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Hu Xiansu
Hu Xiansu (1894–1968), a botanist, co-founded the Biological Laboratory of the Science Society of China with Bing Zhi in 1922 and with Zheng Wanjun described the living dawn redwood as a new species in 1948.
On an observatory terrace at night, a large bronze armillary sphere stands on a stone base while two people stand with their backs turned facing the view; stars are joined into constellation lines overhead, and a sundial and tiered dripping water vessels stand at the right.
Also known as Buzeng (courtesy name) · Chan'an (art name)
Hu Xiansu, courtesy name Buzeng and art name Chan'an, came from Xinjian in Jiangxi. He studied agriculture at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1913–1916 and plant taxonomy at Harvard's Arnold Arboretum in 1923–1925, earning a doctorate. In 1922 he co-founded the Biological Laboratory of the Science Society of China with Bing Zhi and Yang Xingfo, in 1928 he and Bing set up the Fan Memorial Institute of Biology in Beiping, and in 1948 he and Zheng Wanjun described the living dawn redwood as a new species. He also wrote classical-style poetry and criticism and was one of the founders of the journal Xueheng.
Life and times
Dates 1894–1968