The discipline of historical geography in China began in the early 20th century and grew up in the time of national salvation in the War of Resistance Against Japan. After the founding of New China

Hou Renzhi absorbed the main connotation of "harmony between man and nature" in Chinese traditional culture and created the subject theory of Chinese historical geography - the theory of man-land relationship. The historical materials compiled by the ancient sages of the past dynasties provide superior conditions for modern scholars to study the geographical environment and its vicissitudes in the historical period. At the same time

their family and national sentiments applied by the world also provide strong spiritual impetus for the historical geographers to save the nation from peril and help the national revival. Nowadays

in the field of historical geography

the inheritance and innovation of the fine traditions

such as the idea of practicality

the way of textual research and the spirit of collecting facts

which have been formed in the field of public opinion and geography for more than two thousand years

have become a common practice. This has obviously become the most precious national characteristic of Chinese historical geography

and with this national characteristic

Chinese historical geography is going to the world. In the new historic task of defending the global village of human beings and building the community of human destiny

it can better play its useful academic and practical functions and promote this new discipline have made greater progress.