Wang Chengshu: As long as the motherland needs, "I will"

Wang Chengshu, originally from Hubei, was born in Shanghai in June 1912. He is a theoretical physicist, nuclear physicist, engineering physicist, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, outstanding Communist Party member, and founder of my country's uranium isotope separation theory. In 1936, Wang Chengshu graduated from the Department of Physics of Yanjing University with a master's degree. In 1941, he entered the University of Michigan and received his doctor's degree in 1944. After graduation, he was successively employed as an associate researcher and researcher of the University of Michigan and worked at Princeton Advanced Institute twice. After returning to China in 1956, he served as a researcher and deputy director of the theoretical research office of the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, served as a researcher and deputy director of the Uranium Isotope Separation Research Office of the Institute of Atomic Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, engaged in the development of China's first atomic bomb highly enriched uranium charge; in 1964, he was a researcher and deputy director of the 605th Institute of North China, and a large gas diffuser. In 1973, he was a researcher at the Third Research Institute of the Second Ministry of Machinery Industry; in 1978, he was elected as a member of the Department of the Department of Mathematics and Physics.
In the movie "My Motherland and Me", actor Zhang Yi presents a "silent" encounter: an introverted boy risks nuclear radiation to become a "retrograde"; he meets his girlfriend on a bus and refuses to recognize each other because of the high degree of secrecy at work. The silence of this role was for the loud noise on October 16, 1964. An extremely spectacular mushroom cloud rose in the vast Gobi Desert. China's first atomic bomb exploded successfully. This loud noise shocked the world. Behind this "atomic bomb" is the silent contribution of many unsung heroes on the scientific and technological front. This includes one of the heroines who moved Zhang Yi most-Wang Chengshu.
It's not that I don't love the generous life in the United States, but that I love my motherland more.
On June 26, 1912, Wang Chengshu was born in a scholarly house in Shanghai. Wang Chengshu's name is taken from Shangshu. She has been intelligent since she was a child, and her main interests are in mathematics and physics. Her mathematics scores are almost always the top. In 1930, 18-year-old Wang Chengshu was admitted to the Physics Department of Yenching University. During her years at Yenching University, as the only girl in her class, her grades have always topped the list in the department. In 1941, Wang Chengshu won the Balbo Scholarship in the United States. At that time, the University of Michigan had never accepted married women. Because of Wang Chengshu's excellence, professors at the University of Michigan made an exception and admitted her. She and her teacher, the international physics authority Uhlenbeck, conducted theoretical research on gas transport, and in 1951 put forward a point of view that would later be called the "Wang Chengshu-Uhlenbeck equation". Once published, it caused a sensation in the world physics community and is still used today. Uhlenbeck has repeatedly praised her as an "amazing talent". In 1980, Uhlenbeck published an article in the yearbook of fluid mechanics, reviewing and highly appraising his and Wang Chengshu's research during this period. With the discovery of "Zhang's atom", Wang Chengshu's husband, Zhang Wenyu, has also made great scientific achievements. According to the law of the United States, he can apply for American citizenship after living in the United States for five consecutive years. However, Wang Chengshu and her husband are not willing to join the United States. They are ready to return home at any time and serve the motherland.
The birth of New China strongly aroused Wang Chengshu's pure heart to serve the motherland. Although China is poor and the conditions for scientific research are poor, she firmly stated: Conditions are created by people, and I can no longer wait for others to create conditions., I want to participate in the ranks of creating conditions and paving the way. Wang Chengshu convinced the western scientific community that if she continues to study in the United States, she is likely to win the Nobel Prize in the future! Before returning to China, Wang Chengshu and his wife were very rich in material life because they had made great achievements in physics. Decent work, generous treatment, happy family ...... For most women, should be satisfied with this state of life. Wang Chengshu later recalled: At the beginning, it was not that I did not love the generous life in the United States, but that I loved my motherland more.
