Ye Qisun (; July 16, 1898 – January 13, 1977), also named Ye Hongjuan (), was a Chinese physicist and one of the founders of modern
physics
Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...
in China.
Education
Ye's family had a very strong educational background. His great-grandfather served in a government office during the
Qing Dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...
and contributed official records for an edition of ''Shanghai History''. His grandfather Ye Jiazhen () worked in
The Imperial College. His father Ye Jingyun () was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations at the provincial level, and was designated as the headmaster of Jingye School (), as well as a Chinese professor at
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University (THU) is a public university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of China. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Constructio ...
and the chairman of the Shanghai Education Association.
In 1907, Ye attended Jingye School, where his father had served as headmaster. In 1911, he was admitted to Tsinghua University, graduating in 1918. He later traveled to America to study physics at the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...
and
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
. In 1923, he obtained his doctorate in physics at Harvard, under the supervision of
William Duane. Mr. Duane, Ye and H. Palmer successfully posted the academic article ''A re-measurement of the Radiation constant, ''h'', by means of X-Rays'' at
National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...
.
[ ]
After traveling to Europe, he became an associate professor of physics at the National Southeastern University in Nanjing (later
Nanjing University
Nanjing University (NJU) is a public university in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. It is affiliated and sponsored by the Ministry of Education. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Construction. The univers ...
) in April 1924.
[中国科技的基石——叶企孙和科学大师们 虞昊、黄延复著, Fudan University Press,2000年10月]
Teaching
Before Sino-Japanese War
In 1924, he became part of the faculty at
National Southeast University as an assistant professor and joined the Chinese Science Association. He was then recruited by
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University (THU) is a public university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of China. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Constructio ...
in 1925 and became a full professor in 1926. He brought his students
Chung-Yao Chao and
Ruwei Shi to the university.
In 1926, he founded the department of physics at Tsinghua and became its first chair. In 1929, the university created the school of science, and Ye became the dean as well as one of the seven core senior executive administrators of the university. From 1926 to 1937, he hired
Xiong Qinglai,
Wu Youxun,
Sa Bendong,
Zhang Zigao,
Huang Ziqing,
Zhou Peiyuan,
Chung-Yao Chao and
Ren Zhigong to be professors at Tsinghua,
agreeing to pay
Wu Youxun a higher salary than his own. Additionally, Ye supported
Xiong Qinglai's approval of
Hua Luogeng
Hua Luogeng or Hua Loo-Keng (; 12 November 1910 – 12 June 1985) was a Chinese mathematician and politician famous for his important contributions to number theory and for his role as the leader of mathematics research and education in the Peop ...
to teach at Tsinghua, despite the latter only having a middle school diploma. Later Ye recommended Hua to the
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
.
[最后的大师叶企孙:力排众议提携初中学历华罗庚](_blank)
/ref>
During WWII and the Chinese Civil War
During the Sino-Japanese War, Ye and his student Xiong Dazhen transferred assets from Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University (THU) is a public university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of China. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Constructio ...
to the National Southwestern Associated University. Ye was supposed to send Xiong to graduate schools in Germany, but Xiong insisted on joining the military in the effort against Japanese invasion. Consequently, Xiong joined the Jizhong Communist Anti-Japanese Areas, led by General Lü Zhengcao
Lü Zhengcao () (4 January 1904 – 13 October 2009) was a Chinese military officer. He was one of the original Jiang (rank), ''Shang Jiang'' of the People's Liberation Army.
Lü was born in Haicheng, Liaoning, Haicheng, in the province of Liao ...
. Xiong taught bomb technology and bought wireless utilities through Ye's network, significantly resolving the shortage of weapons suffered by the Eighth Route Army
The Eighth Route Army (), officially titled as the List of Army Groups of the National Revolutionary Army, 18th Group Army, was a Field army, group army nominally under the banner of the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) of the Republic of Ch ...
. Xiong later died in the Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led Nationalist government, government of the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Armed conflict continued intermitt ...
.
Ye went to National Southwestern Associated University to continue teaching physics as the chair of the university's department of physics. In 1946, he recommended Tsung-Dao Lee to study abroad in the United States, although Lee had not yet graduated. Lee subsequently won the Nobel Prize in Physics
The Nobel Prize in Physics () is an annual award given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for those who have made the most outstanding contributions to mankind in the field of physics. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the ...
in 1957.[最后的大师:叶企孙和他的时代 邢军纪著,北京十月文艺出版社,2010年7月]
After the founding of the People's Republic of China
In 1949, Ye came back to Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
after the Chinese Civil War. After three years he moved to teach at Peking University
Peking University (PKU) is a Public university, public Types of universities and colleges in China#By designated academic emphasis, university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of the Peop ...
