For a while, I was very interested in the history of Zhejiang University moving west to Guizhou during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, collected a lot of materials and read them carefully. I believe that all people who know this history know that this history has left many touching stories, and even in the very dry literature, there are many tear-jerking "tear points". Judging from my feelings, the friendship between Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei, two scholars, is the most touching.
Wang Ganchang
The friendship between two outstanding people, pure spiritual integration, lasting and undisturbed, is enough to show the extraordinary character, superior wisdom, kindness and beautiful humanity of the person concerned, enough to touch and even purify the hearts of many people, such a friendship can be called a great friendship. The friendship between Wang Ganchang, the founder of China's two bombs, and Shu Xingbei, a famous physicist, is such a great friendship.
Beam Star North
It was a kind of "craftsman's stone axe" type of friendship
The "Zhuangzi Xu Wu Ghost" records that there was a person in Yingdu who painted white lime on the tip of his nose, the size of a fly's wings, and asked a stonemason surnamed Shi to cut off this small white spot with an axe. The stonemason waved his axe and slashed the white spot with ease, and the white ash on the tip of the nose was completely removed, but the nose was not injured at all, and the owner of the nose was indifferent and unconventional. Song Yuanjun knew about this and summoned the stonemason and said, "Can you try this for me?" The stonemason said: "I was indeed able to cut off the lime that was smeared on the tip of my nose, but my partner and my partner have been dead for a long time, and no one can show me my unique skills anymore." Zhuangzi used this story to compare his relationship with Keiko, saying that after Keiko died, there was no one to argue with (see page 441 of zhuangzi's complete translation, Guizhou People's Publishing House, 1991). The discussion and debate between Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei in the physics class of Zhejiang University has such characteristics.
At that time, the Department of Physics of Zhejiang University in order to guide students to study and think about problems in depth, specially opened a "physics discussion" class for teachers and students to interact and communicate, in addition to other teachers and students to make academic reports, mainly Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei two teachers made academic reports, the process of their report, in fact, the two of them and all the students jointly discuss or argue the process, the two protagonists No matter who takes the stage to give the lecture, the other person will definitely continue to "dismantle the stage" below, constantly ask questions and interject, question and raise the bar, Discussions are often turned into polemics, or quarrels, with two people shouting, red-faced and panting. The teachers fought inexorably on the stage, the students could participate at any time below, and finally the students who watched the battle had a deep understanding and deep understanding of the issues at issue. Their student, Xu Liangying, recalled:
At that time, Shu Xingbei "argued the most with Mr. Wang Ganchang, and the friendship between them was also the deepest." They are the same age, one is good at theoretical thinking, one is good at experimental exploration, their personalities are extremely cheerful and frank, and their thoughts are very active. Xu Liangying, who later became a researcher at the Institute of natural Science History of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, wrote: "Any student who has received the enlightenment of Mr. Shu's theory will experience the pleasure of sudden enlightenment when truly understanding the true meaning of a basic concept, and will also appreciate the power of rational thinking and the wonderful unity of nature." His inquisitive spirit of exploration and informal enlightenment education are the most valuable assets for young people who are interested in theoretical research. (Zhejiang University in Zunyi, p. 454, Zhejiang University Press, 1990)
Lee Jeong-do
Years later, many students still remember the controversy between Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei, writing articles to record these past events and emphasizing the impact on their learning research and lifelong achievements. Among them, the most touching are also the two people with the highest academic achievements among shu Xingbei and Wang Ganchang's students, one is the Nobel prize winner Li Zhengdao, and the other is Cheng Kaijia, the founder of China's two bombs. Cheng Kaijia was the only graduate student of Shu Xingbei when he moved west in Zhejiang University, and he even said: "Educators and scientists like Shu Xingbei who combine talent, talent and passion are rare in the Chinese scientific community, and his physical cultivation and depth of understanding of its connotation are rare in China." (See Liu Haijun: Shu Xingbei Archives, p. 28, Writers Publishing House, 2005) In fact, the praise for Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei also comes from foreign peers. In May 1937, the famous physicist Bohr came to China, and when he visited Zhejiang University, Shu Xingbei and Wang Ganchang were always accompanied, and they and Bohr also had an argument, so that later, whenever anyone who Chinese asked Bohr to help study abroad, he would reply: China has such a good physicist as Shu Xingbei and Wang Ganchang, why do you have to run outside to study physics? (See Liu Haijun, Shu Xingbei Archives, p. 38, Writers Publishing House, 2005)
