203:, the "father of Chinese vertebrate palaeontology". Yang had helped initiate the formal study of fossils in China during the 1920s and continued to lead the field of Chinese palaeontology even after cooperation with foreign institutions ended in 1949. More than a decade later, he no longer participated in field work but was willing to take on Dong as a student, particularly after Dong made it clear he was interested in researching more challenging subjects like dinosaurs as opposed to invertebrates, for which fossils were more abundant and easily transported. Over the next three years Dong authored roughly 600 academic papers in both English and Mandarin. Dong participated in his first field expedition in 1963, aged 26, when he was part of a seven-person team sent by the IVPP to a site 180 miles outside
220:
473:
305:(CCDP). With $ 15 million CAD worth of funding, the mission was one of the largest ever mounted in the history of palaeontology and was the first major show of cooperation between Chinese and foreign palaeontologists since 1949. As an international collaboration, Dong Zhiming represented the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology as one of the project's three leaders; his two co-leaders were
573:
Although the fossil record of stegosaurs for most of Asia is very fragmentary (Averianov et al. 2007; Maidment 2010), that of the People's
Republic of China is the longest and most diverse (see Dong 1990, 1992; Olshevsky and Ford 1993; Galton and Upchurch 2004; Maidment et al. 2008; Maidment 2010). A
633:
While working as a surveyor in southwest China in the late 1960s, Dong married IVPP palaeoanthropologist Chen Dezhen. The two have two adult children who were raised by their grandparents while Dong and Chen pursued their careers. The couple lived in an apartment on the IVPP campus in
Beijing before
423:
and other ancient works could be attributed to
Chinese farmers uncovering and misidentifying dinosaur fossils. During his field work, Dong also occasionally encountered modern farmers who believed that large dinosaur fossils were the remains of dragons, and had to convince them otherwise in order to
239:
was beginning. With the IVPP all but shut down, he was reassigned to work on geological surveys in southwestern China where he helped design irrigation systems. Nonetheless, his mentor Yang continued to study palaeontology and met with Dong often, encouraging him to continue his research in addition
264:
facility which had excavated the top of a nearby hill, and after entering the site he and his colleagues discovered an unexpected treasure trove of fossils. Dong and his team worked to end the construction on the hill, and by autumn the local government agreed to end development at
Dashanpu despite
545:
translates to "gas lizard", and ostensibly refers to the natural gas plant which was meant to be built on the
Dashanpu hilltop where its fossils were discovered. In addition to this obvious meaning, the Mandarin word for "gas" can also be translated as "making trouble", an apparent reference to
405:
proved that the latter was a theropod and that the two belonged to the same order, and so the dinosaurs once proposed as belonging to
Segnosaurischia were assigned to the order Saurischia. However, Dong continued to push this third-order theory as late as 2008, shortly before his retirement.
255:
As international tensions eased, Dong
Zhiming began to cooperate with international researchers in addition to Chinese scientists. After the discovery of fossils at Dashanpu by both him and Yang, Dong returned to the township in 1980 accompanied by a team of scientists from the
324:
The China-Canada
Dinosaur Project lasted four field seasons, beginning in May 1986 and ending in 1991. As many as fifty researchers were at work in the field at one time. Expeditions related to the project were undertaken in sites within both countries' borders, including the
487:. A 2008 study found that Dong ranked fourth on a list of people responsible for naming the most dinosaurs; however, when only valid names were counted Dong ranked first, meaning he has named more species of dinosaur than anyone else in history.
248:- and returned to work at the IVPP. One of Dong's first missions after returning to palaeontology was to follow up on Yang's finds at Dashanpu, and in 1976 he discovered the first dinosaur fossils dating to the
240:
to his work for the state. Yang also returned to field work during this time, including a 1975 expedition in which he investigated reports of fossils being found by road crews in the town of
Dashanpu,
192:
136:
101:
252:
that had ever been found in China. Although this represented a monumental discovery, it would be the last he shared with his mentor: Yang
Zhongjian died on 15 January 1979.