. Ye was elected as a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS; ) is the national academy for natural sciences and the highest consultancy for science and technology of the People's Republic of China. It is the world's largest research organization, with 106 research i ...
in 1955. He was also a founder of the Chinese Physical Society
The Chinese Physical Society (CPS) is a professional society of physicists established in 1932. It is part of the China Association for Science and Technology. Current membership is at around 40,000. CPS has been a member of the International Un ...
.
Ye asked the government to clarify the death of Xiong Dazhen, foreshadowing the Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...
. During the Cultural Revolution, Lü Zhengcao
Lü Zhengcao () (4 January 1904 – 13 October 2009) was a Chinese military officer. He was one of the original Jiang (rank), ''Shang Jiang'' of the People's Liberation Army.
Lü was born in Haicheng, Liaoning, Haicheng, in the province of Liao ...
was persecuted. Ye was implicated in a case involving Xiong and was persecuted as well. Ye suffered from continued abuse and developed mental health issues. In 1969, he was released back to Peking University
Peking University (PKU) is a Public university, public Types of universities and colleges in China#By designated academic emphasis, university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of the Peop ...
, but was still isolated as "a suspect of a Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics agent".[叶企孙:中国高教史上的不朽传说](_blank)
/ref>
When his student Qian Sanqiang
Qian Sanqiang (; October 16, 1913 – June 28, 1992), also known as Tsien San-Tsiang, was a Chinese nuclear physics, nuclear physicist and among the leading scientists of the Two Bombs, One Satellite program. Due to his central role in the deve ...
met him and attempted to greet him, Ye asked his student to leave him to avoid potentially implicating Qian. Other than Qian, Zhao Yuanren, Ren Zhigong, Lin Jiaqiao, Dai Zhenduo, Chen Ning Yang requested visits with him, but received refusals from the government.
In 1975, his isolation was ended and his students Chen Daisun, Wu Youxun, Wang Zhuxi
Wang Zhuxi (Chinese character, Chinese: 王竹溪; Pinyin: ''Wáng Zhúxī''; June 7, 1911 - January 30, 1983), who had the given name Zhiqi () and the sobriquet Zhuxi, was a Chinese physicist, philologist, and writer.
Biography
Wang was born in G ...
and Qian Weichang were finally able to visit him. Ye died on January 13, 1977.
Awards
In 2000, the Chinese Physical Society
The Chinese Physical Society (CPS) is a professional society of physicists established in 1932. It is part of the China Association for Science and Technology. Current membership is at around 40,000. CPS has been a member of the International Un ...
established five prizes, namely the Hu Gangfu prize, Rao Yutai prize, Ye Qisun prize, Wu Youxun prize and Wang Ganchang prize in recognition of five pioneers of modern physics in China. The Ye Qisun Prize is awarded to physicists involved in Condensed matter physics
Condensed matter physics is the field of physics that deals with the macroscopic and microscopic physical properties of matter, especially the solid and liquid State of matter, phases, that arise from electromagnetic forces between atoms and elec ...
.
Contribution
Ye Qisun was a renowned Chinese physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...
and one of the founders of modern physics
Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...
in China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
.
Many famous scientists, such as Zhao Yuanren, Ren Zhigong, Lin Jiaqiao, Dai Zhenduo, Chen Ning Yang, Chen Daisui, Wu Youxun, Wang Zhuxi
Wang Zhuxi (Chinese character, Chinese: 王竹溪; Pinyin: ''Wáng Zhúxī''; June 7, 1911 - January 30, 1983), who had the given name Zhiqi () and the sobriquet Zhuxi, was a Chinese physicist, philologist, and writer.
Biography
Wang was born in G ...
, Tsung-Dao Lee, Qian Sanqiang
Qian Sanqiang (; October 16, 1913 – June 28, 1992), also known as Tsien San-Tsiang, was a Chinese nuclear physics, nuclear physicist and among the leading scientists of the Two Bombs, One Satellite program. Due to his central role in the deve ...
, Chien Wei-zang were his students. In 1999, Chinese government awarded 23 founding fathers of Chinese space program
The space program of the People's Republic of China is about the activities in outer space conducted and directed by the China, People's Republic of China. The roots of the Chinese space program trace back to the 1950s, when, with the help ...
as "Fathers of Two Bombs (atomic bomb
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear expl ...
and hydrogen bomb
A thermonuclear weapon, fusion weapon or hydrogen bomb (H-bomb) is a second-generation nuclear weapon design. Its greater sophistication affords it vastly greater destructive power than first-generation nuclear bombs, a more compact size, a lo ...
) and One Star (artificial satellite
A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scienti ...
)". Over half of them used to be his students; therefore, Ye was generally hailed as "the master of masters".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ye, Qisun
1977 deaths
1898 births
Educators from Shanghai
Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni
Members of Academia Sinica
Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Academic staff of the National Southwestern Associated University
Academic staff of Peking University
Physicists from Shanghai
Tsinghua University alumni
Academic staff of Tsinghua University
University of Chicago alumni
Victims of the Cultural Revolution