Research On Hu Xiansu’s Scientific Activities And Thoughts

Hu Xiansu, who was a scientist, humanities scholar, and an outstanding administrator as well.He had twice gone to study in United States and founded the first Chinese biological research institutions. He compiled many botanical books, in addition also translated Western books, works the poetry. For the sake of the positive attitude of impartial to promoting the Chinese culture and introduce the Western Learning, Hu Xiansu participated in written compilation and released the magazine of Xue Heng. As a patriotic intellectual, Hu Xiansu took part in many scientific activities, made outstanding contributions to scientific enterprise development in our country. As the pioneer of modern botany in China, in line with the double pursuits of scientific spirit and humanistic spirit, Hu Xiansu devoted the pursuits of himself to the persistence of the Chinese traditional culture and education career. He insisted that the new literary creation and culture must be derived from tradition, thus he opposed the view of total Westernization what Hu Shi and other scholars preached. Meanwhile, he criticized the extreme behavior that the new literature advocators treated the traditional culture. After summarizing the papers by Hu Xiansu proposed in the magazine of Xue Heng, it was found that Hu Xiansu adhered to the science and the humanities education idea, and put his ideas into education, dedicated to the spiritof humanism in order to improve people’s quality. Hu Xiansu absorbed the new humanism and its practice achievements critically, and formed his own unique modern Chinese education perspective that humanities education as the core.In the Republic of China, China’s political turmoil, science and technology is stalled, only a small part of the people who was insight and advanced intellectuals continue to explore, to pursue scientific footsteps, Hu Xiansu is one of them. This paper by the way of detailed introducing Hu Xiansu’s life and historical background, and the scientific activities he participated in. Trying to systematically study the scientific thought of the scientist; and combined with Hu Xiansu’s scientific and educational practice, highlighting the influence in history of development of science and technology in China, Chinese education history and the scientific thought history in China. At the same time, as an important aspect of Hu Xiansu academic study, Hu Xiansu’s research work reflected the experience of people who study science and culture, and pursue the democracy and freedom from the other side. The research of this dissertation on one hand could replenish the missing part of Hu’s scientific thoughts and scientific methods in history of science and technology study, so that reexamine and localize historical figure, to evaluate Hu Xiansu more objective, more comprehensive and more equitable; On the other hand, via excavating reference materials and literature, showing Hu Xiansu’s historical value and realistic significance.