Prof. LEE Fung, Harry Associate Professor B.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. (HKU)
(852) 3943-8478 harrylee@cuhk.edu.hk





RESEARCH PROJECTS From Macro-general to Micro-contextual: Scaling Climate-conflict Nexus in Historical Agrarian China, Principal Investigator, General Research Fund, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 01/2016 – 06/2017, HK$ 343,512.
Climate Change, Population Growth, and Population Cycles in Historical Agrarian China: The influence of Spatial Scale and Regional Geographic Context, Principal Investigator, General Research Fund, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 01/2014 – 06/2016, HK$ 492,500.
The Causal Mechanism of Drought in Northwestern China over the Past Millennium, Principal Investigator, Early Career Scheme, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 01/2013 – 06/2015, HK$ 452,000.


SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Lee, H.F. (2018) Measuring the effect of climate change on wars in history. Asian Geographer. DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2018.1504807.
Lee, H.F. (2018) Internal wars in history: Triggered by natural disasters or socio-ecological catastrophes? The Holocene 28(7): 1071-1081.
Yue, R.P.H. and Lee, H.F. (2018) Pre-industrial plague transmission is mediated by the synergistic effect of temperature and aridity index. BMC Infectious Diseases 18: 134.
Pei, Q., Lee, H.F., and Zhang, D.D. (2018) Long-term association between climate change and agriculturalists’ migration in historical China. The Holocene 28(2): 208-216.
Yue, R.P.H. and Lee, H.F. (2018) Climate change and plague in European history. Science China Earth Sciences 61(2): 163-177.
余柏康，李峯 (2018) 欧洲历史中的气候变化与鼠疫. 中国科学：地球科学 48(2): 165-180.
Lee, H.F., Zhang, D.D., Pei, Q., Jia, X., and Yue, R.P.H. (2017) Quantitative analysis of the impact of droughts and floods on internal wars in China over the last 500 years. Science China Earth Sciences 60(12): 2078-2088.
李峯，章典，裴卿，贾鑫，余柏康 (2017) 中国近五百年旱涝灾害与内乱之关系的定量分析. 中国科学：地球科学 47(12): 1395-1405.
Chen, Y., Lee H.F., Wang, K., Pei, Q., and Zou, J. (2017) Synergy between virtual local air pollutants and greenhouse gases emissions embodied in China’s international trade. Journal of Resources and Ecology 8(6): 571-583.
Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., Li, J., and Lee, H.F. (2017) Proxy-based Northern Hemisphere temperature reconstruction for the mid-to-late Holocene. Theoretical and Applied Climatology 130(3-4): 1043-1053.
Yue, R.P.H., Lee, H.F., and Connor Y.H. Wu (2017) Trade routes and plague transmission in pre-industrial Europe. Scientific Reports 7: 12973.
Zhao, Y., Jia, X., Lee, H.F., Zhao, H., Cai, S., and Huang, X. (2017) Relationship between ancient bridges and population dynamics in the lower Yangtze River Basin, China. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0182560.
Jia, X., Lee, H.F., Cui, M., Liu, C., Zeng, L., Yue, R.P.H., Zhao, Y., and Lu, H. (2017) Habitat variability and ethnic diversity in northern Tibetan Plateau. Scientific Reports 7: 918.
Yue, R.P.H., Lee, H.F., and Hart, M.A. (2017) Perceptions of visibility degradation in Hong Kong. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 60(6): 1073-1091.
Li, J., Dodson, J., Yan, H., Zhang, D.D., Zhang, X., Xu, Q., Lee, H.F., Pei, Q., Cheng, B., Li, C., Ni, J., Sun, A., Lu, F., and Zong, Y. (2017) Quantifying climatic variability in monsoonal northern China over the last 2200 years and its role in driving Chinese dynastic changes. Quaternary Science Reviews 159: 35-46.
Lee, H.F., Fei, J., Chan, C.Y.S., Pei, Q., Jia, X., and Yue, R.P.H. (2017) Climate change and epidemics in Chinese history: A multi-scalar analysis. Social Science & Medicine 174: 53-63.
Jia, X., Yi, S., Sun, Y., Wu, S., Lee, H.F., Wang, L., and Lu, H. (2017) Spatial and temporal variations in prehistoric human settlement and their influencing factors on the south bank of the Xar Maron River, Northeastern China. Frontiers of Earth Science 11(1): 137-147.
Shi, J., Li, J., Zhang, D.D., Zheng, J., Shi, S., Ge, Q., Lee, H.F., Zhao, Y., Zhang, J., and Lu, H. (2017) Two centuries of April-July temperature change in eastern China and its influence on grain productivity. Science Bulletin 62(1): 40-45.
