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This book represents the most important academic achievements won by Dr. Renzhi Hou, one of the founding fathers of and pioneering researchers in the modern historical geography of China. His collected papers and speeches, spanning from the 1940s to the 1990s, serve as a window into Hou´s academic experience as well as the development of the historical geography of China during the second half of the 20th century.

Dr. Hou has made his greatest contributions mainly in two areas, namely, urban historical geography and desert historical geography. Roughly a quarter of this book is devoted to the former, and above all to the study of Beijing´s historical geography and its influence on urban planning. It is worth noting that "From Beijing to Washington-A Contemplation on the Concept of Municipal Planning," presented here, is the only historical geography-based comparative study of a Chinese city and a Western one by a Chinese scholar.

Dr. Hou´s studies on desert historical geography have garnered him a prominent reputation in the natural sciences academia. "Ancient City Ruins in the Deserts of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China," also included here, can be considered a masterwork.

Moreover, many of his original thoughts on some interesting topics can also be found in this book, such as the communication between China and Africa in ancient times, and the rediscovery of the value of geographical classics in the modern context.

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Introduction.- Beijing: Its Characteristics of Historical Development and Transformation.- The Transformation of the Old City of Beijing, China-A Concrete Manifestation of New China´s Cultural Reconstruction.- Views on Three Milestones in the Construction of Beijing City.- From Beijing to Washington-A Contemplation in the Concept of Municipal Planning.- Oversea Communications Between China and East Africa Before the So-called Discovery of New Sea-route.- A Modern Interpretation of Ancient Chinese Geographical Literature.- The Ancient Great Wall in a New Era.- Ancient City Ruins in the Deserts of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.- I Come from Yenching University.- In Memory of Professor P. M. Roxby-From the School of Geography of the University of Liverpool.- Address at the Commencement of Liverpool University.- Hou Renzhi´s Acceptance Address for the George Davidson Medal.

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