Start and Exploration of Aluminium-smelting Education in the Early Years of Prople's Repubic of China

In the early years of People's Republic of China, the education in the area of non-ferrous metals was flourishing with the contribution from an education center for aluminium smelting at Peiyang University, namely, Peiyang Light-Metal Class.This paper elucidates the history of Peiyang Light-Metal Class, by summarizing the interviews with Professor Fang Zhengzhi who witnessed the establishment and operation of it.Requested by the Ministry of Heavy Industry, this class was established in the academic year of 1950-1951 at Peiyang University where Professor Fang was responsible for teaching the courses of smelting and metallography of light metals.Most of the students became experts and scholars and made important contributions to new China's light-metal industry.