On October 14, the Shenyang Publishing House announced the release of a new book titled “Searching for Cao Chengying,” which commemorates the life of China’s first female professor in agricultural science. This work provides a detailed and vivid account of the remarkable life of an outstanding female scholar through rich historical materials, authentic details, and a clear narrative of her journey.
Cao Chengying, also known as Juan with a courtesy name of Peisheng, was born in 1902 in Wangchuan, Jixi, Anhui Province. A member of the Chinese Kuomintang and a pioneering figure, she was the first woman to be appointed as a professor of agricultural science in China and one of the founding members of the Chen Guang Society, an early new literature group in Zhejiang Province. After graduating from Hangzhou Normal School in 1925 and Central University in 1931, she pursued further studies in the United States at Cornell University, specializing in genetics, where she obtained her Master’s degree in plant breeding in 1937. She returned to China the same year and went on to teach at various institutions, including Anhui Agricultural University, Sichuan Agricultural University, and Fudan University. In 1952, she relocated with the Fudan Agricultural College to Shenyang Agricultural University, where she continued to teach until her retirement. She returned to her hometown of Jixi in 1969 and passed away in Shanghai in 1973.
Cao Chengying is recognized as the founder of the genetics and breeding discipline at Shenyang Agricultural University. She made significant contributions to potato variety selection and cultivation techniques in northern China, successfully developing high-yield potato varieties that became widely cultivated in the northeast region. Throughout her life, she demonstrated resilience and a patriotic spirit, contributing to education and research in post-revolutionary China. Her heartfelt essay “Motherland Loves Me; I Love My Motherland” reflects her profound love for her country and party. A talented poet, her works predominantly survived in fragments, yet the lines that remain are celebrated for their quality, standing alongside the best of her time. Despite her health struggles, she yearned for independence and freedom, ultimately leading a solitary life.
The new book is an updated edition of “The First Female Professor in China’s Agricultural Science – Cao Chengying,” published in 2012. Over the 12 years since the first edition, the quest to uncover Cao’s legacy has continued. From 1983 to 2024, a dedicated group of her descendants, acquaintances from her hometown, and cultural scholars have spent 41 years searching for her academic papers, essays, letters, poems, and commemorative articles—totaling 5 scholarly papers, 8 essays, 11 letters, 50 poems, and 32 memorial articles, making this compilation one of the most comprehensive collections of her works.
By following the insights in “Searching for Cao Chengying,” readers will discover the unwavering spirit of modern Chinese scholars, especially women, who refused to succumb to fate. They will also witness the dedication and admiration of the editors and younger scholars who have invested over four decades in honoring the legacy of this extraordinary female agricultural scientist.
