Liu Tungsheng and Andrei Dodonov

China and Russia are important loess countries. The Loess Plateau in China, about the size of France, is probably the most important and impressive accumulation of loess in the World. The enthusiasm and commitment of Russian loess scholars has contributed to the largest loess literature in the World- that in the Russian language.

We celebrate the lives of two loess scholars; one Russian and one Chinese. Andrei Dodonov of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Liu Tungsheng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, both contributing significantly to the development of loess science. Dodonov was a scholar in the tradition of V.A.Obruchev, an outward-looking, field-based scientist with a worldwide vision of loess stratigraphy. He was a follower and admirer of Obruchev and was co-author of a famous paper of appreciation. He saw the ideas and influence of Obruchev extending up into the present day. Dodonov looked towards Asia, as Obruchev did, and his lasting contribution to loess scholarship will lie in his work on loess stratigraphy in Central Asia.

Liu had an absolutely pivotal role in the development of loess science. He was responsible for an enormous shift in the direction and emphasis in loess research- this was not just the establishment of a new paradigm with the basic structure staying unchanged, but an entirely new direction with an entirely new set of objectives. When Liu stood up to give his paper at the Lublin Loess Symposium during the 6th INQUA Congress in 1961 the world of loess changed fundamentally. There have been paradigm shifts in the loess world; when we switched from the Lyellian lacustrine theory of deposit formation to the Richthofen idea of aeolian deposition- that was a paradigm shift; a new way of looking at things. Liu’s exposure of the complex Chinese stratigraphy was more like a leap on to a parallel road than a simple re-orientation of viewpoint.

Various ironies are visible. Soon after Liu revealed the wonders of the Chinese loess at the 6th INQUA Congress, the cultural revolution arrived and he was forced to go north to perform unconnected labours. A ten year gap appeared in Chinese loess investigations but once normality was restored vast efforts were made in China and it rapidly became a leader in loess research. The Loess Institute was opened in Xian, and there was a great celebration of loess at the 1991 INQUA Congress in Beijing. When Liu died in 2008 he was the most illustrious member of a large Chinese loess community. In Soviet times there was widespread loess research in Russia and in the other countries of the Soviet Union. Dodonov was part of this large effort but as the Soviet Union was dismantled enthusiasm for loess research diminished, and by the time of his death in 2008 Dodonov was a member of a very small band of committed scholars. Political vagaries had major effects on the lives and careers of our two loess heroes, but they each managed vast submissions to our collective scholarly well-being, and we recognise their great contributions. The loess community bids a dusty farewell.

Miriam Vriend and Endre Krolopp

The special issue of Quaternary International entitled The Second Loessfest (2009), (Volume 240, Issues 1-2, August 2011) is dedicated to our colleagues Miriam Vriend and Endre Krolopp who have left us forever;we mourn their passing butwewill always cherish the memory of their significant contributions to loess research.