He Meicen (1906–1982)

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Owing to his family’s scholarly tradition, He Meicen was broadly learned and rigorous in his research, with especially deep attainments in history. He was an invited contributor to “Wenshi (Shanghai)” and published articles in modern Chinese literary journals.

He served for many years as a compiler at the Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office, participating in the compilation of the following dictionaries:

  • “National Language Dictionary” (8 volumes), Wang Yi (editor-in-chief), compiled by Xu Yishi, Sun Chongyi, Wang Shuda, Peng Xinru, Xu Shirong, He Meicen, Fu Yan, and Niu Wenqing, Commercial Press (1945)
  • “National Language Dictionary” (4 volumes), Li Jinxi (editor-in-chief), Wang Yi (director), compiled by Xu Yishi, Sun Chongyi, Xu Shirong, Fu Yan, An Wenzhuo, Wang Shuda, Zhang Weiyu, He Meicen, Niu Jichang, and Gao Jingcheng, Commercial Press (1948); reissued in 1962 under the new title “Chinese Dictionary”
  • “National Pronunciation Dictionary with New Radical Index,” Li Jinxi (editor-in-chief), Wang Yi (director), edited and proofread by Xu Renyu, Fu Jieshi, Niu Jichang, Gao Jingcheng, He Meicen, Xu Shirong, Sun Chongyi, Wang Shuda, Zhang Naizhi, and Zhang Weiyu, Commercial Press (first edition, August 1949)
  • “Annotated Zhonghua New Rhymes,” Li Jinxi (editor-in-chief), edited and proofread by Wang Shuda, He Meicen, Fu Yan, Sun Chongyi, Zhang Weiyu, and Zhang Naizhi, Commercial Press (first edition, July 1950)
  • “Revised and Annotated Vocabulary of Common Characters in National Pronunciation,” Li Jinxi (editor-in-chief), edited and proofread by Wang Yi, He Meicen, Fu Jieshi, Niu Jichang, Gao Jingcheng, Xu Renyu, Xu Shirong, Sun Chongyi, Wang Shuda, Zhang Naizhi, Zhang Weiyu, Li Zengdu, and Zhu Changqi, Commercial Press (first edition, August 1949)
  • “Learning Culture Dictionary,” Li Jinxi (editor-in-chief), compiled by Wang Shuda, He Meicen, Gao Jingcheng, Sun Chongyi, Xu Renyu, Xu Shirong, and Fu Jieshi, Commercial Press (first edition, October 1952)
  • “Homophone Dictionary,” Li Jinxi (editor-in-chief), compiled by He Meicen, Sun Chongyi, Xu Shirong, Wang Shuda, Gao Jingcheng, and Fu Yan, Commercial Press (first edition, May 1956)

In July 1956, he became an editor in the Dictionary Editorial Office of the Institute of Linguistics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, participating in the compilation of the “Modern Chinese Dictionary” (trial edition) as head of the Philosophy and Social Sciences group. During the Cultural Revolution he was sent down to the “May 7th Cadre School” in Henan for labor, but he persevered in his scholarly ideals despite the hardships. In August 1982, he died of acute nephritis at the age of 76. The academic community held him in very high regard; the Institute of Linguistics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences offered an elegiac couplet — “Learned as five carts of books, a life of integrity rivaling the ancients; a household bare but for a few volumes of dictionaries handed down to posterity” — affirming his character and scholarship.

Published Articles:

  • “Opinions on the ‘Chinese Pinyin Scheme (Draft)’,” by Wang Shuda, Sun Chongyi, He Meicen, and Fu Jieshi, “Guangming Daily” special supplement “Script Reform,” Issue 53 (December 15, 1956)
  • “How to Express Ideological Content in Dictionaries,” “Zhongguo Yuwen,” Issue 12 (1960)