Chen Yuan (historian)

Chen Yuan (1880–1971) was a Chinese historian and educator. He is known by his work in the fields of religious history, Yuan Dynasty history, textology and textual criticism. Chen was professor of Peking University, Beijing Normal University and Fu Jen Catholic University, and later served as the president of Beijing Normal University. Before 1949, he also served as the president of Metropolitan Library and the Palace Museum library.

Chen Yuan
陈垣
Chen Yuan
2nd President of Fu Jen Catholic University
In office 1929–1951
Preceded by	Barry O'Toole
Succeeded by	Paul Yü Pin
31st President of Beijing Normal University
In office 1952–1971
Preceded by	Lin Liru
Succeeded by	Wang Zikun
Personal details
Born	(1880-11-12) 12 November 1880 Xinhui, Guangdong, Qing China
Died	(1971-06-21)21 June 1971 Beijing, PRC
Alma mater	Lingnan University (Guangzhou)

From 1917, Chen began to work on history of Christianity in China, and later published his name-earning book Research of Arkaguns in Yuan Dynasty (《元也里可溫考》). Arkagun is the name given to Christian in Yuan Dynasty. Subsequently, he published several books about the spreading of Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism and Islam in China. Chen also paid great attention to collation work on Code of Yuan Dynasty (《元典章》).[1]