Wang Chengshu's patriotic spirit is not only reflected in his duty for the country, but also in his duty for the country. Zhuge Fu, a student of Wang Chengshu, mentioned in an article that in 1974, one of the key components of a large diffuser, the dynamic seal, passed a single test with good performance. The main leaders of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense and the Second Machinery Department came to the Institute to hold a meeting to discuss the issue of finalization. At the meeting, the reporter exaggerated the results of the dynamic seal and believed that it could be finalized. The higher authorities were very happy and the meeting showed an atmosphere that could be finalized. Although scientific and technical personnel have different opinions, they have no chance to speak and dare not speak. At this time, Wang Cheng took the attitude of seeking truth from facts and being responsible for the country, and boldly raised objections. She asked her superiors to give another half a year to make an expanded test on the short cascade. Wang Chengshu's opinion was reasonable and was praised by the participants and the higher authorities. Facts have proved that after many expanded tests, the dynamic seal does not have the conditions for industrial production. Wang Chengshu used his scientific spirit and sense of responsibility to avoid losses caused by mistakes in decision-making for the country. Gong Yuzhi once preached in the article "On the Spirit of Science" that if it is summarized in the most concise language and in the language most familiar to the largest number of people in our country, then it should be said that the most fundamental aspect of the spirit of science is to seek truth from facts. There is a phenomenon in the scientific community: in the evaluation of various projects, few people criticize them. Even if they think the project is very bad, they always don't talk. In view of this phenomenon, what Wang Chengshu has done is a mirror, and patriotism is sometimes reflected in whether everyone dares to seek truth from facts in their own jobs.
"I do." "I do." "I do"
After returning to China, Wang Chengshu wrote in his notes: October 6, 1956 was an unforgettable day for me. On the border of the motherland after 15 years of separation, I saw the five-star red flag flying in the air for the first time. I was so excited that I wanted to contribute to the country. I would do whatever the country needed. In 1958, my country was preparing to build a thermonuclear fusion research laboratory. The organization hoped to transfer Wang Chengshu to take charge. This field was still a blank in the country at the time, and it was also an unfamiliar field she had never touched. For Wang Chengshu, who was 46 years old, her major has been finalized., Is a huge test full of risks. In the face of Qian Sanqiang's invitation, Wang Chengshu said without hesitation: "I do". This choice is also a very important turning point for Wang Chengshu personally. If she accepts this task, it means that she will live separately from her 8-year-old son and can only see his son on weekends. For a mother, there must be no. But she made it clear that no one has ever done this job and it is not easy for anyone to do it. Other people's work has been on track, but also with young comrades, only I just returned to work, or I do, the least impact on the work. After taking over the work, Wang Chengshu immediately led some comrades to the Soviet Union to study. After the study, she translated all the materials she brought back into Chinese and published them soon. After two years of hard work, Wang Chengshu led a theoretical team to fill the gap in my country's thermonuclear fusion theory and laid a solid foundation for my country's controlled thermonuclear fusion and plasma research.
Just as Wang Chengshu was preparing to conduct deeper research in the field of thermonuclear fusion, a sudden situation not only made her start from scratch again, but also made her completely "disappear" from the international physics field. At that time, our country's production of enriched uranium, which is the core technology for making atomic bombs, was in trouble. Faced with this situation, in March 1961, Qian Sanqiang found Wang Chengshu again: Comrade Chengshu, now the country needs you to change your career again, this matter should be kept absolutely confidential, do you think? Wang Chengshu said calmly: "I do", she said these three words without thinking. This choice means that she will give up all her previous achievements in the field of physics and remain anonymous. Qian Sanqiang stressed to Wang Chengshu that even her husband Zhang Wenyu could not tell the matter, and that he might have to be separated from his family for a long time, and that he might have to remain anonymous for a lifetime. Wang Chengshu said silently: It doesn't matter.
Zhang Aiping, then deputy chief of general staff, once made a survey at the uranium enrichment plant. When he asked if he was sure to produce qualified products on time, he turned his attention to Wang Chengshu. wang chengshu answered firmly: yes. Zhang Aiping asked again, what is the basis. Wang Chengshu replied: The theoretical calculations and experiments we have done at the Institute of Atomic Energy have proved that we can ensure that qualified products are produced on time. She said: in my promise, in addition to the promise of the child can not be fulfilled, the other can be fulfilled. This is a word!
After Wang Chengshu and his colleagues completed the task of loading China's first atomic bomb ahead of schedule, the superior leaders spoke highly of it. Wang Chengshu only said one sentence: this is all the credit of everyone. On April 12, 1964, Deng Xiaoping and Peng Zhen visited the uranium enrichment plant. Among the accompanying personnel, Deng Xiaoping recognized Wang Chengshu at a glance. He said: I have seen you! In 1959, you wore a big red flower on your chest and participated in the National Group of Heroes. From then on, you went incognito and disappeared. Even your husband Zhang Wenyu could not find you. After the successful explosion of China's first atomic bomb, Qian Sanqiang issued a third invitation to her, hoping that she would continue to engage in nuclear research incognito. Wang Chengshu replied firmly again: "I do".
