A Glimpse of the Initial Conditions for the Development of Science and Technology and Soviet Specialists in the PRC:1949–1955

管窥中华人民共和国的科技发展初始条件与在华苏联专家(1949~1955)

This article aims to analyze the so-called“starting point”when modern scientific and technological successes in China were in their infancy,and to provide the reader with insight on how various challenges were overcome in their development.The period under review is 1949–1955.The information about this period was obtained from Soviet archives and special literature.The first part of the article describes the state of affairs in the People’s Republic of China(PRC)in the early years of its formation,focusing on education,science,industry(including military),communications,and rail transport.The second part turns to the Soviet specialists working in the PRC during these years,focusing on their profession,number,cities of residence and living conditions.Issues regarding Chinese specialists’internship in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(USSR)are also touched upon.The article selects several lesserknown areas in which professional competencies were established in this very weak post-war country to discover the origins of the most important science and technology in the contemporary PRC,thereby contributing to readers’understanding of the initial conditions for the development of science and technology in China.

文章旨在分析中华人民共和国科技成功之路的"起点",借助苏联档案和特藏文献帮助读者了解取得科技成就之前所克服的各种挑战。文章聚焦1949~1955年这一时期:第一部分描述新中国成立之初各领域的状况,如教育、科学、工业(包括军工)、通信和铁路运输。第二部分侧重介绍这一时期在华工作的苏联专家,包括其职业、人数、居住地和生活条件等。此外,还提到了中国专家在苏联的实习。文章选取了一些不甚为人所知的领域,关注百废待兴的战后中国对自身专业化能力的培养,探索当代中国重要科技领域的渊源,帮助人们认识中国科技发展的初始条件。