In 1981, Xu Chenyang was born in a wealthy intellectual family, his father and mother were both high-level intellectuals, especially his father had high attainments in the field of mathematics. Under the influence of his father, Xu Chenyang showed an amazing talent for mathematics from an early age.
He always came out on top in his school's math exams and was consistently in the top three in his school.
Seeing that his son Xu Chenyang was so good, Xu's father decided to take him to participate in various Olympiad competitions to pave the way for his future development in the field of mathematics. Xu Chenyang did not show boredom, but took the initiative to study until late at night, and was full of perseverance and determination for those headache-inducing Olympiad problems.
Hard work pays off. Xu Chenyang's hard work finally paid off, and he won the National Mathematics Olympiad honorably. This achievement instantly attracted the attention of major well-known universities across the country, including Peking University.
In 1999, Xu Chenyang was just 18 years old, and like most of his peers, he was struggling for the college entrance examination, but at this time he received an olive branch from Peking University and became a member of that top university.
After stepping into the gate of Peking University, he did not become complacent because of this, but maintained a humble and diligent learning attitude and persevered in exploring the mysteries of mathematics.
In just half a year, Xu Chenyang's mathematical talent has impressed many professors at Peking University. They even promised that Xu Chenyang could choose any mathematics course at Peking University, and as long as he took enough credits, he could graduate and get an undergraduate degree from Peking University at any time.
In the face of this honor, Xu Chenyang became more and more diligent and worked hard, living a life of three points and one line: eating, studying, sleeping, just like that, he took only three years to complete enough credits, and obtained the undergraduate diploma of Peking University one year earlier than ordinary students, making Xu Chenyang a leader among his peers.
In the mathematics community of Peking University, Xu Chenyang, Yun Zhiwei, Zhang Wei, and Zhu Xinwen are known as the "Golden Generation", and they have all won the "New Vision Award in Mathematics", which fully demonstrates the extraordinary strength of Chinese students in the field of international mathematics.
After graduating from Peking University with a bachelor's degree, Xu Chenyang did not leave the campus, but chose to continue his graduate studies and explore the mysteries of mathematics with Peking University academician Tian Gang.
Xu Chenyang's diligence and ingenuity have been quickly rewarded on the road to a bright future. It took him just five years to earn his Ph.D. and postdoc degrees, an outstanding achievement that convinced those who had questioned him.
Xu Chenyang's outstanding performance not only won him respect, but also brought pride to the Chinese student community.
However, the other three members of the Golden Generation, Yun Zhiwei, Zhang Wei and Zhu Xinwen, chose to stay in the United States after completing their studies. This triggered Xu Chenyang's thinking, although his academic path was smooth, but his heart was always entangled in whether he should return to China to contribute his talents.
Just when Xu Chenyang was confused about this, a phone call from the motherland completely changed the trajectory of his life. This phone call deeply aroused his longing for the motherland, and also stimulated his enthusiasm to serve the motherland, which became an important turning point in his life.
In 2009, Xu Chenyang was making a name for himself in American academia, but at that time his alma mater called him, and he made a decision that surprised many.
Tian Gang, an academician of Peking University, cared for him lovingly: "Chenyang, how are you doing over there?" Are you planning to return to your home country to teach? If you want to return to China, then we will definitely be proud of you" These words touched Xu Chenyang's deep patriotic feelings, and he resolutely decided to give up the favorable conditions of the United States and voluntarily return to the country to teach.
Xu Chenyang's decision to return to China to teach has caused quite a stir in the American academic community. Many colleagues and friends expressed confusion about his decision, and some even bluntly said that it was irrational.
Some people joke that giving up a foreign country to teach back to China is like going to a remote village to teach, however, these doubts have not shaken Xu Chenyang's determination.
After re-encountering at Peking University, Xu Chenyang found that there were obvious deficiencies in the development of mathematics at his alma mater: the curriculum system was not perfect, and the teaching team was relatively weak. However, in the face of such a predicament, Xu Chenyang did not choose to retreat, but became more determined, committed to promoting the development of the mathematics major of Peking University, and had the courage to change the status quo.
With Xu Chenyang's ingenuity and unremitting efforts, he has achieved extraordinary achievements in the academic world. In just a few years, he has won a number of international awards, including the International Center for Theoretical Physics Award, the Young Science and Technology Award, and the Ramanujan Prize of the International Mathematical Union.
These honors are not only an affirmation of Xu Chenyang's personal ability, but also an international reputation for the Chinese mathematical community.
During his six years at Peking University, Xu Chenyang devoted himself to teaching and scientific research. He leads students to research a variety of mathematical topics and creates excellent mathematical talents. According to the official website of Peking University, Xu Chenyang has completed 30 high-level academic papers and built a large-scale mathematical research team at Peking University.
Xu Chenyang's dedication has been widely recognized and praised, and he has become the youngest outstanding male teacher at Peking University. Many people praised: "The world only says that gold is expensive, and I don't buy a teenager from Tiangong", which is used to describe Xu Chenyang's talent and contributions.
However, just when Xu Chenyang's career was in full swing, he once again ushered in an important choice in his life. In 2018, he made a shocking decision that changed his life path and provoked deep thinking about China's academic environment.
