Study On The British Naturalist Sowerby’s Natural History Practice During The First Half Of The 20th Century

Compared with the 18 th and 19 th centuries,the practice of Western naturalists in China has further developed in terms of objectives,methods and depth since the 20 th century.The practice of British naturalist Arthur de Carle Sowerby in China is carried out under this changing environment.Sowerby was born in a missionary family in Taiyuan,Shanxi Province in 1885.After studying in Britain and returning to China in 1905,he left China in 1946.He devoted to the investigation of natural history,the popularization and dissemination of natural history knowledge and the construction of museums in China for a long time.He is a famous naturalist in China during the first half of 20 th century.Therefore,the study of Sowerby’s practice of natural history in China can provide an important window for us to observe the Western practice of natural history in China in the first half of the 20 th century and the development history of modern Chinese natural history.Based on Sowerby’s writings,letters,newspapers and other relevant literature,this paper puts Sowerby’s practice of natural history in China under the historical background of the development of Western natural history in the first half of the 20 th century,focusing on Sowerby’s investigation in natural history,the popularization and dissemination of natural knowledge,museum construction,and ecological environment protection,to comprehensively investigate Sowerby’s practice of natural history in China and its influence and significance.On this basis,the paper reveals the characteristics and development of the practice of Western natural history in China in the first half of the 20 th century,and discusses the interrelationship between modern natural history,science and humanities.The first chapter of the paper analyses the development of natural history at the beginning of the 20 th century and Sowerby’s lifetime,and reveals the era background and personal reasons for he is engaged in natural history research.The second chapter studies Sowerby’s main investigation activities of natural history in China,analyzes his route,specimen collection,research results and significance,and on this basis reveals the new characteristics of Western natural history investigation in China in the first half of the 20 th century.The third chapter analyzes the transformation of Sowerby’s practice of natural history in China from the perspective of cultural dissemination of natural history,and the process of founding The China Journal of Science and Arts and The China Society of Science and Arts.Using the newly found literature,this chapter makes a detailed analysis of the origin,purpose,key personnel and operation of the magazine and the society,and reveals the characteristics and significance of Sowerby in the dissemination and popularization of knowledge of natural history through the case of the debate on "Science Knows no Country",to reveal the characteristics and significance of Sowerby in the dissemination and popularization of knowledge of natural history.The fourth chapter analyzes the museum construction,and study the process of Sowerby’s involvement in the reconstruction of Shanghai Museum,and the introduction of Western museum operation concepts and exhibition methods into the Shanghai Museum,leading the Shanghai Museum to enter a prosperous stage.The fifth chapter analyzes the formation,source and content of Sowerby’s ecological environment protection thought of natural history,and study his specific practice of actively calling for the protection of China’s ecological environment and promoting the promulgation and revision of the "Hunting Law" of the Republic of China.Through the five parts above,this paper comprehensively researches the content,process,characteristics and influence of Sowerby’s practice of natural history in China from the perspective of natural history.It can be found that,as one of the Western naturalists who have been engaged in the practice of natural history in China for the longest time in the first half of the 20 th century,Sowerby’s practice of natural history reflects a new picture of the practice of natural history in China by Westerners after entering the 20 th century.Compared with the scholar and explorers who came to China in the 18 th and 19 th centuries,they went deeper into the mainland of China and understood China better.Therefore,while trying to serve the Western natural history,their practice of natural history in China also pays more attention to the exchange and integration of Chinese and Western natural history culture.In order to comply with the trend of the development of Western natural history to the public,the practice of natural history in China such as Sowerby in the first half of the 20 th century has highlighted the characteristics of the popularization of natural history culture and public service.Their practice of natural history has also played an important role in the development of Chinese natural history,the popularization of science and culture,national ecological construction and environmental protection.In short,the natural historical practice of China of westerners in the first half of the20 th century not only conforms to the development trend of Western natural history,but also produces many new features in the process of China’s modernization and the development of science and culture.Despite the decline of global natural history after the middle of the 20 th century,the relationship between natural history and modern science,the exchange and collision of different cultures in the field of natural history and the dialogue between man and nature in the first half of the 20 th century still provide many valuable historical enlightenment for the present.