Biography of Zhu Kezhen cover

Biography of Zhu Kezhen

Rating 4.1
Word count
351K words
Chapters
215

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Summary

This book gives a detailed account of the extraordinary life of Zhu Kezhen, founder of meteorology in China and former president of Zhejiang University. From his childhood enlightenment in Dongguan Town, Shaoxing, through his formative years of study in Shanghai and Tangshan, to eight years of deep study of meteorology in the United States, and then, after returning home, his founding of China's modern meteorological enterprise and his leadership of Zhejiang University in practice of the "seek truth" spirit, the book reconstructs with rich detail his course of saving the nation through science and strengthening it through education. It traces the pioneering path of modern Chinese meteorology and education, and presents his rigorous scholarship, patriotic dedication, and unyielding perseverance as a great master, combining historical value with inspirational power.

Editor's review

This biography places Zhu Kezhen within the context of his times, tracing his complete journey from a childhood in the water towns, to study away from home, to advanced study of meteorology in the United States, and then, after returning to China, to founding the country's modern meteorological enterprise, leading Zhejiang University, and practicing the "seek truth" spirit. Its value lies not only in recording personal achievements but also in using one man's life to trace the pioneering path of modern Chinese meteorology and education, showing readers how saving the nation through science and strengthening it through education became concrete choices and commitments. Rich in detail and balanced between solid historical research and readable narrative, the book suits quiet, unhurried reading and also serves as an accessible introduction to the history of modern Chinese science and education. For readers reflecting on scholarly attitude, career choices, or educational ideals, the rigor, patriotism, and perseverance it presents have lasting inspirational power.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers interested in the history of modern Chinese science and meteorology who want to understand the origins of the discipline
  • Those concerned with university education and the "seek truth" spirit who wish to understand Zhejiang University's historical roots
  • Teachers and students who need a biography as writing material or for general reading
  • Young readers seeking spiritual reference points in scholarship and career choices

Not a good fit for

  • Casual readers who prefer light stories and have limited patience for documentary biography
  • Fiction lovers expecting invented plots and strong dramatic conflict
  • Readers who only want quick access to specialized meteorological knowledge and do not care about a person's life

Reading tips

  1. Read the table of contents first to grasp the stages of his life, then read through chronologically to avoid breaking the thread.
  2. Slow down when reading about his return to found the meteorological enterprise and his leadership of Zhejiang University, and note how his educational ideas took shape.
  3. Keep a pen handy to mark the historical background and institutional changes mentioned in the book; reviewing them after finishing will deepen understanding.
  4. If time is limited, read the sections on his studies and university leadership first, then fill in the chapters on childhood and his years in the United States.

