Planning Historiography of Science: Chinese Historians of Science and the "Twelve Years' Plan" (1956-1967)

Abstract

In 1956, the Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai 周恩來 (1898-1976) launched the Twelve Years' Plan for the Development of the Natural Sciences. By contrast with other plans, this one was formulated by scientists themselves.

Some of them were also important historians of science. This is the case of Zhu Kezhen 竺可楨 (1890-1974), who additionally was the Vice-President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

On the other hand, Chinese scholars who were historians of science, but not scientists in the first place, also formulated their own Twelve Years' Plan for research and publication activities in the field of the history of science. The establishment of the Cabinet for Research in the History of Natural Sciences in the beginning of 1957 was one of the actions envisaged in the plan.

Prague, Czech Republic, 22-24 September, 2016 201 The planning process has been recorded in Zhu Kezhen's diaries, in the autobiography that the historian of astronomy in China Xi Zezong 席澤宗 (1927-2008) composed orally, and also in other documents. My paper intends to explain how historians of science participated in the planning process, how they interacted with the other members of the commission, and also how they used this unique opportunity to create a space for their own discipline.