Introduction
The Archives is in possession of five items concerning the Imperial University of Peking, namely certificates of study from four semesters and the diploma of Chen Baojun (?–?), a student of practical natural sciences from 1907 to 1909.
The Institute of Practical Natural Sciences, Imperial University of Peking (present-day Peking University, founded in 1898), was established in June 1907 with the aim of teaching the production of specimens, models, and illustrations. A degree in natural sciences was initially a two-year simplified course, but later developed into a three-year full course, with Chen being a graduate of the former. Looking at curriculum contents, the majority of instructors were hired from Japan, exemplified by Tsuchida Toshizo (?–?), an assistant from Tokyo Imperial University, and Ye Jizhen (?–?), an agriculturalist who had studied abroad in Japan. Since specimen collection often required the use of firearms, Ding Qisheng (?–?) of the New Army was hired as a faculty member to teach the skill. Graduates who had passed qualifying exams were granted the degree of gongsheng (lit. “tribute student,” a degree of the imperial examination system), and those unwilling—or unable—to be promoted, were often dispatched to serve as official registrars at the local level.
The Institute of Practical Natural Sciences, Imperial University of Peking (present-day Peking University, founded in 1898), was established in June 1907 with the aim of teaching the production of specimens, models, and illustrations. A degree in natural sciences was initially a two-year simplified course, but later developed into a three-year full course, with Chen being a graduate of the former. Looking at curriculum contents, the majority of instructors were hired from Japan, exemplified by Tsuchida Toshizo (?–?), an assistant from Tokyo Imperial University, and Ye Jizhen (?–?), an agriculturalist who had studied abroad in Japan. Since specimen collection often required the use of firearms, Ding Qisheng (?–?) of the New Army was hired as a faculty member to teach the skill. Graduates who had passed qualifying exams were granted the degree of gongsheng (lit. “tribute student,” a degree of the imperial examination system), and those unwilling—or unable—to be promoted, were often dispatched to serve as official registrars at the local level.