Wan Guoding (1897-1963)
Wan Guoding is known to the later generations as one of the founders of Chinese agricultural history research. He was born on December 26th, 1897 in Wujin County, Jiangsu Province. He studied in the University of Nanking from 1916 to 1920 where he actively participated in many student organization activities and served as the president of the Agricultural and Forestry Society of University of Nanking. In 1920 he stayed at the university to pursue teaching after graduation where he began his work on the compilation and collation of agricultural history materials. From November 1932, he worked as the director of the agricultural history research group in the University of Nanking, officially embarking on the sorting out ancient agricultural data and agricultural history research and educational work. With Professor Jin Shanbao help, he was transferred back to Nanjing Agricultural College from Henan Agricultural College in 1954. He continued to be responsible for the collection, research and arrangement of Chinese agricultural history materials, finally establishing the Chinese Agricultural Heritage Research Office the following year.
In his research, he focused on both comprehensive and thematic studies. In addition to publishing a series of books such as The History of Chinese Farmland Systems, An Introduction to Ancient Agricultural Books, and A Summary of Agriculture and Mulberry, he was most proud of proof-reading the book Qimin Yaoshu (Arts for the People).
The bronze statue of Mr Wan Guoding is erected in the Central Hall of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Development on the 6th floor of the Yifu Building. As the main founder of the discipline of Chinese agricultural history and a pioneer of modern index research, he devoted his life to the compilation and collation of agricultural history materials, as well as the exploration and study of agricultural antiquities and agricultural history; leaving abundant agricultural history materials for posterity and exerting a profound influence on the history of agriculture, science and technology at home and abroad.