Chinese State Councilor Chen Zhili on Thursday visited renowned scholars Ji Xianlin and Zhang Guangdou ahead of the Spring Festival, Chinese Lunar New Year.

Chen extended New Year greetings to Ji and Zhang, and to all those engaged in education nationwide.

During their talk, Chen heard suggestions from the two scholars on the development of education, and thanked them for their outstanding contribution to the country's education.

Ji Xianlin, born in 1911, is a famous Chinese linguist, sanskritist and literary translator. He is now an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor of Beijing University.

Ji has contributed significantly to the research on ancient Indian aboriginal languages form, primeval Buddhist languages and Sanskritic literature. He also translated numerous special works on ancient Indian languages and primeval Buddhist tongue, as well as foreign essays.

Zhang Guangdou, born in 1912, is a specialist in water conservancy and hydroelectric engineering. He guided the construction of a few hydropower stations in China and was engaged in teaching and research of water conservancy and hydroelectric engineering for about 60 years.

Zhang is now an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering.

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2006)