Renzhi with his wife Zhang Weiying, 1938 Hou planned to study in England, but in 1941 he was imprisoned after the Japanese captured
Yenching University Yenching University () was a Private university, private research university in Beijing, China, from 1919 to 1952. The university was formed out of the merger of four Christian colleges between the years 1915 and 1920. The term "Yenching" come ...
, and, as one of the leaders of the student body, he was sentenced for 1 year, and was limited in his movements upon his release. He and his wife settled in
Tianjin Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...
until the end of
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War was fought between the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the Empire of Japan between 1937 and 1945, following a period of war localized to Manchuria that started in 1931. It is considered part ...
. In 1946, after the war, Hou started studying his Ph.D. at
Liverpool University The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University, it received Royal Charter by King Edward VII in 1903 attaining the de ...
, and he graduated in 1949, writing his thesis on the historical geography of
Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
. Hou returned to China and worked as associate professor at the history department in Yenching University. and later held several positions at
Peking University Peking University (PKU) is a Public university, public Types of universities and colleges in China#By designated academic emphasis, university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of the Peop ...
, including the deputy provost of the university, dean of the department of geology and geography, and dean of the department of geography. In 1950, Hou was appointed part of the "Beijing Urban Planning Committee” to advise on Beijing's urban planning. In addition, he advanced historical geography research in
Chengde Chengde, formerly known as Jehol and Rehe, is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, situated about northeast of Beijing. It is best known as the site of the Mountain Resort, a vast imperial garden and palace formerly used by the Qing e ...
,
Handan Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwest of Hebei province, China. The southernmost prefecture-level city of the province, it borders Xingtai on the north, and the provinces of Shanxi on the west, Henan on the south and Shando ...
,
Zibo Zibo () is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province of China, province, China. It borders the provincial capital Jinan to the west, Tai'an to the southwest, Linyi to the south, Weifang to the east, Dongying to the northeast, and Bi ...
and other historically significant cities. Hou also studied the deserts in
Ningxia Ningxia, officially the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region in Northwestern China. Formerly a province, Ningxia was incorporated into Gansu in 1954 but was later separated from Gansu in 1958 and reconstituted as an autonomous ...
,
Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of China. Its border includes two-thirds of the length of China's China–Mongolia border, border with the country of Mongolia. ...
and
Gansu Gansu is a provinces of China, province in Northwestern China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeastern part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibetan Plateau, Ti ...
, to provide advice and information concerning the planting of sheltering forests. During the
Culture Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...
(1966–1976) Hou was criticized for his work and he was transferred to the countryside, to a
May Seventh Cadre School May Seventh Cadre Schools () were a system of rural communes throughout mainland China established during the Cultural Revolution to train Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Cadre system of the Chinese Communist Party, cadres to follow the mass line, in ...
in
Jiangxi ; Gan: ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = , translit_lang1_type3 = , translit_lang1_info3 = , image_map = Jiangxi in China (+all claims hatched).svg , mapsize = 275px , map_caption = Location ...
for physical labor and reform. In 1972, Hou returned to academic studies and research, and published his first collection of academic papers in 1979. In 1980, Hou was elected a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 1984, Hou became a visiting researcher at
Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
. During his time, he learned about the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Hou, appealed to the
Lianghui The Two Sessions () is the collective term for the annual plenary sessions of the National People's Congress and of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which are typically both held every March a ...
to have China part of the convention, and he wrote a proposal to convince the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China and a central part of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s United front (China), united front system. Its members adv ...
. On December 12, 1985, China ratified the convention. In 1987, the
Forbidden City The Forbidden City () is the Chinese Empire, imperial Chinese palace, palace complex in the center of the Imperial City, Beijing, Imperial City in Beijing, China. It was the residence of 24 Ming dynasty, Ming and Qing dynasty, Qing dynasty L ...
, the
Great Wall of China The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand ''li'' long wall") is a series of fortifications in China. They were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against vario ...
, and the
Zhoukoudian Zhoukoudian Area () is a town and an area located on the east Fangshan District, Beijing, China. It borders Nanjiao and Fozizhuang Townships to its north, Xiangyang, Chengguan and Yingfeng Subdistricts to its east, Shilou and Hangcunhe Towns to ...
became the first Chinese sites to be listed on the
World Heritage List World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...
by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
. Hou is sometimes considered as "the first person to apply for the Chinese heritage". Hou died at the age of 102, in October 2013. In addition to his historical geography research, and the new approaches he developed, Hou wrote many books and works for the general public.


Selected works

* The Principles and Practice of Historical Geography. * Four Treatises on Historical Geography * A Brief History of Ancient Chinese Geography * Beijing Urban Historical Geography * *


Honors and awards

* In 1984, Hou received Honorary Doctorate in Science, from
Beijing University Peking University (PKU) is a public university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of China. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Construction. It i ...
. * Hou received the George Davidson Medal in 1999, as well as the HLHL Science and Technology Achievement Award in the same year. * Hou was elected as an honorary member of the Chinese Society for Popular Science. * In 2006, Hou received the
Cai Yuanpei Cai Yuanpei (; 1868–1940) was a Chinese philosopher and politician who was an influential figure in the history of Chinese modern education. He made contributions to education reform with his own education ideology. He was the president of Peki ...
Award. * Asteroid 309295 Hourenzhi, discovered by astronomers of the PMO NEO Survey Program in 2007, was named in his memory. The official was published by the
Minor Planet Center The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Funct ...
on 8 November 2019 ().


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hou, Renzhi Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese historical geographers 1911 births 2013 deaths People from Hengshui Scientists from Hebei Yenching University alumni Alumni of the University of Liverpool Academic staff of Yenching University Academic staff of Peking University Victims of the Cultural Revolution Chinese men centenarians