An Enduring Vision: Qingdao Observatory and the Transnational Meteorology in Modern China, 1898–1937

Abstract

This paper examines the transformations of Qingdao Observatory from the late 19th to the mid-20th century under German, Japanese, and Chinese administrations. While existing research often frames Qingdao Observatory within German colonial science and Chinese national science, this study adopts a transnational perspective and employs network as an alternative analytical unit to highlight the continuity of local practices and the shared pursuit of cross-border collaborations. By tracing the interconnected history of Qingdao Observatory across temporal and spatial (planar and vertical) dimensions, this paper argues that competing struggles for sovereignty, diplomatic negotiations, and diverse political discourses—including colonialism, Pan-Asianism, and nationalism—fostered scientific cooperation and shaped new communities. More broadly, this research illustrates how opposing states and ideologies not only jointly constructed the transnational meteorology in modern China, but also collectively contributed to the formation of multiple scientific networks across East Asia.