Cheng Kaijia
Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei each have their own expertise, but whenever they have new topics and new insights, they explore and discuss together. Students or colleagues have questions or new discoveries, and Wang Ganchang always wants to lead them to Shu Xingbei to discuss. He often said: There are too many ideas for the Northern Ghost of shuxing, so go and ask him for it. Wang Ganchang also once said: "Shu Xingbei lectures do not use textbooks or write lecture notes, and often explain new concepts and principles in combination with the things encountered in daily life, and explain them very thoroughly, and the students love to listen to his lectures, which I cannot learn no matter what." (See Wang Ganchang: "Deeply Missing Your Friend Mr. Shu Xingbei", Hanjiang County CPPCC Compilation "Hanjiang Literature and History Materials", Vol. 6, page 1, compiled in September 1993) In 1988, when writing the preface to Shu Xingbei's book "Special Relativity", Wang Ganchang also said: "I came to Zhejiang University in 1936 and began to know Mr. Shu Xingbei. I admire his solid foundation in physics, his quick thinking, and his unique views on problems, so I often ask him for advice, which has benefited a lot. His teaching was very attractive and he was the most popular teacher in the physics department at that time. Shu Xingbei also praised Wang Ganchang to the students, saying: He has a lot of goods in his stomach, and you must keep an eye on it. The two physics masters constantly collided with each other to create sparks of wisdom, illuminating the direction of students' academic pursuits and enlightening their wisdom. Li Zhengdao said in a reminiscence article that in 1943, he took the national university unified admission examination in Guiyang and was admitted to the Chemical Engineering Department of Zhejiang University, when he was only 16 years old, Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei's discussion class made Li Zhengdao have a strong interest, and he decided to transfer from the Department of Chemical Engineering to the Department of Physics. At that time, like Li Zhengdao, he was attracted by the two teachers, and the number of students who transferred from other departments to the physics department was quite large, which made the physics department people who did not have many students prosper. On October 14, 1972, Li Zhengdao wrote in a letter to Shu Xingbei:
"It has been almost 28 years since I left Chongqing, and I have been remembering my husband's teachings when he was in Yongxing Meitan. The foundation of my physics was built in the first year of Zhejiang University, and the achievements since then have been attributed to mr. Wang's benefit. (Reprinted from page 336 of Shu Xingbei Archives, Writers Publishing House, 2005).
He said, "Recalling the days when I spent time with Teacher Shu in Meitan and Yongxing, I remembered his extraordinary scientific temperament and character, and I really had an indescribable feeling in my heart." This is a passage written by Li Zhengdao in 2004 when he wrote the preface to the book "Shu Xingbei Archives", and although he did not emphasize Wang Ganchang's influence, Li Zhengdao was well aware that this "scientific temperament" of Shu Xingbei was often presented in the confrontation with Wang Ganchang.
Born in Changshu, Jiangsu Province in 1907, Wang Ganchang was admitted to Tsinghua University in 1925, entered the Department of Physics the following year, studied under Ye Qisun and Wu Youxun, two masters of physics, in 1930 Wang Ganchang was admitted to the Jiangsu Provincial Government-funded postgraduate study abroad, came to the Radiation Physics Research Laboratory of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Chemistry of the University of Berlin, and his mentor was the outstanding physicist Materne, whom Einstein called "our Marie Curie". Unfortunately, it was inspired by Materne that Wang Ganchang proposed an idea to her that was rejected by Matene, and two years later another scientist published a research result that was exactly the same as Wang Ganchang's idea, and the physicist Chadwick won the 1935 Nobel Prize in Physics, which should have been Wang Ganchang's. During his work at Zhejiang University, Wang Ganchang's most important scientific research achievement" "Suggestions on Detecting Neutrinos", suffering from the fact that Zhejiang University was located in the Meitan Ravine at that time, he could not do this experiment himself, the paper was mailed to the United States for publication, and the American scientist Arun used Wang Ganchang's method to conduct experiments and achieved success. That is to say, although people are in the poor countryside and remote areas of China, they are still world-class as scientists.