1017:
1082:
970:
Richard J. Butler, Jin Liyong, Chen Jun, Pascal Godefroit (2011). "The postcranial osteology and phylogenetic position of the small ornithischian dinosaur
379:
and its relatives belonged to a new order of dinosaur: Segnosaurischia. Historically, all dinosaurs have been categorized as belonging to either the order
395:
represented evidence not of a third order of dinosaurs but instead that all dinosaurs belonged to a single order. Ultimately, further research into both
369:
On the advice of his late mentor, Dong Zhiming continued his research into palaeontology with a focus on locating fossils that bridge known periods of
608:
One of Dong's co-leaders on the China-Canada Dinosaur Project, Dale Russell, once claimed that Dong was the best fossil hunter he'd ever met, saying:
889:
Dong, Zhiming; Sereno, Paul (3 September 1992). "The Skull of the Basal Stegosaur Huayangosaurus taibaii and a Cladistic Diagnosis of Stegosauria".
954:
873:
310:
351:, named in honour of the CCDP. More than 11 new species of dinosaur were described as a result of the CCDP, including a new genus of
1087:
1040:
792:
717:
679:
660:
231:, which saw him and 17 million other privileged youth in China sent to work on farms across the country. Dong worked on a farm in
1092:
1077:
1062:
228:
569:), Dong and his mentor Yang Zhongjian are praised for their efforts to advance palaeontology's understanding of stegosaurids:
302:
1097:
227:
Dong Zhiming's palaeontology research halted in 1965 when he became one of many academics ordered to participate in the
592:
and, thanks to the efforts of Zhimin Dong, additional parts of this skeleton plus skeletons of two additional genera,
260:. Being familiar with the area, Dong elected to begin their search for fossils at a construction site for a planned
318:
525:
Dong is known among the palaeontological community for giving the dinosaurs he describes unusual names, such as
373:
and explain the gaps in-between. In the 1980s he sparked controversy by suggesting that fossils of the dinosaur
585:
441:
he'd discovered in Dashanpu in 1979 and described in 1982. This 1992 review saw Dong and Sereno determine that
483:
Dong Zhiming has discovered and described more than 42 genera of dinosaurs, of which 27 are still considered
496:
286:
1072:
707:
370:
341:
without damaging important fossils that had been spotted underneath; these fossils would later become the
274:
1011:
558:
808:
Paul, G. S. (1984). "The segnosaurian dinosaurs: relics of the prosauropod-ornithischian transition?".
1067:
983:
817:
566:
533:
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from the Quantou Formation (Cretaceous: Aptian–Cenomanian) of Jilin Province, north-eastern China".
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270:
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502:
290:
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Dong has written or co-written a number of books on Chinese dinosaurs, including in English:
511:
285:
As work was underway preserving and studying the bone beds at Dashanpu, China entered into a
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920:
825:
594:
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Dong is considered an instrumental part of the reason that China has such an array of known
538:
491:
446:
306:
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in November 1985. Both a scientific and diplomatic mission, their visit helped initiate the
219:
120:
625:, discovered during the China-Canada Dinosaur Project, was named for Dong Zhiming in 1994.
531:, where the specific name is derived from each of the main cast members from the 1993 film
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576:
472:
401:
388:
326:
269:
into the project. Dong's research at the site would lead to the formal description of the
266:
249:
156:
24:
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While most of Dong's names are still considered valid some have been reassigned to other
987:
821:
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and the preservation of over 15,000 ft of dinosaur-bearing bone bed as part of the
581:
433:
414:
387:, and Dong's suggestion of a third order sparked controversy. American palaeontologist
347:
257:
200:
144:
132:
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1003:
995:
527:
410:
330:
244:. Around this time, Dong petitioned the government to reinstate the IVPP's journal -
88:
179:. At the age of 13, Dong was introduced to dinosaurs by a museum exhibit showcasing
829:
612:
On any day of collecting, Dong will have two or three times as many as anyone else.
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438:
380:
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of Xinjiang. In the Junggar Basin, Dong impressed his Canadian colleagues by using
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20:
204:
912:
550:
428:
375:
261:
519:
384:
338:
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621:
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Zhiming's struggle with local authorities to preserve the fossil bone beds.
357:
180:
924:
537:
in recognition of a $ 25,000 USD donation to the IVPP by American director
183:
fossils. Dong graduated from university in 1962 with a degree in biology.
868:(2nd ed.). Indiana University Press. pp. 5, 92, 482, 488, 493.