In 2018, Xu Chenyang made a shocking decision in the academic world: he left his teaching position at Peking University and became a mathematics teacher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. This news is like a bombshell, causing an uproar on the Internet.
Many people expressed incomprehension of Xu Chenyang's choice, and they questioned: "Why do you want to give up your superior position at Peking University?" "Is the moon really round abroad? For a while, there was a lot of discussion on the Internet, some people accused Xu Chenyang of "admiring foreigners", and some people thought that he had failed the cultivation of the motherland.
In the face of the flood of criticism, Xu Chenyang chose to remain silent, but he left three meaningful proverbs that aroused people's deep thought.
This sentence directly points to the long-standing disease of China's academic circles, and reveals the phenomenon that some researchers do not hesitate to deceive in order to publish papers and evaluate professional titles. It states in its first sentence that "academic fraud is too serious and too formalized." "
The second sentence: "In order to make a fortune, it is too profitable." Xu Chenyang pointed out that some scholars regard academic research as a tool for personal gain, ignoring the value and significance of academia itself.
The third sentence "domestic scientific research pays too much attention to qualifications and human feelings", which reveals the phenomenon of seniority in China's academic circles, and young scholars often find it difficult to get due attention and opportunities because of their lack of qualifications.
These three proverbs are like a mirror, revealing the deep-seated problems that exist in China's academic circles. Many scholars have expressed their agreement, believing that what Xu Chenyang said is exactly what they have wanted to say in their hearts for many years.
Xu Chenyang's decisions and remarks are both a reflection of his personal choices and an unspoken protest against the current state of China's academic environment. His departure has sparked reflection: what is the reason for a top talent like Xu Chenyang to choose to leave? What needs to be improved in our academic environment?
Although Xu Chenyang's choice has been controversial, the three proverbs he left behind have become an important catalyst for deep reflection and change in the Chinese academic community.
Xu Chenyang's three proverbs reveal the deep-seated problems existing in China's academic circles and have triggered extensive discussions and reflections. These problems seriously affect the quality of academic research and lead to the limited development of truly gifted scholars.
First, the problem of academic fraud and formalism is widespread. Many undergraduate theses have become a tool to cope with the intersection and lack substantial research value. What's even more worrying is that official data in 2022 showed that academic misconduct in 77 graduate students was detected in just half a year.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, the actual situation may be more serious, and there is even a bad phenomenon of tutors stealing students' research results, such as the patent of a non-invasive blood glucose detector designed by a student of Hubei University of Science and Technology was preemptively declared by the dean.
Second, the interest of academia has derailed many scientific research motivations. Many academics focus too much on how to earn titles and honors rather than on real academic exploration. This phenomenon is in stark contrast to the award system in the West.
For example, the selection process for the Nobel Prize is very strict and fair, and there is no need to declare, and it is completely based on the recommendation and selection of experts.
Finally, seniority and sophistication seriously affect academic fairness. Rao Yi, a professor at Peking University, once said frankly: "China's academic research has been messed up, and it is better to do a good job in the study of human feelings and sophistication."
"Young scholars are often asked to list their supervisors or senior colleagues as the first authors when publishing their research results, which greatly discourages them, and what is even more regrettable is that even scientists like Tu Youyou, who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine, could not be elected as academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences because they did not have a foreign background and did not have a doctorate.
The existence of these problems has seriously affected the overall level of China's academic community and the brain drain. Statistics show that from 1978 to 2018, nearly one million of the six million international students chose to stay abroad.
Xu Chenyang, as the epitome of this phenomenon, has also attracted attention.
These deep-seated academic dilemmas directly reflect the urgent need for reform of China's research environment. Only by confronting and solving these problems can we truly create a fair, just and vibrant academic environment that can attract and retain outstanding talents like Xu Chenyang.
In the 40 years from 1978 to 2018, there were nearly 6 million international students in the mainland, of which nearly 1 million chose to stay and work or live abroad.
Looking at the fate of the four members of the "golden generation" of Peking University from a deeper perspective, the seriousness of the problem can be seen even more. Among them, four mathematical geniuses Xu Chenyang, Yun Zhiwei, Zhang Wei, Zhu Xinwen,
In the end, Xu Chenyang was the only one who chose to return to China, but six years later he found that the living environment could not meet his expectations, so he chose to leave again. This begs the question: what is wrong with our academic environment?
In the face of the grim reality of brain drain, we need to deeply reflect on and actively improve the academic environment. We should strive to create a fair and just research atmosphere, so that every scholar can focus on academic research and not be bothered by various non-academic factors.
Thankfully, the mainland has recognized the importance of this issue and is improving the relevant institutions, but we still have work to do, and the road to reform is not all smooth sailing, and more needs to be done.
Although Xu Chenyang's experience is an individual case, it is like a mirror that allows us to see some of the problems that exist in the academic circles in the mainland. We need to think deeply about how we can retain talents and pave the way for the long-term development of scientific research.
We call on the academic community to get rid of bad habits and create a healthier academic environment. It is expected that more outstanding talents like Xu Chenyang will emerge to realize their personal ambitions in the motherland and contribute to the scientific and technological progress of the mainland.