Mr. Zhang Fangyu passed away on 29 December 2022

Dear all,

Today (Dec. 30th, 2022) I was told a sad news that Mr. Zhang Fangyu, the former president of Chuxiong Camellia Society, had passed away yesterday in his 89 years old.

Mr. Zhang was borned in 1933 in Shandong province. He had ever been a PLA soldier since 1949 and then worked in post and telecommunications, and had ever served as a journalist, head of the ethnic task force, director of the Chuxiong City Garden Bureau, and director of the Chuxiong City Construction Committee. After his retirement in 1993, he presided over the development of the Zixi Mountain Scenic Area in Chuxiong, and went deep into the Yi people's Mountain to conduct investigation and research on ethnic culture, local history, Buddhist history, biodiversity and cultural diversity. His main works include the autobiographical novels "Childhood", "Fleeing", "Apprenticeship" and "Travel Guide to Chuxiong Prefecture", "Zixi Mountain History", "Chuxiong Historical Inscriptions", "Shuimu Mountain Buddhist Examination", and participated in the compilation of "Shuimu Mountain History" and "Chuxiong Ancient Camellia trees".

In Camellia world, he was respected by many Chinese members. He was the most important organizer of 2012 Chixiong International Camllia Congress. He promoted many Chinese to join the ICS, and had attend ICS congress many times.

With my best regards,
Zhonglang