| In the1920s and1930s, Ding Wenjiang was one of the main founders of early-stage geology in China. Just with the guidance of Ding Wenjiang, Zhang Hongzhao and Weng Wenhao, geology in China could become world-class at that time. These three people made great contribution to the introduction of basic theory of geology, geology exploration and the training of geological talents. In particular, Ding Wenjiang successively acted as the first director of the Institute of Geology and of the Institute of Geological Survey in China. And he proposed and set up the class for geology research, and then cultivated the first backbones for China geology, namely18outstanding talents. He organized and participated in the first great geological exploration in China. He once served as the general director of the Academia Sinica for the Republic of China. Overall, he was a versatile scholar and achieved greatly in various fields. Actually, his main contribution was still in geology. However, because of the post of general director he held in Songhu, as the time goes by, he remained little impression on people, and even many geologists did not know much about him. And he was only known as a negative character instead of the leading figure in geology. In the1980s, there was only a temporary boom for the research about him, however, he was almost ignored until now.After the author has systemically studied and organized his works, some problems about the current research have been found:1) the limitation of the research. Current papers or works mostly focus on his life story and scientific achievement and simply list and evaluate his contribution to certain or some branches of earth science. Some proceedings mainly discuss his influence on the dispute between science and metaphysics and others analyze the significance of his contribution to the development of minority culture. So far, few authors make a comment on his contribution to the advance of China geology;2) lack of objective evaluation. As a disputable figure in the period of the Republic of China, Ding Wenjiang was regarded as an excellent talent, and pragmatic scientific worker and patriot by some people, but a maintainer for "Good Government", the dog for feudal warlords and a firm opponent against Communism by others. Little accurate and actual summary and evaluation has been made on his vital influence on the development of China geology on the basis of current research resources;3) little discussion about his spiritual content. The content of his spirit includes various aspects, such as his brave pioneering spirit, diligent work and study, efforts on how to develop science in China, cooperation with international academic circle, and passion for serving for young geologists. So far, little study has been specially focused on his contribution to geology and relevant fields. Therefore, this paper will analyze his outstanding contribution to the early-stage geology in China and evaluate objectively and justly his contribution to China geology and other relevant fields.This paper has mainly studied his contribution to China geology and other relevant fields. Through the following research and survey, enormous original resources have been obtained:1) having surveyed relevant research institutions and scholars and visited his immediate relatives in his hometown (Huang Qiao Zhen, Taixing City, Jiangsu Province); collecting his relevant resources in the period of the Republic of China in Nanjing Geology Museum;3) adding the relevant materials about his contribution to setting up the first Institute of Geology and the Institute of Geological Survey in China in National Geology Library in Beijing. On the basis of the above survey, the abundant first-hand resources have been obtained. On the ground of full research on the previous study, the objective and just evaluation on his contribution to China geology and other relevant fields will be made.The main content of this paper contains:1) summarizing his contribution to stratigraphy, areal geology, geological map and its measurement, mineral deposit geology, mining industry, minerals, orogeny and engineering geology through the study of his good traditional education in China in his childhood and formal and firm geology education in England;2) his abundant knowledge in geology, such as republication of travel Notes of Xu Xiake, edition of the map for Shun Pao; compiling the chronological life of Laing Qichao and Cong Wen block-printing series of books, republication of Heavenly Creations;3) summarizing his contribution when he acted as the general director of the Academia Sinica and debate between "Science" and "Outlook on Life";4) evaluating his above contribution and the fact about his post of general director he held in Songhu.On the basis of the above content, through research and analysis, his contribution to China geology has been mainly demonstrated in his spirit, namely,"Ding Wenjiang Spirit":1.The pioneering spiritIt mainly shows:1) setting up the first geology instruction institute in China——Institute of Geology(1913.6-1916.7), and creating China geology education and cultivating the first talents in China geology. His concept on the design of organization of the institute, arrangement of curriculum and employment of supervisors home and abroad has become the basis of China geology education;2) setting up the first geology survey institute——the Institute of Geological Survey. Through the survey on mineral resources in China(especially on coal mine and iron ore), the number of Iron-ore reserves newly found reached100million ton and predicted the national reserve of coal mine was about25billion ton.2. Professional dedication and patriotismDing Wenjiang was extremely strict with his work, and especially paid attention to field geology survey. He often led his team to make field surveys and climbed to the peak. After he graduated from University of Glasgow, hoping to help our country with science, he returned from England to China with any hesitation and devoted himself to the cause of geology survey and education. He had created the seven "China First":the first director of the Institute of Geology, the first director of the Institute of Geological Survey, the author of the first formal geology survey report, the first geologist to make geology survey in border ares alone; the first geologist to measure coal fields and make a drilling plan. In the process of his teaching, he highlighted training students’ patriotism. He believed that the obligation of geologists was helping the country, so he encouraged students should have an interest in restoring national reputation instead of "regarding physical desire as the only life purpose". As the general director in Songhu, he regained the Court of Arbitration in shanghai and judicial sovereignty from foreigners, which had fully shown his patriotism.3. The spirit of training talents and sacrifice1) actively hiring "returnees"and "foreign professors" to teach in the Institute of Geology. One of the representatives was Weng Wenhao (the first Doctor in geology in China). Several foreign professors were successively hired, namely, Swedish Geologist Andersson (an consultant for the Mining department of the Republic of China in1912), German geologist Solgar(firstly teaching in Imperial University of Peking) and Tinglan (the assistant of Andersson);2) paying special attention to the talent training. Ding Wenjiang and Weng Wenhao set a good example for the young and imparted their own knowledge unselfishly;3) accumulating the experience of geology instruction and enlightening the direction for geology education.4. The spirit of cooperation with international academic circleIt mainly shows:1) actively hiring the world famous experts and professors to China to teach and research;2) actively taking part in the international conferences and having a direct discussion with western scholars;3) actively publishing papers home and abroad and introducing the latest advance of China geology to foreign counterparts;4) actively recommending Chinese overseas students to foreign countries and cultivating the potential with international outlook;5) having a courage to question the western authorities and proposing different opinions.In addition, his experience of holding the general director in Songhu has been in particular revalued in order to clarify the relevant facts. From his post background, his contribution to planning how to construct Shanghai and regaining the Court of Arbitration in shanghai has been analyzed. Though he had worked as this general director for8months for Sun Chuanfang, he could not be considered to work with warlords or his contribution could not be ignored. He could not simply judged as a"bad person" or "a dog for feudal warlords". However, he should be seen as a person with strong patriotism and a good and able person in warlord government at that time, belonging to the "backbone" praised by Lu Xun.His favorite sentence "be ready to die tomorrow, but work as if you live forever!" which also demonstrates his uncommon life. He died on the way to survey coal resources along the Canton-Hankow Railway for his beloved the cause of geology survey. His spirit of study for the rise of China is worthy to learn. Due to the limitation of his class standpoint, it was inevitable for him to have some wrong ideas in the politics, but it is still proper to respect him as a great pioneer in China geology. |
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