Xiong Qinglai introduced modern mathematics to China by authoring over ten textbooks covering geometry, calculus, differential equations, and mechanics. His academic career spanned institutions from Nanjing University to Tsinghua University, establishing foundations for the discipline in the People’s Republic of China while producing significant research on meromorphic functions and their derivatives throughout the twentieth century.
Early Education and European Studies
Born in 1893 in Mile City, Xiong pursued higher education across several continents. After initial studies at the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Higher Learning, he travelled to Belgium in 1913. Following subsequent moves to France, he attended the Lycée St Louis and later the universities of Grenoble, Montpellier, and Marseille. He earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Montpellier in 1920, specializing in mathematics, analytical mechanics, physics, and astronomy.
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Upon returning to China in 1921, Xiong taught at the Kunming Yunnan Industrial School and the Yunnan Road School. By September of that year, he joined the National Southeastern University in Nanjing to establish its Department of Mathematics. His later tenure at Tsinghua University, where he served as department head and Dean of Science, included the mentorship of Hua Luogeng. From 1937 to 1947, he served as the president of Yunnan University, expanding the institution to encompass five schools and 18 departments.
Mathematical Research and Recognition
In 1932, Xiong attended the International Congress of Mathematicians in Zurich. He conducted advanced research in Paris, publishing works including 'Sur les fonctions méromorphes dans le cercle-unite' and 'Sur les fonctions méromorphes d'ordre infini'. In 1934, he defended his doctoral theses at the Faculty of Science in Paris before returning to Beijing. Later, in 1957, he joined the Institute of Mathematics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he continued his output of scholarly papers.
Political Context and Final Years
Xiong held a position as a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of China during his career. In 1956, he accepted an invitation from Premier Zhou Enlai to return to the People’s Republic of China. During the Cultural Revolution, he was designated a 'reactionary academic authority' and died in Beijing in 1969. He was officially rehabilitated in 1978. In 1992, the China Post issued a commemorative stamp featuring his likeness.
Fast facts
- Born: 1893, Mile City
- Died: 1969, Beijing
- Educated at: Tsinghua University
- Notable role: President of Yunnan University
- Citizenship: People's Republic of China
- Commemoration: 1992 China Post stamp
- Primary field: Mathematics
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Xiong Qinglai teach?
He taught advanced courses in calculus, differential equations, and analytical functions at Tsinghua University.
Where did Xiong Qinglai study in Europe?
He attended the University of Grenoble, the University of Montpellier, the University of Marseille, and the Faculty of Science in Paris.
Achievements
- Held posts at Tsinghua University and Nanjing University