Left three-way open armor
In contrast, Shu Xingbei is not a very "well-behaved" student, when he was a teenager in China short-term to attend Zhijiang University, Qilu University, in 1926 he was sent to study in the United States to study abroad after the appointment of classmates sent to the United States, has been in the United States, Britain, Germany some universities "study tour", only in the United Kingdom University of Edinburgh and the United States Massachusetts Institute of Technology master's degree, in other universities only short-term "rubbing" classes. This way of learning has achieved Shu Xingbei's extensive knowledge, and also made him accustomed to criticizing other people's arguments and challenging others' arguments, and at the same time, because of his superhuman understanding, he was able to form a fusion of professional knowledge and special theories that interested him under the inspiration of many good teachers. In the Western academic circles, there has always been a tradition of "I love my teacher, I love the truth more", coupled with Shu Xingbei's love of martial arts novels since childhood, the emotional style of chivalry such as hatred and happiness and revenge has also deeply affected Shu Xingbei. So when he challenged Wang Ganchang, both sides had enough knowledge, understanding, and the ability to respond quickly and kill back, as well as the ability to bear each other's painful hands, so a stonemason like a wind, a person like a white lime on the bridge of his nose, formed an interdependent "golden partner". Maybe with another person, this relationship may not be able to be established.
In fact, in the second half of 1952, shortly after Shu Xingbei arrived at Shandong University, professor Wang Zhuxi of Peking University gave an academic lecture at Shandong University, and he was "tested" by Shu Xingbei once, and the results were very unsatisfactory. Wang Zhuxi is a famous thermodynamicist, who studied turbulence theory with Zhou Peiyuan at tsinghua research institute in the 1930s, and later studied in the United Kingdom, where he studied under the famous Cambridge physicist Fowler and had close contacts with the famous physicist Dirac. After Wang Zhuxi returned to China at the age of 27 with a doctorate, he was immediately hired as a full professor by Southwest United University. In 1952, after the adjustment of the department, he became a professor in the Department of Physics of Peking University, and in 1955, the Chinese Academy of Sciences established the Faculty, and Wang Zhuxi was elected as a member of the Department of Catechism and Chemistry. Wang Zhuxi came to Shandong University to give a lecture, perhaps with a sense of superiority, and did not expect to encounter a "nemesis". After he spoke for about 50 minutes, the moderator asked if he wanted to take a break, but unexpectedly a gentleman went directly to the podium, propped his hands on the podium to face hundreds of teachers and students of Shandong University in the venue, and said: I need to interrupt, Mr. Wang's report is full of errors, he did not understand the nature of thermodynamics. This man picked up the chalk and crossed the formulas and concepts of Wang Zhuxi's densely written blackboard while explaining what was wrong. He is Beam Star North.
At that time, no one knew what was going on, the host did not have time to intervene, Wang Zhuxi stood awkwardly to the side, because he was talking endlessly, others could not interject if they wanted to, and Hua Gang, president of Shandong University, who was sitting in the first row of the bottom row to listen to the report, also listened to it. Until Shu Xingbei spoke for 40 minutes in one breath, Wang Zhuxi had been ignorant. I believe that Wang Zhuxi is by no means a person who does not have the strength to fight back, nor is it because Shu Xingbei appeared too suddenly and Wang Zhuxi was caught off guard, but he was not Wang Ganchang, and he could not become friends with Shu Xingbei. If he had immediately counterattacked and debated each other like Wang Ganchang, wouldn't he have staged a great drama and provided a chance to enjoy watching the battle for the mountain masters and students present, just as Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei often staged at Zhejiang University? I believe that afterwards Wang Zhuxi will also regret that he was unable to fight back at that time, and Shu Xingbei could not have no flaws, otherwise Wang Ganchang would have become Wang Zhuxi earlier.
Wang Zhuxi
Facts have proved that perhaps only Wang Ganchang can become the opponent of Shu Xingbei, and thus also become a lifelong confidant and friend, and achieve a great friendship.
A friendship of affection and suffering that has lasted for decades
It is difficult for scholars to maintain friendship after academic confrontation, because scholars will form a strong self-confidence and even conceit after studying for a long time, and it is rare for truly learned people not to be conceited, so once they lose the battle with others in public, it will become a great harm, so there will be the idiom of "literati are light" and the phenomenon described by this idiom. It is very rare for scholars like Wang Ganchang Shu Xingbei to genuinely feel sorry for each other after fighting and hurting each other.
After entering the new China, Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei actively interacted many times, but they never worked together, resulting in deplorable regrets.