Jia, X., Lee, H.F., Zhang, W., Wang, L., Sun, Y., Zhao, Z., Yi, S., Huang, W., and Lu, H. (2016) Human-environment interactions within the West Liao River Basin in Northeastern China during the Holocene Optimum. Quaternary International 426: 10-17.
Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., and Lee, H.F. (2016) Contextualizing human migration in different agro-ecological zones in ancient China. Quaternary International 426: 65-74.
Lee, H.F., Zhang, D.D., Pei, Q., Jia, X., and Yue, R.P.H. (2016) Demographic impact of climate change on northwestern China in the late imperial era. Quaternary International 425: 237-247.
Yue, R.P.H., Lee, H.F., and Connor Y.H. Wu (2016) Navigable rivers facilitated the spread and recurrence of plague in pre-industrial Europe. Scientific Reports 6: 34867. London: Nature Publishing Group.
Lee, H.F., Zhang, D.D., Pei, Q., and Fei, J. (2016) Downscaling and disaggregating NAO-conflict nexus in pre-industrial Europe. Chinese Geographical Science 26(5): 609-622.
Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., Lee, H.F., and Li, G. (2016) Crop management as an agricultural adaptation to climate change in early modern era: A comparative study of Eastern and Western Europe. Agriculture 6(3): 29.
Yue, R.P.H., Lee, H.F., and Hart, M.A. (2016) The human dimension of visibility degradation in a compact city. Natural Hazards 82(3): 1683-1702.
Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., Li, G., Forêt, P., and Lee, H.F. (2016) Temperature and precipitation effects on agrarian economy in late imperial China. Environmental Research Letters 11(6): 064008.
Jia, X., Sun, Y., Wang, L., Sun, W., Zhao, Z., Lee, H.F., Huang, W., Wu, S., and Lu, H. (2016) The transition of human subsistence strategies in relation to climate change during the Bronze Age in the West Liao River Basin, Northeast China. The Holocene 26(5): 781-789.
Jia, X., Dong, G., Wang, L., Ma, M., Lee, H.F., Zhang, Z., and Chen, F. (2016) How humans inhabited the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau during the Little Ice Age: A case study at Hualong County, Qinghai Province, China. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 7: 27-36.
Fei, J., Zhang, D.D., and Lee, H.F. (2016) 1600 AD Huaynaputina eruption (Peru), abrupt cooling, and epidemics in China and Korea. Advances in Meteorology 2016(2016): 3217038.
Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., and Lee, H.F. (2015) Evaluating the effectiveness of agricultural adaptation to climate change in preindustrial society. Asian Geographer 32(2): 85-98.
Lee, H.F., Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., and Choi, K.P.K. (2015) Quantifying the intra-regional precipitation variability in northwestern China over the past 1,400 years. PLoS ONE 10(7): e0131693.
Lee, H.F., Zhang, D.D., and Pei, Q. (2015) Reconstruction of the geographic extent of drought anomalies in northwestern China over the last 539 years and its teleconnection with the Pacific Ocean. The Holocene 25(8): 1271-1284.
Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., Li, G., and Lee, H.F. (2015) Climate change and the macroeconomic structure in pre-industrial Europe: New evidence from wavelet analysis. PLoS ONE 10(6): e0126480.
Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., Li, G., Winterhalder, B., and Lee, H.F. (2015) Epidemics in Ming and Qing China: Impacts of changes in climate and economic well-being. Social Science & Medicine 136-137: 73-80.
Lee, H.F., Zhang, D.D., Brecke, P., and Pei, Q. (2015) Regional geographic factors mediate the climate-war relationship in Europe. British Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 2(1): 1-28.
Zhang, D.D., Pei, Q., Lee, H.F., Zhang, J., Chang, C.Q., Li, B., Li, J., and Zhang, X. (2015) The pulse of imperial China: A quantitative analysis of long-term geopolitical cycle and climate change. Global Ecology and Biogeography 24(1): 87-96.
Lee, H.F. (2014) Climate-induced agricultural shrinkage and overpopulation in late imperial China. Climate Research 59(3): 229-242.
Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., Lee, H.F., and Li, G.D. (2014) Climate change and macro-economic cycles in pre-industrial Europe. PLoS ONE 9(2): e88155.
Pei, Q., Zhang, D.D., Li, G.D., and Lee, H. (2013) Short- and long-term impacts of climate variations on the agrarian economy in pre-industrial Europe. Climate Research 56(2): 169-180.
