Abstract:

The current Geographical Society of China (GSC) is the product of a merger of the Chinese Geographical Society established in 1909 and the former Geographical Society of China established in 1934. The establishment of the GSC and the launch of the journal Acta Geographica Sinica in 1934 are not only two major events in the history of Chinese geography, but also two spotlights in the history of Chinese education and science. This is the key point of the concept of science advocated by the New Culture Movement. The establishment of GSC clearly separated modern geography from traditional geoscientology and entered on the historical stage in the name of science. What's more, the publication of Acta Geographica Sinica enabled Chinese and foreign geographers to enjoy a high-end professional academic source in China. The emergence of the society and its journal was also a direct manifestation of wartime concepts such as "science saves the country" and "invigorating China through science."Under the organization and promotion of the GSC, the older generation of geographers worked hard and published a series of important articles in the Acta Geographica Sinica. The modern geographers who worked tirelessly finally drew the attention of the ruling class and occupied a place in the top-down design of the country. Although their understanding of the importance was mainly in the high-level and professional academic circles, it planted the seed for the later vigorous development of Chinese geographic science and laid a solid scientific foundation for awakening the ordinary people. In retrospect, the establishment of GSC and Acta Geographica Sinica was the beginning of Chinese geographic science and has become the promoter and witness of the development of Chinese geographic science. On the 110th anniversary of the founding of the GSC, we should inherit the spirit of the older generation of scientists, enrich the geographic science, provide better service for the construction of the country, and improve the scientific literacy of ordinary people.

Key words: The Geographical Society of China, Acta Geographica Sinica, modern geography, science, communication