The Compilation of the History of Geography in the Republic of China and the Diffusion of Western Concepts of Geography in the Republic of China

During the Republican period, Chinese geographers gradually recognized the history of geography as an essential component of the discipline and a key element in the process of institutionalisation of modern geography. After translating several works on the history of geography and understanding the basic genealogy of modern geography, these scholars began to write their own history of geography. In this process, different ideas about geography influenced the writing of the work, and scholars wrote in various styles about it. Some geographers also used the history of Western geography as a reference to examine the history of Chinese geography. They either believed that traditional Chinese geography already contains elements of modern geography, or that it basically did not have any content that could be called geography, and similar controversies reflect the divergence of academic concepts. The treatises on the history of geography serve as valuable sources for understanding the development of the concept of geography in the Republic of China.