Preserving the past to enrich the future

Taxidermist's vision allows the wonders of nature to be seen in the flesh, reports He Qi in Shanghai.

With more than 90,000 pieces of taxidermy and herbarium specimens, Zujia Biological Museum at Fudan University in Shanghai has become an important witness to the natural development and evolution of China's flora and fauna.

After opening up to the public in recent years, the museum, which has over 100 years of history, has gradually grown in popularity. This is also true of its specimen-defining scholars, the unsung heroes behind the precious collections. Tang Shimin, 70, has worked at the museum since 1982. He was eligible to retire 10 years ago and chose to come back to his post, accepting an offer by the university to return. He was simply not ready to say goodbye to the museum that his family have been fully devoted to for so long.