About the publisher

Chongqing Publishing House China · Founded in 1950

Chongqing Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its titles in the humanities, social sciences, literature and arts, with about 940 books in its catalogue. Its publishing areas cover world history, science fiction, foreign literature, architecture and philosophy. Representative titles include Xiang Da's A History of Communications Between China and the West, Liang Sicheng's Rules of Qing-Style Construction, Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem II: The Dark Forest and III: Death's End, Ann Rand's The Fountainhead (25th Anniversary Edition), and Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. Its authors include Xiang Da, Liu Cixin, Liang Sicheng and Ann Rand. The press has developed distinctive strengths in historical source editing, the introduction and creation of science fiction, the translation of foreign literature, and architecture and philosophy titles, balancing scholarly value with general readership. As public information is limited, this profile outlines its publishing directions based only on the books in the catalogue.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 《竺可桢传》2022年再版序
  3. 第一章 故乡童年
  4. 沉睡文明觉醒的时代
  5. 竺可桢世系之根
  6. 嘉祥公的事业和竺可桢的母亲
  7. 上学前和启蒙时的阿熊
  8. 毓菁学堂旧事
  9. 告别童年去绍兴
  10. 第二章 上海求学
  11. 到更广阔的世界去
  12. 澄衷中学忍讥励志
  13. 被迫转入复旦公学
  14. 失去母亲的悲痛
  15. 第三章 远游之前
  16. 唐山路矿学堂的精英
  17. 沉着应付游美考试
  18. 发榜之后归故乡
  19. 登上“中国号”出洋
  20. 第四章 八年游美
  21. 穿过太平洋
  22. 横越北美大陆
  23. 初入伊利诺伊大学
  24. 考察南方知“黑带”
  25. 国内革命齐声援
  26. 再赴路州明主攻
  27. 波士顿剑桥哈佛大学
  28. 爱上了年轻的气象科学
  29. 剑桥医院割阑尾
  30. 关于中国雨量的研究
  31. 中国科学社的活动
  32. 远东台风新研究
  33. 归国之前
  34. 第五章 武昌执教
  35. 在上海与张侠魂订婚
  36. 又见到了故乡亲人
  37. 中南第一高等学府
  38. “五四”的大潮
  39. 西子湖畔的发现
  40. 新婚姻新家庭
  41. 再见,白云黄鹤之乡
  42. 第六章 梅庵春暖
  43. 南高东大桃李芬芳
  44. 希文出世梅庵春新
  45. 呕心沥血又一春
  46. 邵元冲来访
  47. 气象学会争国权
  48. 此地不可以一日居
  49. 第七章 编译生涯
  50. 商务印书馆任职
  51. 为祈雨禁屠怒斥军阀官僚
  52. 筚路蓝缕研究东亚天气型
  53. 北上之前勤研读
  54. 第八章 津门授业
  55. 离别亲人赴天津
  56. 南开大学教地理
  57. 北伐声中心向南方
  58. 赴东京参加科学会议
  59. 在南开大学的后一学期
  60. 第九章 奠基金陵
  61. 重振东大地学系
  62. 杨铨闲话闻人轶事
  63. 北极阁上遂心愿
  64. 告别教书生涯创新业
  65. 十二个半人打开局面
  66. 为中国气候区划埋下基石
  67. 钦天山礼赞
  68. 第十章 国之大耻
  69. 巴达维亚感触深
  70. 安能袖手任人越俎代庖
  71. 气象学会奠新基
  72. 为收回气象主权尽心竭力
  73. 全国气象会议上的斗争
  74. 蔡元培杨杏佛低语叙心曲
  75. 这个日本人是干什么的
  76. 古老月令谱新篇
  77. 金陵苦雨觅根源
  78. 三省沦陷悟大耻
  79. 第十一章 国际极年
  80. 国际科技大协作
  81. 年关临近又生变
  82. 风筝探空与高山测候
  83. 统一全国测候技术
  84. 泰山峨眉传喜讯
  85. 中央大学话探空
  86. 第十二章 世事坎坷
  87. 乐叙天伦到初三
  88. 逃官避入普陀山
  89. 重游北美忆当年
  90. 纪念史君设奖金
  91. 寒冬时节登泰山
  92. 第十三章 基础奠定
  93. 胡适细读舶舻风
  94. 缅怀先贤叹徐公
  95. 选拔俊才育新人
  96. 侠魂监工造新居
  97. 气象学术开新篇
  98. 奠基再登日观峰
  99. 气候科学定体系
  100. 第十四章 初长浙大
  101. 为浙大不明哲保身
  102. 接任之前事纷繁
  103. 就职演说述宗旨
  104. 接任之后难题多
  105. 求贤三请美髯公
  106. 胜任愉快百废兴
  107. 西安事变失连襟
  108. 第十五章 颠沛四迁
  109. 欲离浙大势不能
  110. 庐山谈话会明大势
  111. 风雨扰攘别金陵
  112. 天目丛林好读书
  113. 救亡图存迁建德
  114. 历尽艰辛走吉安
  115. 四处奔波谋恢复
  116. 壮年丧妻又西迁
  117. 西风萧瑟湘江渡
  118. 绕道河内去滇渝
  119. 瘴乡千里历崔嵬
  120. 春光明媚游北泉
  121. 峨眉山上定情缘
  122. 历尽忧患又搬迁
  123. 第十六章 力谋恢复
  124. 天命之年续姻缘
  125. 聘用费巩长训导
  126. 耳闻目睹增感慨
  127. 永兴党部闹纠纷
  128. 筹划中央气象局
  129. 呼唤良知识“魔力”
  130. 第十七章 桃李情深
  131. 倒孔游行涌风潮
  132. 湄潭党部造冤案
  133. 救出潘、滕回遵义
  134. 贫病摩擦又一年
  135. 政苛更显桃李情
  136. 第十八章 东方剑桥
  137. 贫病梦晴望出游
  138. “星考古昔五千年”
  139. 东方剑桥事蹉跎
  140. 浙大存亡临绝境
  141. 严冬过后闻国是
  142. 费巩失踪千古谜
  143. 胜利怀念费香曾
  144. 第十九章 胜利复员
  145. 世事纷纭觅费巩
  146. 重九又登北极阁
  147. 贵阳执拂送迪生
  148. 马首欲东牵挂多
  149. 东南风雨西南雷
  150. 复员重聚喜出国
  151. 第二十章 环球旅行
  152. 印度略停飞马赛
  153. 巴黎半月感三多
  154. 游历西欧不虚行
  155. 圣诞访友摩斯村
  156. 英伦半月学术游
  157. 漂洋过海到纽约
  158. 故地重游探学术
  159. 横越北美启归程
  160. 太平洋中论世情
  161. 第二十一章 于子三案
  162. 返校之后事纷繁
  163. 千古奇冤于子三
  164. “险夷原不滞胸中”
  165. 新年又添新暴行
  166. 乡梓桃李总关情
  167. 第二十二章 鸡鸣不已
  168. 稍安定事端又生
  169. 翁文灏雨天谈心
  170. 陈公洽合作意允
  171. 蒋总统密令捕人
  172. 胡适之侈谈自由
  173. 竺可桢六条“罪状”
  174. 风雷寒冬存浙大
  175. 陈仪去职知危险
  176. 名字上了黑名单
  177. 第二十三章 鸿鹄将至
  178. 十三年后离浙大
  179. 蒋经国有辱父命
  180. 炮声隆隆仍读书
  181. 上海天明庆解放
  182. 第二十四章 北上受命
  183. 忧患余生丧梅儿
  184. 为定大计上北京
  185. 议罢科学议教育
  186. 东北观光狙风雨
  187. 政治协商庆开国
  188. 第二十五章 精心擘划
  189. 科学院初开眉目
  190. 郭沫若急电召回
  191. 悉心整顿情况明
  192. 中国科学新方向
  193. 东北调查收获多
  194. 第二十六章 万里躬行
  195. 考察国情和世界
  196. 治黄寻本去陕甘
  197. 保持水土赴吕梁
  198. 佛罗伦萨谈星宿
  199. 琼岛龙江万里行
  200. 进军地球细谋划
  201. 新疆是个好地方
  202. 进军太空与沙漠
  203. 古稀之年丧希文
  204. 南水北调走西川
  205. 考察生态去滇南
  206. 八字宪法加光气
  207. 刻不容缓搞卫星
  208. 第二十七章 毁文烈焰
  209. 风云起时受保护
  210. 出证求是保护人
  211. 怀念故人慰树帜
  212. 第二十八章 鞠躬尽瘁
  213. 赵元任夫妇来访
  214. 周恩来勉励著书
  215. 万物生机原动力

