Xi Zezong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, dies at 81

Academician Xi Zezong, a well-known historian of science, astronomer, and former director of the Institute for the History of Natural Science (IHNS), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), died in Beijing on 27 December 2008. He was 81.

Xi Zezong's "Gu xinxing xin biao" (A New Catalogue of Ancient Novae), Acta Astronomica Sinica, 3 (1955), 183-196, and Xi Zezong & Bo Shuren’s "Zhong chao ri san guo gudai de xinxing jilu ji qi zai shedian tianwenxue zhong de yiyi" (Ancient Novae and Supernovae Recorded in Chinese, Korean and Japanese Annals and their Significance in Radioastronomy), Acta Astronomica Sinica, 13 (1965), 1-21, provide important historical evidence for the evolution of stars and the explosion of novae and supernovae.

Academician Xi was a pioneer and leader of the history of science in China, and was also a founder of the IHNS.

Academician Xi was born in Yuanqu county, Shanxi province on 9 June 1927. In 1951, he graduated from the Department of Astronomy of the Sun Yat-sen University, and in 1957, he joined in the Founding of the Research Office on the History of Natural Science (the predecessor of the IHNS) of the CAS. From 1982 to 1988, he was the Director of the IHNS . After selected as academician of the CAS, He became member of the International Academy of History of Science and member of the Academy for Europe and Asia in 1993 and 1995 respectively. From 1996 to 2004, he was the president of the Chinese Society for the History of Science and Technology.

The last respects to the remains of Academician Xi will be paid at Babaoshan Funeral Parlour in Beijing at eleven o'clock on 31 December 2008.

Funeral Committee of Academician Xi Zezong
28 December 2008

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