On National Day in 1966, Wang Chengshu, as a scientific and technological worker with important contributions, was invited to the Tiananmen Gate Tower to watch the ceremony. When Nie Rongzhen introduced Wang Chengshu to Mao Zedong, she said that she had made a great contribution to the loading of my country's first atomic bomb. After hearing this, Mao Zedong said happily: "This is the first female hero of China's atomic bomb explosion."
It is the duty of every citizen to contribute to the country, let alone a member of the Communist Party.
Wang Chengshu said in the readme of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: "my student days were at a time when China was oppressed by imperialism outside China and ruled by warlords and reactionary governments. Due to dissatisfaction with the situation at that time, I developed a strong nationalist thought and sense of justice." It is precisely because he felt the pain of the skin that Wang Chengshu highly recognized the Communist Party of China, which saved the people from the fire and water. she said with emotion: "if it were not for the founding of new china, I probably would not have come back. my wish is to join the cpc." In 1961, Wang Chengshu joined the Communist Party of China as he wished. In the title page of her notes, there was a yellow note, which read: under any conditions, I should resolutely and best fulfill any task assigned to me by the party, and sacrifice my life when necessary. From the day she joined the party, she took out 200 yuan from her salary of more than 280 yuan to pay party dues, and part of the remaining 80 yuan was also used to subsidize academic activities and people with living difficulties. The comrades of the party committee advised her: "Mr. Wang, you can't pay like this, you still have to live." Wang Chengshu shook his head: Since I joined the Party, I will contribute to the Party. I don't need so much money, and the country doesn't need to give me so much money. In 1992, Wang Chengshu's husband Zhang Wenyu died of overwork. She donated more than 100,000 yuan of Zhang Wenyu's life savings to the "Hope Project" and built a "Wenyu Primary School" in Sakya County, Xigaze, Tibet ". I went to the Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry to interview Wang Chengshu's students. They said that during the three-year difficult period, Wang Chengshu bought them notebooks and pens with wages. Wang Chengshu is extremely generous to the motherland and the people, but he is very stingy to himself. She suffered from cataracts in her later years. The doctor advised her to take 10 injections of imported drugs. When she heard that each drug was 600 yuan, she said humorously: Look, are my eyes worth 6000 yuan?
On October 6, 1986, Wang Chengshu held a small family banquet to commemorate the 30th anniversary of their family's return to China. She said something: Now some people abandon the motherland, some people go abroad to study and don't want to come back, but I want to commemorate me. The day when I returned home. Some people say that China is poor and there are no conditions for science. In fact, when we came back, we did not know that the conditions were even worse. After 30 years, I can console myself with the fact that my choice is right and my career is in the motherland. On June 18, 1994, Wang Chengshu passed away. Mr. Yang Zhenning sent a message of condolence: "It is painful to hear that Mr. Wang Chengshu has passed away due to illness. Mr. Wang is an excellent physicist and has made great contributions to the education, scientific research and national defense of the motherland. Her dedication and attitude in life are our role models." Wang Chengshu once wrote in his letter to the students: My whole life is plain, I just work steadily, as for contribution, who has not contributed? And it is the duty of every citizen to contribute to the country, let alone a member of the Communist Party. Wang Chengshu left a will and gave all his personal books and scientific and technological materials to the Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry. About 100000 yuan's accumulated deposits were once again donated to Project Hope. Another zero deposit of 7222.88 yuan was given to the organization as the last party membership fee. We can rarely read Wang Chengshu's personal words, but she wrote an essay "in memory of the beloved Premier Zhou". She has great respect for Premier Zhou, and she, like Premier Zhou, really did her best to die.
In order to write this article, I went to the place where Wang Chengshu worked before his death, which is located in the Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry in Tianjin. On the first floor of the main building, a white statue of Wang Chengshu is in the middle. From a narrow elevator to the fourth floor, a simple office, I seem to be back in the 1980 s and 1990 s, where time seems to have pressed the pause button. The propaganda minister of the Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry asked me how I felt about the Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry. I blurted out two words: simplicity. Wang Chengshu has been dead for 28 years, and the Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry still maintains this simplicity. Today's nuclear industry people may no longer have to stage a "silent encounter" with their loved ones, but it is still an unknown job, and some tasks need to be separated from their families for a long time and kept secret from them. "Do earth-shattering things and be anonymous." In the continuous struggle of the nuclear industry, we have seen the shadow of Wang Chengshu......

Source: Learning Times