AASP Primary Records Program

PALYNOS 16(1): p. 4, 1993.

PROFESSOR XU REN (HSU JEN)

Professor Xu Ren, a well-known palaeobotanist and palynologist, the founder of palynology in China, and a member of the Scientific Division, Academia Sinica, passed away in Beijing, China on Nov. 18, 1992 at the age of 82, As one of the worlds senior palynologists with a long record of service, Professor Xu Ren began his palynological research during the late 1930 S. He attended the 1950 International Conference of Palaeobotany held in Stockholm, Sweden. Subsequently, he studied palaeobotany, incIudi~g fossil spores and pollen, at a number of west European research institutions and at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in India.

In 1952 Prof Xu Ren returned to China, to work as a researcher in the Institute of Palaeontology, Academia Sinica. The following year (1953), the first Palynological Research Section of China was established under his guidance, and fundamental research on recent spore and pollen morphology was begun. Shortly after his transfer to the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Ministry of Geology in 1954, he offered a class in coal palynology, and began training the first group of Chinese palynologists. For more than ten years, he successfully trained large numbers of palynologic and palaeobotanic researchers at the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences.

Subsequently, he joined the Beijing Institute of Botany, Academia Sinica, and, taking charge of the Palaeobotanical Research Section, Professor Xu Ren continued training large numbers of palynologists. The result of his many years painstaking labour is that all of the organizations in which he worked have become important palynologic research centers in China.

Professor Xu Ren possessed a noble character and was accorded high regard and reverence, especially among the Chinese palaeontological circles. Professor Xu Ren has published a number of treatises and books in palaeobotany and palynology. He was a member of the council of the Chinese Palaeontological Society (including all previous sessions); a leading member of the council of Chinese Palynological Society (lst--2nd sessions); an honorary, leading member of the council of the Chinese Palynological Society (3rd session) and a member of the council of the International Federation of Palynological Societies (5th--6th sessions).

Dr. Zhichen Song
Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology
Academia Sinica
Nanjing, People's Republic of China