She was considered to win the Nobel Prize and said "I do" three times for her country

1964

Lop Nur in Xinjiang

China's first atomic bomb exploded successfully

People remember the stories of Qian Xuesen and Deng Jiaxian

But few people have heard of it.

There is such a wonderful woman behind this

Starting from scratch again and again

He has been hiding his identity for the country for more than 30 years

Shouldering the heavy trust of the motherland with "I am willing"

She is Wang Chengshu

Participated in the development of China's first atomic bomb

One of the few women

Theoretical founder of China's uranium isotope separation

1

“Rare talent”

1912

Wang Chengshu was born into a scholarly family in Shanghai.

When my peers were reciting poems and painting

She was immersed in

Inextricable in the fields of mathematics and physics

1930

Wang Chengshu was admitted to the Department of Physics of Yenching University

As the only woman in the class

She surpassed everyone else.

1934

Wang Chengshu graduated with the highest score in the department

And won the school's highest honor

Honorary degree of "Phitofi"

Two years later

He also received a master's degree from Yenching University

Here

She met her lifelong soulmate

——Zhang Wenyu

1941

Wang Chengshu wins the Balboa Scholarship

Her husband Zhang Wenyu quit his job in China

Accompany her to study in the United States

Wang Chengshu studied under

Professor Uhlenbeck, an internationally renowned physics professor

Began research on the kinetic theory of gas molecules

During the period of study in the United States

With strong mathematical talent

She proposed the "Wang Chengshu Uhlenbeck Equation"

Shocking the world

This view is still used today

The instructor commented that she is a "rare talent"

Wang Chengshu convinced the Western scientific community

As long as she can hold on

Will definitely win the Nobel Prize

But she gave up on this path.

Returned to the motherland in 1956

Came back with her

There are more than 300 packages

Books and Notes

2

“My career is in China”

Although Wang Chengshu was studying abroad

But my heart is with China

Always pay attention to the domestic situation

Eager to serve the motherland after graduation

1949: New China was founded

Wang Chengshu originally planned to marry her husband Zhang Wenyu

Return home immediately

But because of pregnancy

I had to postpone my return home.

Soon, the Korean War broke out

A large number of patriotic scientists

Persecuted by the US government

Loss of freedom under house arrest

This includes Wang Chengshu

1956

Wang Chengshu and Zhang Wenyu finally realized

The wish to return home

Wang Chengshu said with a firm look

“Although China is poor

Poor conditions for conducting scientific research

But I can't wait for others to create the conditions

I want to personally participate in creating the conditions

My career is in China

She firmly believes

Only the Communist Party can lead China to become strong

You have to do your part too!

She wrote in her diary

I will definitely put the interests of the party first.

Above personal interests

Do your best in any job

Complete any task assigned to me by the Party to the best of my ability

3

Three "I dos" in life

After returning home, she wrote in her notebook:

"October 6, 1956 is a day I will never forget.

On the border of my motherland after fifteen years of absence

The first time I saw the five-star red flag flying in the sky

I can't express my excitement.

I want to contribute to the country

I will do whatever the country needs.”

1958

my country plans to build a thermonuclear fusion laboratory

At that time, this technology was completely blank in the country.

This is also a strange field that Wang Chengshu has never touched before.

For her, who is 46 years old and already a professional

It is a huge test full of risks.

Facing Qian Sanqiang's invitation

Wang Chengshu said "I do" without hesitation

Qian Sanqiang and Wang Chengshu

With the development of the country's atomic bomb

Entering the critical period

Core fuel highly enriched uranium research

But progress is slow

March 1961

Qian Sanqiang found Wang Chengshu again

I hope she will be in charge of the research and development of highly enriched uranium

This time

Wang Chengshu once again said "I do!"

Wang Chengshu later said to others

At the age of nearly 50, it was not easy to change careers and do something I had no knowledge of. But thinking about it again, it was not easy for anyone to do it at that time, especially before I returned to China, I had made up my mind to obey the needs of the motherland and start from scratch.

“I changed my career and suffered less loss than others.

Since we are all starting from scratch

Why can’t I? I can do it too.”

Second choice

Still just three words "I do"

However, this choice means

She wants to remain anonymous from now on

Wang Chengshu bids farewell to her husband and children

Quietly arrived at China's first uranium enrichment plant

At the end of 1963, highly enriched uranium was put into production

my country's first atomic bomb is just around the corner

January 14, 1964

The factory successfully achieved

The first batch of qualified high enriched uranium products

For the atomic bomb explosion

Providing the most fundamental fuel guarantee

Thus, China became the fifth

Countries that have mastered the technology of developing highly enriched uranium

The time when Wang Chengshu led the team to deliver products

113 days ahead of schedule

October 16, 1964

China's first atomic bomb exploded successfully

Chinese

Finally I heard that loud noise from the east.

At this time, Wang Chengshu was facing

But continue to hide your identity

Conducting nuclear research

This is what Qian Sanqiang sent to her.

The third invitation

She said the third "I do" firmly

In the title page of her notebook

There is a yellowed note

It says

"Under any circumstances

Resolutely complete any task assigned to me by the Party

If necessary, I will sacrifice my own life.”

4

Dedicate my body and soul to the Party

Due to long-term labor

Wang Chengshu suffered from eye disease in his later years

But she said it was a waste

Refusing expensive imported medicines

Because of confidentiality

Wang Chengshu rarely appears in the public eye

When Wang Chengshu received the critical illness notice

She left a will

He took his life savings of 100,000 yuan

All the money will be donated to the "Hope Project"

Let children in poor areas go to school

And donated the body to the hospital for research

Books and notes left for research work

Before death

She wrote in a letter to her students:

"My life has been ordinary. I have just worked hard. As for contribution, who hasn't made a contribution? And making a contribution to the country is the duty of every citizen, let alone a Communist Party member.

I will dedicate my body and soul to the Party and fight to the end for communism and the glorious and great cause of liberating all mankind.

I do!

I do!

I do!

On the road to the rise of New China

There are countless unsung heroes like Wang Chengshu

Tribute to Wang Chengshu

Salute to the older generation of scientists!

Source: People's Daily, China Youth League Central Committee, CCTV News, China National Nuclear Corporation, Xinhuanet, etc.

Editors of this issue: Hu Chengyuan, Zhao Yajiao