Li Sizhong

Who is Li Sizhong?

Li Sizhong was an ichthyologist with the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Throughout his research career, he made numerous discoveries of new fish species, and published many books and research papers describing the fauna and geographical distribution of fishes in China and beyond. He translated and helped publication of the Chinese editions of Fishes of the World and Peter Y. Schmidt's book on fish migration.

Starting from early 1950s, Li helped to initiate and participated in China's systematic surveys of marine fishes in Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea and South China Sea. His scientific career, however, was interrupted in 1957 when he was labelled a "rightist" during the Anti-Rightist Movement. From then until mid-1970s, while his research capacity had been severely impacted by whims of political campaigns and turmoils, he managed to conduct surveys of freshwater fishes in Yellow River and Ou River, as well as in interior regions such as Xinjiang and Gansu provinces. Only until after the Cultural Revolution, he was able to resume normal research activities.