Introduction to the Institute of Historical Geography

The Institute of Historical Geography currently employs 3 professors and 1 associate professor, including 2 lecturers of national outstanding courses.

Being a branch of geography, historical geography studies various geographical phenomena and their changing processes over historical periods. The establishment of China`s modern historical geography began after the new China was founded, and Peking University is an important birthplace of modern historical geography.

In 1950, Hou Renzhi published the important paper On Chinese Political Regions and Boundaries Course, exploring the establishment and development of modern historical geography theoretically. In 1952, along with the reorganization of colleges and universities nationwide, the Department of Geology and Geography at Peking University was established, where Professor Hou Renzhi served as head of the department, engaging in teaching and research activities related to historical geography. Professor Hou Renzhi had fostered a large number of talents for the country by recruiting the first postgraduate majoring in historical geography in 1957 and the first doctoral candidate majoring in historical geography in 1984 in the Department of Geology and Geography at Peking University.

In 1978, the Research Group of Historical Geography was set up within the Economic Geography Teaching and Research Section in the Department of Geography, following which the Research Group of Historical Geography formerly affiliated to the Economic Geography Teaching and Research Section became independent as Historical Geography Teaching and Research Section in 1981 and was renamed as Historical Geography Research Section in 1984. During the period, the major of historical geography and the major of economic geography were integrated into the first national key discipline of human geography with the approval of the Ministry of Education (formerly the State Education Commission of the PRC). In 1992, the Research Center for Historical Geography at Peking University was founded on the basis of Historical Geography Research Section. In 2003, the department-level Institute of Historical Geography was set up along with the establishment of the College of Urban and Environmental Sciences.

The main research field of the Institute of Historical Geography at Peking University include urban historical geography, historical environmental changes, demographic historical geography, agricultural historical geography, history of geographical thought, among which urban historical geography and historical environmental changes, with deep accumulation, represent the most important research directions and have a broad influence. The historical geography researchers of Peking University represented by Professor Hou Renzhi, have made due contributions to China`s economic and social development with their long-term adherence to the combination of theoretical research and production practice.

Contact the director of the department:

Dr. Deng,Hui     Email: Denghui@urban.pku.edu.cn