FAQ

Can I understand this book without a background in meteorology?
Yes. The book follows the life story as its main thread, and meteorological content mostly appears as professional background without heavy use of technical terms. General readers can follow the timeline to understand Zhu Kezhen's choices and contributions; specialized details will not pose a barrier.
Is this book better read as historical material or as a story?
Both. It reconstructs his life with detailed material and has historical value; at the same time, its narrative is coherent and the portrait of the man is clear, so it can also be read as a biography. Readers can go chapter by chapter or select periods of interest.
Can reading this book help me understand the history of modern Chinese education?
It offers a specific entry point. The book describes Zhu Kezhen's leadership of Zhejiang University and his practice of the "seek truth" spirit, reflecting the exploration of modern university education. It is not a specialized history of education, but it can serve as a vivid case for understanding educational practice in that period.

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About the author

谢世俊 Author

Xie Shijun is a Chinese author active in popular science and biography writing. Public information about him is limited, and his dates of birth and death, nationality, and educational background are not clearly documented. Judging from the eleven works held in the collection, his interests span three areas: popular science, biography, and history. In popular science, he has written Anecdotes from the History of Meteorology, Chatting About Sea Breezes, and volumes on cold waves and floods in the Weather in All Its Forms series, and he has also tried his hand at science fiction for young readers in Sun Wukong's Three Explorations of the Small Quark, showing an ability to turn specialized meteorological knowledge into accessible narrative. In biography, The Biography of Zhu Kezhen and The Man Who Explored the Secrets of the Heavenly Palace: The Story of Scientist Zhao Jiuxing focus on the lives and contributions of modern Chinese scientists, combining documentary research with readability. In addition, The Sage of Commerce: A Complete Biography of Fan Li shows his interest in historical figures. Overall, his works are known for their informative and narrative qualities and are suited to general readers.

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