Preface In memory of Minchen Chow on the Centenary of his birth

Prof.Dr.Zhou Mingzhen(1918–1996),also known as Minchen Chow,was the founder of mammalian paleontology in China and a worldwide well-known Chinese vertebrate paleontologist.He assisted Yang Zhongjian(C.C.Young),founder of vertebrate paleontology in China,in formulating the development of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology(IVPP),Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS),and succeeded to the Director of the IVPP after Yang’s death in 1979.He made great effort to bring the IVPP to world prominence.He was elected as Academician of the CAS in 1980,and awarded the Romer-Simpson Medal of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology(N.A.)(SVP),the highest award in the field of vertebrate paleontology,in 1993.