Born in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, China in June 1916, Dr. Wu Zheng-yi graduated from Quinghua University, Peking in 1937. After serving at the university as a lecturer and associate professor consecutively, he became Deputy Director of the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. He was posted at the Kunming Institute of Botany in 1958, and filled the post of Director of the Institute from 1974 through 1983. At present, he is pursuing his research as Professor and Director Emeritus at the Institute.

Dr. Wu is a leading botanist in China, specializing in plant taxonomy. He has devoted himself to the research of the flora of China and East Asia for more than 60 years. The results of his lifelong research have been integrated into the publication of “Flora of China,” which was edited by him. Consisting of 80 volumes and 125 issues, this large-scale scientific work contains all the vegetation of China, an area famous for its diverse environments and biodiversity. About 100 issues have been published so far. An English version has also been published under the co-editorship of Dr. Peter H. Raven, Director of Missouri Botanical Garden, and has earned high praise internationally.

His lifelong research has placed special emphasis on the relationship between plants and human beings. From a global perspective, Dr. Wu has shown deep concern and put forward suggestions about the man-induced extinction of botanical species and its impact on the global environment. His research has made a great contribution to the establishment of national parks and natural reserves in China.

Recognizing that his work has shed light on the basic concept of “coexistence of nature and human beings” (i.e. a deep understanding of plants is essential in considering the relationship between plants and people), we have concluded that his achievements are surely worthy of the International Cosmos Prize.