Abstract:

This article is based on an audio tape of Chan Wang recorded in 1986, which provides detailed information about the discovery of the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) by Chan Wang. This article is now published as Chan Wang’s posthumous work. The discovery occurred in 1943 when Chan Wang was on an expedition to explore the forests of Shennongjia in Hubei Province, Central China. The article begins with Chan Wang’s acceptance of the Shennongjia exploration mission and narrates the entire process of how he overcame numerous hardships to collect the dawn redwood specimens and conducted research on them. The discovery of the dawn redwood was a combination of both chance and inevitability, and it was Chan Wang’s fearless and selfless spirit of scientific exploration that led to a serendipitous opportunity into the inevitable outcome of the discovery of the dawn redwood.

Key words: dawn redwood, Longxing Yang, Chan Wang, Wan-Chun Cheng