CURRICULUM VITAE OF HOU RENZHI

Abstract

Hou Renzhi, historical geographer, was born in Zaoqiang, Hebei Province, in December  1911. In  1932, Hou entered the History Department of Yenching University, where he received both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree. In 1940, Hou continued at Yenching University as an Instructor in History .In December 1941, during the time of the Japanese invasion, Hou was arrested and released in June of 1942; however, he continued to be denied freedom of movement and travel. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, in the summer of 1946, Hou went to the Department of Geography at Liverpool University in England to pursue advanced studies.
In 1949, upon receiving his Doctor of Philosophy Degree, Hou returned as quickly as possible to China, his motherland. Exactly three days before the founding of the People's Republic of China, Hou arrived in Beijing. He was appointed Associate Professor, Professor of History at Yenching University. After 1952, when academic institutions and departments in China underwent reorganization, Hou held several appointments at Peking University, including Deputy Director of Academic Studies at Peking University, Professor and Chair of the Geological and Geography Department, Professor and Chair of the Geography Department and Director of the Institute of Historical Geography.
In 1980, Hou was elected Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. At Liverpool University in 1984, Hou received the degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris causa). Then, in 1999, Hou was awarded the distinguished George Davidson Medal by the American Geographical Society.
      Soon after the birth of New China, Hou Renzhi uniting with his teaching and the task of building up the nation, commenced the positive work of establishing the field of historical geography with Chinese characteristics in both theory and practice. First, he participated in the work of the Beijing City Planning Committee. Then, he advanced research in Chengde, Handan, Zibo and other historically significant cities. Responding enthusiastically to the nation's call, Hou dedicated himself to the investigation of deserts in Ningxia, Inner Mongolia  and Gansu, and thereby provided valuable information for the planting of sheltering forests in the future.
Hou's main research achievements may be found in his book entitled Historical Geography: Theory and Practice. After the publication of this book, there followed a series of monographs and articles which were published for the first time in succession. Another book, Four Treatises on Historical Geography, discusses major theoretical issues. Hou is also the author of many works on popular science for the general public and was elected honorary member of the Chinese Society for Popular Science.