Abstract:
Since the 1930s, Chinese historical geography went through a transformation from the traditional evolutionary geography to modern historical geography. Shi Nianhai, the historical geographer, experienced and advanced the course of transformation with his research practice. In the 1930s, evolutionary geography carried on the worship for the style of the School of QianJia among the current scholars. In the 1940s, with gradual accumulation of “puzzles” and “desire to break through”, some scholars hoped to explore a new approach with some specific studies, of which some explorations failed but others did realize a partial breakthrough of the past tradition. Finally, in the 1950s, a systematic transformation was gradually actualized theoretically and practically. Those inaccurate and wrong views in relevant past studies should be re-examined under Mr. Shi Nianhai's ideas and practice.
