Shiing-Shen Chern

Chinese-American mathematician and poet (1911-2004)
Person human Q328131
Press Enter · cited answer in seconds

Shiing-Shen Chern was born on October 26, 1911, in Jiaxing.[1][2][3][4][5] He held citizenship in the People's Republic of China and the United States. He worked as a mathematician and university teacher. His field was differential geometry.[6]

He was educated at Tsinghua University, the University of Hamburg, Nankai University, and the Science Faculty of Paris.[3] He was influenced by Élie Cartan. His employers included Princeton University (1943–1945), the University of Chicago (1949–1960), the University of California, Berkeley (1960–1979), and the University of Amsterdam (1967–1967).[3][7]

He held positions as director (1982–1984) and director (1985–1992).[8] His awards included the Guggenheim Fellowship, National Medal of Science, Great Cross of the National Order of Scientific Merit, Lobachevsky Prize, Wolf Prize in Mathematics, and The Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences.[9][10] He was married to Zheng Shining.[3] His religion was atheism.

He died on December 3, 2004, in Tianjin.[11][1][3][4][12][5] The cause of death was heart failure.

Shiing-Shen Chern

Summary

Shiing-Shen Chern is a human[1]. Born in Jiaxing[2], he… he died in Tianjin[3]. He worked as a mathematician[4] and university teacher[5]. He ranks in the top 0.7% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (981 views/month, #7,006 of 1,000,298).[6]

Key Facts

  • Shiing-Shen Chern's place of birth was Jiaxing[2].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern passed away in Tianjin[3].
  • Burial took place at tomb of Shiing-Shen Chern[7].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern was married to Zheng Shining[8].
  • A child of Shiing-Shen Chern was May Chu[9].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern held citizenship in People's Republic of China[10].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern held citizenship in United States[11].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern is identified as part of the Han Chinese people ethnic group[12].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern worked as a mathematician[4].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern's professions included university teacher[5].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern's field of work was differential geometry[13].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern's field of work was mathematics[14].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern's field of work was topology[15].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern held the position of director[16].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern held the position of director[17].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern was employed by Princeton University[18].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern was employed by University of California, Berkeley[19].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern was employed by University of Chicago[20].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern was employed by Peking University[21].
  • Among Shiing-Shen Chern's employers was Zhejiang University[22].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern was employed by University of Amsterdam[23].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern was educated at Tsinghua University[24].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern was educated at University of Hamburg[25].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern's education included a stint at Nankai University[26].
  • Shiing-Shen Chern's education included a stint at Science Faculty of Paris[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Shiing-Shen Chern's place of birth was Jiaxing[2]. He is identified as part of the Han Chinese people ethnic group[12].

Education

Educated at Tsinghua University[24], a public university[28], in People's Republic of China[29], founded in 1911[30], headquartered in Beijing[31]; University of Hamburg[25], a public university[32], in Germany[33], founded in 1919[34], headquartered in Hamburg[35]; Nankai University[26], a public research university[36], in People's Republic of China[37], founded in 1919[38]; and Science Faculty of Paris[27], a faculty[39], in France[40], founded in 1811[41]. Shiing-Shen Chern's doctoral advisor was Wilhelm Blaschke[42].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include mathematician[4] and university teacher[5]. Fields of work include differential geometry[13], a branch of mathematics[43]; mathematics[14], an academic discipline[44]; and topology[15], a branch of mathematics[45]. Employers include Princeton University[18], a private university[46], in United States[47], founded in 1746[48], headquartered in Princeton[49]; University of California, Berkeley[19], a public research university[50], in United States[51], founded in 1868[52], headquartered in Berkeley[53]; University of Chicago[20], a private university[54], in United States[55], founded in 1890[56], headquartered in Chicago[57]; Peking University[21], a public university[58], in People's Republic of China[59], founded in 1898[60]; Zhejiang University[22], a university[61], in People's Republic of China[62], founded in 1897[63]; and University of Amsterdam[23], a university[64], in Netherlands[65], founded in 1632[66], headquartered in Amsterdam[67]. Positions held include director[16], a profession[68]. Doctoral students include Shing-Tung Yau[69], Louis Auslander[70], Katsumi Nomizu[71], Manfredo do Carmo[72], Howard Garland[73], and Robert Brown Gardner[74].

Recognition

Awards received include Guggenheim Fellowship[75], National Medal of Science[76], Great Cross of the National Order of Scientific Merit[77], Lobachevsky Prize[78], Wolf Prize in Mathematics[79], and The Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences[80].

Personal Life

Shiing-Shen Chern was married to Zheng Shining[8]. A child of him was May Chu[9]. His religion is recorded as atheism[81].

Death and Burial

Shiing-Shen Chern died in Tianjin[3]. Burial took place at tomb of him[7].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Shiing-Shen Chern include Chern class[82], Chern–Simons form[83], Chern Medal[84], Chern–Weil homomorphism[85], Chern Institute of Mathematics[86], Chern Prize[87], and Shiing Shen Chern Mathematics Award[88].

Why It Matters

Shiing-Shen Chern ranks in the top 0.7% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (981 views/month, #7,006 of 1,000,298).[6] He has Wikipedia articles in 21 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[89] He is known by 33 alternative names across languages and contexts.[90]

He has been cited as an influence by Phillip Griffiths[91], a mathematician[92], b. 1938[93], of United States[94], awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship[95], specialised in mathematics[96].