506:, a link that other scientists were less inclined to believe. Studies by
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352:
342:
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208:
176:
148:
54:
147:, who was director at the time. He has described fossil remains of many
845:
589:
419:
294:
241:
196:
140:
211:. On this expedition, Dong discovered fossils of a sauropod dinosaur.
864:
Brett-Surman, M. K.; Holtz, Thomas R. Jr.; Farlow, James O. (2012).
655:. China Ocean Press, Beijing & British Museum (Natural History).
635:
461:
450:
298:
172:
160:
124:
50:
500:, named by Dong for its apparent relationship to the better-known
471:
232:
218:
155:; an important contribution to science since they are composed of
409:
In a 1988 paper authored by Dong and translated into English by
709:
Dinosaur Hunters: Eccentric Amateurs and Obsessed Professionals
223:
Shaximiao Formation outcropping at the Zigong Dinosaur Museum
514:, and other researchers cast doubt on Dong's placement of
355:
discovered by Dong in 1987; this dinosaur was later named
193:
Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology
137:
Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology
102:
Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology
457:
may have helped keep its dorsal plates in place without
391:
offered his support for Dong's theory in 1984, but that
518:, and in 2011 the genus was reassigned to the suborder
143:. He began working at the IVPP in 1962, studying under
604:, are also known (Dong et al. 1983; Peng et al. 2005).
1033:
Dinosaurs A to Z - The Ultimate Dinosaur Encyclopedia
191:
After graduating, Dong Zhiming began working at the
94:
84:
69:
61:
43:
36:
235:for one year and returned to Beijing just as the
131:; born January 1937) is a Chinese vertebrate
8:
1016:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
787:. Beijing: China Ocean Press. p. 187.
431:, Dong reviewed his initial description of
413:, he argued that legendary descriptions of
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857:
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745:
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701:
699:
33:
265:having already invested over one million
171:Dong Zhiming was born in January 1937 in
949:. Square Peg/Random House. p. 314.
906:
904:
695:
541:. Likewise, the name he gave the genus
287:period of political and economic reform
1009:
311:Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology
7:
151:. He investigated and described the
453:; and that the animal's heightened
1083:Academic staff of Jilin University
913:"In search of Thingummyjigosaurus"
891:Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
810:Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
14:
911:Dalton, Rex (17 September 2008).
756:Williams, Martin (27 July 2008).
712:. Prima Lifestyles. p. 275.
159:beds which do not commonly yield
996:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2011.01046.x
229:Down to the Countryside Movement
424:acquire the fossils for study.
1035:. Scholastic Inc. p. 86.
830:10.1080/02724634.1984.10012026
758:"Dinosaur hunter Dong Zhiming"
674:. China Ocean Press, Beijing.
553:species. In the 2012 textbook
1:
468:Contributions and recognition
445:had a parasacral spine, or a
303:China-Canada Dinosaur Project
281:China-Canada Dinosaur Project
557:(co-authored by researchers
348:Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum
785:Dinosaurian Faunas of China
672:Dinosaurian Faunas of China
1114:
449:which ran adjacent to the
18:
947:Dinosaurs: The Grand Tour
319:Canadian Museum of Nature
199:where he was mentored by
135:formerly employed at the
110:
77:
1088:Biologists from Shandong
706:Spalding, David (1993).
586:Shangshaximiao Formation
167:Early life and education
1093:Fudan University alumni
1078:Educators from Shandong
1063:Chinese paleontologists
516:Micropachycephalosaurus
497:Micropachycephalosaurus
293:, Dong Zhiming visited
16:Chinese palaeontologist
972:Changchunsaurus parvus
925:10.1038/news.2008.1111
783:Dong, Zhiming (1992).
614:
606:
494:. One such example is
480:
464:to hold them upright.
275:Zigong Dinosaur Museum
246:Vertebrata PalAsiatica
224:
866:The Complete Dinosaur
670:Dong Zhiming (1992).
651:Dong Zhiming (1988).
610:
571:
555:The Complete Dinosaur
475:
427:Along with co-author
222:
1031:Lessem, Don (2003).
945:Pim, Keiron (2013).
762:drmartinwilliams.com
653:Dinosaurs from China
574:partial skeleton of
476:Mounted skeleton of
1098:Writers from Weihai
988:2011Palgy..54..667B
822:1984JVPal...4..507P
563:Thomas R. Holtz Jr.