The first opportunity was inadvertently missed by Shu Xingbei. In April 1950, at the invitation of Qian Sanqiang, Wang Ganchang went to Beijing as a researcher at the newly established Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and together with Wu Youxun, Qian Sanqiang, Peng Huanwu, He Zehui and others planned the construction of the Institute of Modern Physics (renamed the Institute of Physics in 1953). In 1951, Qian Sanqiang was appointed as the director, and Wang Ganchang and Peng Huanwu were appointed as deputy directors, because Qian Sanqiang had more part-time jobs, and in fact Wang Ganchang presided over the daily work. At this time, Wang Ganchang issued an invitation to Shu Xingbei and urged him to take up a post at the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. At that time, the department was adjusted, Zhejiang University only left one industrial university, and Shu Xingbei also received invitations from Shandong University, Fudan University, and Xiamen University. As a result, he chose Shandong University, which was then located in Qingdao. After going to Shandong University, due to many practical and historical reasons, Shu Xingbei became the object of transformation of the political movement, and basically all his time was spent on transformation. When the news of the successful detonation of China's first atomic bomb came in October 1964, Shu Xingbei cried. He knew that Wang Ganchang was participating in the development of the atomic bomb, and he should have worked with Wang Ganchang. If Shu Xingbei had not refused Wang Ganchang's invitation that year, it is likely that Shu Xingbei would have appeared on the list of the two bomb founders. His daughter Shu Meixin later recalled in an interview: "At that time, the whole city was shaking in an instant, and I was going to rush up the street to join the parade, but it was at this time that I heard my father's strange cry, which was short and dry, and the interval was very long, and when the strange sound sounded again, I realized that the sound was made by my father." When I recalled this voice countless times later, I realized that it was a desperate howl, and that only a hunted beast in the forest could make such a howl. Shu Meixin said, he shouted Wang Ganchang's name while crying. There is no turning back in life, and history cannot be assumed, but put yourself in the shoes of Shu Xingbei and think about it, while Shu Xingbei is happy for the country and Wang Ganchang, how sorry and sad he should feel for himself!
Mr. and Mrs. Shu Xingbei and their daughter Shu Meixin
Another opportunity was in 1956, when Shu Xingbei foresaw the prospects and potential of computer research and invited Wang Ganchang to develop a computer together, which received a positive response from Wang Ganchang. In the early 1950s, Shu Xingbei wrote to Wang Ganchang several times to discuss the prospects of computers, and he complained that Wang Ganchang did not include computers in the eleven priorities of the plan when he participated in the formulation of the first five-year plan of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He also wrote several reports to the party committee at Shandong University, but there was no response. On the occasion of the "XiaoyangChun" after the adjustment of the intellectual policy in 1956, Shu Xingbei revived the old matter and got consent, Shandong University decided to make him the leader of the computer research team, and also allocated a little money for the preparatory work. At the end of 1956, Chao Zhefu, vice governor of Shandong Province, went to Shandong University to investigate, and Shu Xingbei even persuaded him. After Vice Governor Chao returned home, he studied several times and formulated a work plan and specific measures. But before the anti-rightist movement could begin, the plan was put on hold forever.
Shu Xingbei was very serious at that time, he envisioned building a radio engineering enterprise in Qingdao, he wrote a letter to Tell Wang Ganchang about this idea, wang Ganchang immediately replied with support and said that he wanted to join. However, how much government support and help is needed to start a high-tech enterprise to succeed, such a thing requires time, energy and ability, and such a payment is not something that Shu Xingbei can afford. Unfortunately, the development of China's computer industry will take many years to have a chance.
