Initial development of marine meteorology in China: Insights from two pioneers Prof. Pingjan Tsiang and Prof. Binhua Wang

Abstract

Meteorology is a science which has long time history and significant impacts on the lives of people globally, attracting worldwide attention. Qingdao Observatory, known as one of “three major observatories in the far east” built by Germany in 1898, had remarkable influences on the evolution of marine meteorology in China. Chinese Meteorological Society (CMS) was established on 10 October 1924 in Qingdao Observatory, which is widely regarded as the birthplace of modern meteorology in China. During the childhood of modern meteorology in China, quite some pioneers had made significant contributions. Based on widely-published Chinese and English books and papers, this article tells unusual stories behind two pioneers, Dr. Pingjan Tsiang (蒋丙然) and his student Binhua Wang (王彬华), who both served as the directors of Qingdao Observatory successively, and played vital roles in promoting the development of marine meteorology in China. However, due to the complex reasons like the influence of wars and the limitation of papers being published in non-English journals, their names and academic contributions were rarely recognized by the international academic community, beyond their home country – China. This paper may provide multiple-angle insights for understanding of the history of marine meteorology in China.