Lee, H.F., Zhang, D.D., Brecke, P., and Fei, J. (2013) Positive correlation between the North Atlantic Oscillation and violent conflicts in Europe. Climate Research 56(1): 1-10.
Lee, H.F. and Zhang, D.D. (2013) A tale of two population crises in recent Chinese history. Climatic Change 116(2): 285-308.
Fei, J., Zhang, D.D., Lee, H.F., and Hou, Y.J. (2012) Extreme dust storm disaster in northern China in AD 1523. Asian Geographer 29(2): 77-87.
Lee, H.F. and Zhang, D.D. (2012) Temperature change and natural disasters in northwestern China. Asian Geographer 29(2): 89-108.
Kwong, K.H., Chung, V.W.K., and Lee, H.F. (2012) The longitudinal assessment of preventive measures and policies for earthquake disasters in China. Asian Geographer 29(2): 109-120.
Lee, E.K.S., Fok, L., and Lee, H.F. (2012) An evaluation of Hong Kong’s tropical cyclone warning system. Asian Geographer 29(2): 131-144.
Zhang, D.D., Lee, H.F., Wang, C., Li, B., Pei, Q., Zhang, J., and An, Y. (2011) The causality analysis of climate change and large-scale human crisis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108(42): 17296-17301.
Lee, H.F. and Zhang, D.D. (2011) Relationship between NAO and drought disasters in northwestern China in the last millennium. Journal of Arid Environments 75(11): 1114-1120.
Zhang, D.D., Lee, H.F., Wang, C., Li, B., Zhang, J., Pei, Q., and Chen, J. (2011) Climate change and large scale human population collapses in the pre-industrial era. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20(4): 520-531.
Lee, H.F. and Zhang, D.D. (2010) Changes in climate and secular population cycles in China, 1000 CE to 1911. Climate Research 42(3): 235-246.
Lee, H.F. and Zhang, D.D. (2010) Natural disasters in northwestern China, AD1270 – 1949. Climate Research 41(3): 245-257.
Lee, H.F., Fok, L., and Zhang, D.D. (2009) Time lag in the climate change, war, and population relationship: A quantitative analysis. Asian Geographer 26(1-2): 83-94.
Lee, H.F., Zhang, D.D., and Fok, L. (2009) Temperature, aridity thresholds, and population growth dynamics in China over the last millennium. Climate Research 39(2): 131-147.
Lee, H.F., Fok, L., and Zhang, D.D. (2008) Climatic change and Chinese population growth dynamics over the last millennium. Climatic Change 88(2): 131-156.
Lee, H.F. and Zhang, D.D. (2008) Perceiving the environment from the lay perspective in desertified areas, northern China. Environmental Management 41(2): 168-182.
Zhang, D.D., Brecke, P., Lee, H.F., He, Y.Q., and Zhang, J. (2007) Global climate change, war, and population decline in recent human history. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 104(49): 19214-19219.
Zhang, D.D., Zhang, J., Lee, H.F., and He, Y.Q. (2007) Climate change and the war frequency in eastern China over the last millennium. Human Ecology 35(4): 403-414.
Zhang, D.D., Jim, C.Y., Lin, G.C.S., He, Y.Q., Wang, J.J., and Lee, H.F. (2006) Climate change, wars and dynastic cycles in China over the last millennium. Climatic Change 76(3-4): 459-477.
Lee, H.F. and Zhang, D.D. (2005) Perceiving land-degrading activities from the lay perspective in northern China. Environmental Management 36(5): 711-725.
Zhang, D., Jim, C.Y., Lin, C.S., He, Y.Q., and Lee, F. (2005) Climate change, social unrest and dynastic transition in ancient China. Chinese Science Bulletin 50(2): 137-144.
章典，詹志勇，林初升，何元庆， 李峰(2004) 气候变化与中国的战争、社会动乱和朝代变迁. 科学通报49(23): 2468-2474.
Lee, H.F. and Zhang, D.D. (2004) Perceiving desertification from the lay perspective in northern China. Land Degradation & Development 15(6): 529-542.



Teaching Fields

Human geography
Climate-man relationship
Sustainable development

Research interests

Socio-economic and demographic impacts of climate change in global history
Underlying mechanisms of natural disasters in historical China
Historical epidemiology in China and Europe
Environmental problems and issues of sustainable development in contemporary China and Hong Kong


Services/ Posts

Member, Staff-Student Consultative Committee, GRM
Member, Admissions and School Partnership Committee, GRM
Member, Green Committee, GRM





SUGGESTED RESEARCH TOPICS FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS Climate-human interactions
Social resilience to climate change
Global sustainability