337:to clear tonnes of
271:Shaximiao Formation
237:Cultural Revolution
153:Shaximiao Formation
618:metriacanthosaurid
559:M. K. Brett-Surman
528:T. nedegoapeferima
503:Pachycephalosaurus
481:
371:dinosaur evolution
225:
215:Dashanpu bone beds
956:978-1-61519-212-0
875:978-0-253-35701-4
582:Chung Chien Young
580:was described by
508:Richard J. Butler
289:. Accompanied by
114:
113:
79:Scientific career
65:Dinosaur research
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703:
685:
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595:Chungkingosaurus
584:(1958) from the
539:Steven Spielberg
447:vertebral column
307:Philip J. Currie
34:
1113:
1112:
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705:
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697:
692:
682:
669:
663:
650:
644:
631:
622:Sinraptor dongi
601:Tuojiangosaurus
577:Chialingosaurus
567:James O. Farrow
478:Sinraptor dongi
470:
402:Therizinosaurus
389:Gregory S. Paul
367:
361:in his honour.
358:Sinraptor dongi
327:Canadian Arctic
283:
250:Middle Jurassic
217:
189:
169:
157:Middle Jurassic
106:
57:
48:
39:
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1111:
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1101:
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982:(3): 667–683.
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816:(4): 507–515.
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469:
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443:Huayangosaurus
434:Huayangosaurus
366:
363:
282:
279:
258:British Museum
216:
213:
201:Yang Zhongjian
188:
185:
168:
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145:Yang Zhongjian
133:paleontologist
112:
111:
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62:Known for
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2:
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1073:Living people
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1042:0-439-16591-1
1038:
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976:Palaeontology
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719:1-55958-338-X
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681:3-540-52084-8
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662:0-565-01073-5
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629:Personal life
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534:Jurassic Park
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417:bones in the
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411:Angela Milner
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331:Junggar Basin
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89:Palaeontology
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30:
26:
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1012:cite journal
979:
975:
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928:. Retrieved
916:
894:
890:
884:
865:
813:
809:
803:
784:
778:
766:. Retrieved
761:
723:. Retrieved
708:
671:
652:
645:
642:Bibliography
634:retiring to
632:
620:
615:
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572:
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439:ankylosaurid
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381:Ornithischia
374:
368:
365:Later career
356:
346:
323:
315:Dale Russell
284:
254:
245:
226:
190:
170:
129:Dǒng Zhimíng
128:
117:Dong Zhiming
116:
115:
95:Institutions
78:
47:January 1937
38:Dong Zhiming
28:
21:Chinese name
1068:1937 births
764:. DocMartin
551:stegosaurid
429:Paul Sereno
397:Segnosaurus
393:Segnosaurus
376:Segnosaurus
262:natural gas
73:Chen Dezhen
25:family name
1057:Categories
725:2010-01-08
690:References
543:Gasosaurus
520:Ceratopsia
385:Saurischia
339:overburden
291:Sun Ailing
195:(IVPP) in
139:(IVPP) in
1004:131608089
838:0272-4634
638:in 2008.
181:hadrosaur
149:dinosaurs
930:7 August
768:6 August
492:families
459:ossified
455:pedicles
353:theropod
343:holotype
335:dynamite
329:and the
209:Xinjiang
177:Shandong
55:Shandong
19:In this
984:Bibcode
846:4523011
818:Bibcode
590:Sichuan
512:Qi Zhao
462:tendons
420:I Ching
317:of the
309:of the
295:Alberta
242:Sichuan
197:Beijing
161:fossils
141:Beijing
123:: 董枝明,
121:Chinese
1039:
1002:
953:
917:Nature
872:
844:
836:
791:
716:
678:
659:
636:Yunnan
565:, and
451:sacrum
415:dragon
299:Canada
205:Ürümqi
187:Career
173:Weihai
125:Pinyin
85:Fields
70:Spouse
51:Weihai
23:, the
1000:S2CID
842:JSTOR
485:valid
437:, an
233:Henan
1037:ISBN
1018:link
951:ISBN
932:2020
897:(3).
870:ISBN
834:ISSN
789:ISBN
770:2020
714:ISBN
676:ISBN
657:ISBN
616:The
598:and
399:and
345:for
313:and
267:yuan
44:Born
29:Dong
992:doi
921:doi
826:doi
588:of
383:or
27:is
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1014:}}
1010:{{
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