He is credited with the discovery of Chern–Simons form[97], a mathematical concept[98]. Entities named for him include Chern class[82], Chern–Simons form[83], Chern Medal[84], Chern–Weil homomorphism[85], Chern Institute of Mathematics[86], and Chern Prize[87].

His notable doctoral advisees include Shing-Tung Yau[99], Manfredo do Carmo[100], Alan Weinstein[101], Katsumi Nomizu[102], Thomas Banchoff[103], and Shiu-Yuen Cheng[104].

FAQs

Where was Shiing-Shen Chern born?

Born in Jiaxing[2], Shiing-Shen Chern…

Where did Shiing-Shen Chern die?

Shiing-Shen Chern passed away in Tianjin[3].

Who was Shiing-Shen Chern married to?

Shiing-Shen Chern's spouses include Zheng Shining[8].

What did Shiing-Shen Chern do for work?

Shiing-Shen Chern worked as mathematician[4] and university teacher[5].

Where did Shiing-Shen Chern go to school?

Shiing-Shen Chern was educated at Tsinghua University[24], University of Hamburg[25], Nankai University[26], and Science Faculty of Paris[27].

What awards did Shiing-Shen Chern receive?

Honors received include Guggenheim Fellowship[75], National Medal of Science[76], Great Cross of the National Order of Scientific Merit[77], and Lobachevsky Prize[78].

Who did Shiing-Shen Chern influence?

Shiing-Shen Chern has been cited as an influence by Phillip Griffiths[91].

What did Shiing-Shen Chern discover?

Shiing-Shen Chern is credited as discoverer of Chern–Simons form[97].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  2. [3] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  3. [8] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  4. [10] ↑ . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  5. [11] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  6. [16] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  7. [17] ↑ . en.cim.nankai.edu.cn. en.cim.nankai.edu.cn. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  8. [9] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  9. [24] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  10. [25] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  11. [26] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  12. [27] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  13. [13] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  14. [14] ↑ . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  15. [15] ↑ . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  16. [4] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  17. [5] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  18. [18] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. ias.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  19. [19] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  20. [20] ↑ . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  21. [21] ↑ . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  22. [22] ↑ . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  23. [23] ↑ . Album Academicum. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  24. [7] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  25. [81] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  26. [75] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  27. [76] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  28. [77] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  29. [78] ↑ . medal.kpfu.ru. medal.kpfu.ru. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  30. [79] ↑ . Wolf Prize. Retrieved . wolffund.org.il. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  31. [80] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  32. [12] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  33. [42] ↑ . Mathematics Genealogy Project. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  34. [69] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  35. [70] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  36. [71] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  37. [72] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  38. [73] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  39. [74] ↑ . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [91] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [97] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [99] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [100] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [101] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [102] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [103] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [104] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [82] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [83] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [84] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [85] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [86] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [87] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [88] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [68] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [28] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [29] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [30] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [31] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [32] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [33] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [34] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [35] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [36] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [37] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [38] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [39] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [40] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [41] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [43] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [44] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [45] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [46] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [47] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [48] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [49] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [50] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [51] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [52] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [53] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [54] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [55] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [56] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [57] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [58] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [59] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [60] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [61] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [62] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  36. [63] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  37. [64] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  38. [65] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  39. [66] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  40. [67] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  41. [92] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  42. [93] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  43. [94] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  44. [95] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  45. [96] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  46. [98] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [6] ↑ . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [89] ↑ . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [90] ↑ . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

📑 Cite this page

Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Shiing-Shen Chern. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/shiing-shen-chern
MLA “Shiing-Shen Chern.” 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph, 4ort.xyz, 9 Oct. 2026, https://4ort.xyz/entity/shiing-shen-chern.
BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_shiing-shen-chern_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Shiing-Shen Chern}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/shiing-shen-chern}, note = {Accessed: 2026-10-09}}
LLM prompt According to 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph (aggregator of Wikidata, Wikipedia, and authoritative open-data sources): Shiing-Shen Chern — https://4ort.xyz/entity/shiing-shen-chern (retrieved 2026-10-09)

Canonical URL: https://4ort.xyz/entity/shiing-shen-chern · Last refreshed:

Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 1d ago · N509FZ · 2026-10-09 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Wikipedia languages → ['ar', 'arz', 'be', 'ca', 'de', 'el', 'en', 'eo', 'es', 'fa', 'fi', 'fr', 'he',
    Topic's main category → Q86594309
    Claims rich → —
    "/* wbsetclaim-create:2||1 */ [[Property:P910]]: [[Q86594309]]"
  2. 9w ago · Epìdosis · 2026-08-04 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Accademia nazionale dei lincei id → 501-chern-shiing-shen
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/45365|batch #45365]]: Update P14091 IDs"
  3. 18w ago · Bargioni · 2026-06-05 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Influenced by → Élie Cartan
    Member of → Royal Society, French Academy of Sciences, American Philosophical Society +7
    Sex or gender → male
    Academic thesis → Eine Invariantentheorie der Dreigewebe aus r- dimensionalen Mannigfaltigkeiten im R(sub)2r
    + 47 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/35232|batch #35232]]: add P1810 to P8034"
Live feed via Wikidata EventStreams. New edits appear within minutes of being made on Wikidata.