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The Chinese Mathematical Society
Founded in 1935
Although we have given the date 1935 for the founding of the Chinese Mathematical Society, there would be a case for giving 1929. The reason is that the Chinese Society for Mathematical Sciences was founded in 1929 and carried out the same functions as the Chinese Mathematical Society until 1936. The foundation of the Chinese Mathematical Society in July 1935 led to the closure of the Chinese Society for Mathematical Sciences in the following year.
The first President of the Society was Hu T-F who appointed on the foundation of the Society in 1935. He held the presidency until 1948, seeing the Society through a very difficult period. At first the Society prospered and in 1936 it began publication of two journals, one a research publication, the other a low level popular one. However political events led to great difficulties. In July 1937 a Japanese invasion led to Chinese defeats and by the end of the year Japan had taken both Shanghai and Nanking. By 1938 the country was divided between the part controlled by Japan and the remaining Free China which refused to submit. The Chinese Mathematical Society was no longer able to operate and although in some sense it continued to exist, from 1938 to 1945 it could not function.
Japan surrendered in 1945 but China's problems did not end for the country suffered a civil war for four years between Nationalists and Communists. Attempts were made to refound the Chinese Mathematical Society and in 1948 it began again to function in support of mathematics throughout China. Hu T-F, the first President ended his term of office in 1948. The Communist victory led to the creation of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949. The Chinese Mathematical Society rapidly expanded under the next President Hua Loo-Keng who was appointed in 1951 and served until 1983. It is now:-
The first President of the Society was Hu T-F who appointed on the foundation of the Society in 1935. He held the presidency until 1948, seeing the Society through a very difficult period. At first the Society prospered and in 1936 it began publication of two journals, one a research publication, the other a low level popular one. However political events led to great difficulties. In July 1937 a Japanese invasion led to Chinese defeats and by the end of the year Japan had taken both Shanghai and Nanking. By 1938 the country was divided between the part controlled by Japan and the remaining Free China which refused to submit. The Chinese Mathematical Society was no longer able to operate and although in some sense it continued to exist, from 1938 to 1945 it could not function.
Japan surrendered in 1945 but China's problems did not end for the country suffered a civil war for four years between Nationalists and Communists. Attempts were made to refound the Chinese Mathematical Society and in 1948 it began again to function in support of mathematics throughout China. Hu T-F, the first President ended his term of office in 1948. The Communist victory led to the creation of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949. The Chinese Mathematical Society rapidly expanded under the next President Hua Loo-Keng who was appointed in 1951 and served until 1983. It is now:-
... a professional society comprising thousands of members and publishes about ten mathematical journals and several book series.
Visit the society website.
References (show)
- H Fan and D Li, History of the Chinese Mathematical Society (Chinese), China Historical Materials of Science and Technology 3 (1981), 72-78.
- Y Y Zhang, The beginning and the end of the New China Mathematical Society (Chinese), Math. Practice Theory 27 (3) (1997), 281-288.
Last Updated August 2004