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Huang Wanli

1911 – 2001

Chinese engineer and hydrologist

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About Huang Wanli

Lived 1911 – 2001 (aged 90). Huang Wanli was a Chinese engineer, known for Sanmenxia Dam and Three Gorges Dam.

Huang Wanli (; 20 August 1911 − 27 August 2001) was a Chinese hydrologist.

Biography Huang was born in Chuansha County, Jiangsu (now Pudong, Shanghai) on 20 August 1911, the fourth of nine children of Huang Yanpei and Wang Jiusi . In 1924, he enrolled in Wuxi Industrial School. in 1935 and a doctor of engineering degree from University of Illinois in 1937.

In 1945, Huang became an engineer in China's Ministry of Water Resources. He was the chief engineer and head of the Gansu Water Conservancy Bureau from 1947 till April 1949. He was an adviser of Northeast China Water Conservancy Administration in September 1949. He taught at Tangshan Jiaotong University starting in June 1950, and he was transferred to Tsinghua University in 1953.

In 1957, Huang was labeled a "Rightist" and persecuted by Mao Zedong for his criticism of the Sanmenxia Dam on the Yellow River. Then he was sent to the Poyang Lake, Jiangxi to do hard labor, and was transferred back to Tsinghua University in 1974. During the Cultural Revolution, the students at Tsinghua University paraded him and other "reactionary figures" through the streets and beat them in public. Huang was exonerated by the Tsinghua University Communist Party Committee on February 26, 1980.

On August 27, 2001, Huang died on the campus of Tsinghua University. He was buried on April 5, 2021 with his wife, Ding Yujun, at Fenghuangshan Cemetery, Area 10 Row 8 number 12, Changping District, Beijing, China.

Personal life Huang was married to Ding Yujun , daughter of Ding Weifen, a founding father of Kuomintang. They had six children:

Daughter Huang Qieyuan Son Huang Guanhong Daughter Huang Wuman Son Huang Ertao Son Huang Luchun Daughter Huang Xiaolu

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Known for
Sanmenxia Dam, Three Gorges Dam
Education
Cornell University College of Engineering, University of Illinois System, Cornell University, Southwest Jiaotong University
Employers
Tsinghua University

People in Huang Wanli's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Huang Wanli's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Huang Wanli?

Chinese engineer and hydrologist

When was Huang Wanli born?

Huang Wanli was born on 20 August 1911 in Shanghai.

When did Huang Wanli die?

Huang Wanli died on 27 August 2001 in Beijing.

What was Huang Wanli's occupation?

Huang Wanli was an engineer.

What was Huang Wanli known for?

Huang Wanli was known for Sanmenxia Dam and Three Gorges Dam.

What nationality was Huang Wanli?

Huang Wanli was Chinese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Huang Wanli

· Wikidata: Q1632807

· DBpedia: Huang Wanli

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Huang Wanli. https://biography.guide/huang-wanli/

MLA: "Huang Wanli." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/huang-wanli/.

Chicago: "Huang Wanli." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/huang-wanli/.

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