Qin Hanzhang

Chinese engineer and supercentenarian (1908–2019)

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In this Chinese name, the family name is  Qin.

Qin Hanzhang

Born| (1908-02-19)19 February 1908

Wuxi, Jiangsu, Qing China

Died| (2019-08-15)15 August 2019
(aged 111 years, 177 days)

Beijing, China

Known for|

* Engineer
* food scientist
* wine scholar

Qin Hanzhang (Chinese: 秦含章; 19 February 1908 – 15 August 2019)[1] was a Chinese engineer, scientist and supercentenarian.[2] He was a pioneer in the field of food science and industrial fermentation and contributed to food industry development in China through nearly eight decades of work in food science technology.[citation needed] He was also a scholar in the wine industry.[3][4]

## Biography

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### Early life

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Qin was born on 19 February 1908 in Wuxi, Jiangsu, Qing dynasty.[5] Qin was the youngest child in his family. His father, Qinru Yu (1867–1925), was a famous scholar who passed the Imperial examination at the age of 18. His mother, Su Shi (1868–1928) and father did not have a lot of money, only enough for food and clothing. Qin had been adopted by his uncle Yang Tongguan at the age of 3 and lived with them until his death. Qin was 9 years old at that time. He returned to his hometown and lived with his elder brother and his family. When Qin was 13 years old, he studied traditional Chinese medicine with his eldest brother Qin Liujiang (1892–1960). His other brother Qin Yunzhang (1906–2007), took part in the Cultural Revolution, and later became an economist.[6]

### Education

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Qin went to his father's private school where he studied classics as "Three Character Classic", "Thousand Character Classic" and practiced calligraphy daily. Qin was not satisfied with reading of these "old classics" and in 1924 first encountered modern subjects such as English and mathematics. In 1925, Qin was admitted to Jiangsu University in Wuxi. After joining the school, Qin contracted dysentery and as Chinese and Western medicine practitioners could not cure him, he stayed at home.

In 1931, he graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and later went to Belgium, France and Germany to study. He studied at Gembloux Agro Bio Tech University in Belgium, graduated in 1935 and received a doctoral candidate in engineering. From 1935 to 1936, he studied at Brussels University. In 1936, he entered the Institute of Chemistry and Fermentation at the University of Berlin.

### Later life

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In September 1936, Qin returned to China and started teaching in Jiangsu Institute of Education, in Fudan University in 1938, in Sichuan Provincial Educational College from 1939 to 1944 and in National Central University from 1944 to 1949. In 1948, he was hired by Wuxi Private Jiangnan University as the director and professor of the Department of Agricultural Production.[7]

In 1950, Premier Zhou Enlai appointed Qin as a counselor of the Ministry of Food Industry and the Ministry of Light Industry. In 1960, the Food Industry Research Institute of the Ministry of Light Industry and the Fermentation Industry Research Institute of the Ministry of Light Industry merged to establish the Institute of Food Fermentation Industry of the Ministry of Light Industry. Qin was appointed as the first director.

In 1954, he was invited to participate in a food packaging conference in Czechoslovakia. In the early years of the Cultural Revolution, Qin's first wife, Yang Wenwei, committed suicide. One day, a group of rebels broke into Qin’s home and robbed him. In 1968, his second daughter was assigned to the Great Northern Wilderness team. The eldest daughter went to Jiaozuo, Henan after she graduated from Peking University. In 1975, he met Suo Ying, who later became his second wife.

Qin retired at the age of 82. His second wife, Suo Ying, died on 8 January 2016 at the age of 93. He lived with his daughter-in-law and grandson in Wu Dian Lu, Daxing District, Beijing. He died on 15 August 2019 at his home.

## References

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1. ^ "112岁酒界泰斗秦含章逝世，业内称之酿酒业"活化石"". 15 August 2019.
2. ^ "110岁酒界泰斗秦含章：他用超过百年的精气神，仍然影响现在每一个中国酒业人" (in Chinese). kuaibao.qq.com. 6 March 2018. Archived from the original on 20 March 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
3. ^ "风雨百年，不负韶光" (in Chinese). cnwinenews.com. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
4. ^ Staff (28 September 2017). "Fenjiu Group's sealing ceremony for this year's production of traditional Chinese spirits receives international attention". PR Newswire. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
5. ^ "老科学家秦含章：酒业泰斗" (in Chinese). Science.net.cn. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
6. ^ "秦含章109岁：凡心所向，一苇渡江" (in Chinese). M.jiemian.com. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
7. ^ "匡村史话之四" (in Chinese). Sohu.com. 30 October 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2018.

This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC-BY-SA (license statement/permission). Text taken from Qin Hanzhang​. Gerontology Wiki.

## External links

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* Qinhanzhang.com 秦含章（北京）酒文化发展有限公司