Not only do careers and studies help each other, but also help each other in life is also an important part of friendship and friendship between people. Both Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei had helped each other do some touching things. In the autumn of 1937, on the way to the westward migration of Zhejiang University, Wang Ganchang was entrusted by Shu Xingbei to go to Shanghai alone to pick up Shu Yuexin, Shu Xingbei's 8-year-old son Shu Yuexin (who was living in Shanghai's grandmother's house at the time), wang Ganchang picked up Shu Yuexin, passed through Wenzhou, Lishui, Jinhua, Changsha, Xiangtan and other places, and went to Meitan, Guizhou, experiencing hardships. When he was bombarded by Japanese planes in Lishui, Wang Ganchang instinctively pounced on Xiao Yuexin's body and protected him. Shu Yuexin told the parents about this experience, and the family was infinitely grateful to Wang Ganchang. This matter was also mentioned by Wang Ganchang in the article "Deeply Missing His Friend Mr. Shu Xingbei", and he also stressed that "it can be seen how close the relationship between our two families is and how deep the feelings are." (Hanjiang County CPPCC Compilation "Hanjiang Literature and History Materials", Vol. 6, page 2, compiled and printed in September 1993)
Shu Xingbei also did a special thing. It was in Meitan, when Wang Ganchang's wife and children were in his hometown, and Shu Xingbei heard gossip that Wang Ganchang had a special relationship with a female teaching assistant in the chemistry department. When Shu Xingbei heard this, he neither sought wang Ganchang's confirmation nor greeted Wang Ganchang, but immediately took two students directly and went straight to Fengtangwan Village in Zhitang Town, Changshu, Jiangsu Province, Wang Ganchang's hometown, to pick up Wang Ganchang's wife Wu Yueqin and her children and return to Meitan, Guizhou. At that time, the traffic was extremely inconvenient, and it was a chaotic period of war, and this road had to take many days to reach. Many years later, Wu Yueqin told Shu Xingbei's daughter Shu Meixin about the past, and both of them couldn't help but shed tears.
Mr. and Mrs. Wang Ganchang
In the new China period, although Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei often exchanged letters, after all, they were far apart, and for other reasons, the two people often broke off contact. In March 1959, a research team led by Wang Ganchang and Soviet scientists in Moscow achieved breakthrough results, and the People's Daily publicly reported on the incident, bringing hope to Shu Xingbei, which was being transformed. He immediately wrote to the letter and made three demands: to publish a book, to transfer, and to give money, when Wang Ganchang, as a scientist, could not do the first two things, and could only help with economic help. From the beginning of receiving a letter from Shu Xingbei in 1960, Wang Ganchang sent 40 yuan a month to Shu Xingbei, without interruption, until Shu Xingbei took off his hat and came back. Shu Xingbei's family said that the postmark on the remittance slip is the 15th of each month, and the month is not bad! When Shu Xingbei was just introduced by the president of Shandong University Huagang, the salary was as high as 600 yuan per month, which was the highest income person in Shandong University at that time, because of political problems, the salary was reduced to 20 yuan per month, and the family life was very difficult. Wang Ganchang sent 40 yuan a month to Shu Xingbei, today's people seem to be a very small amount, people who have experienced that era will know, in fact, it is a lot of life-saving money, especially for people who are hungry for a long time, this is the purest and warmest human care, but also the touch and nourishment of the lonely and dead soul of Shu Xingbei...
Of course, the person who really helped Shu Xingbei through the difficulties was not Wang Ganchang, but their student Li Zhengdao. Liu Haijun's book "Shu Xingbei Archives" has a special section entitled "Li Zhengdao is coming". Li Zhengdao came, and the helping hand he extended was the hand of God, and it was the unexpected reward that Shu Xingbei obtained as a scientist and educator. In October 1972, The Chinese-American physicist Lee Jeong-do was invited to visit his ancestral country, a turning point in Shu Xingbei's fate. Li Zhengdao wrote in the Preface to the Shu Xingbei Archives:
On October 17, 1972, my first time back home after I went to the United States, the leaders of the country met with me at the Great Hall of the People. Premier Zhou Enlai hoped that I would do some work to solve the problem of the "disconnection" of educational talents, such as introducing some talented people from overseas to China to give lectures. I talked about some of my views, and I said that there is no shortage of talent and teachers in China who solve the fault problem, but they are not being used. For example, my teacher, Mr. Shu Xingbei. At that time, I didn't know where Teacher Shu Xingbei was and what he was doing, and I really wanted to see him. But in the end, it did not happen.
Zhou Enlai and Li Zhengdao
Although Lee Jeong-do was finally unable to meet his mentor, he did change his fate. Due to the influence from Li Zhengdao, the various hats on the north head of Shu Xing were gradually removed, and scientific research work was gradually restored. The arrival of Li Zhengdao inadvertently helped Shu Xingbei through the difficult years. In April 1980, Shu Xingbei finally met with his old friend Wang Ganchang again.
At that time, the Academic Conference on Nuclear Physics, High Energy Physics and Astrophysics was held in Qingdao, and Wang Ganchang came to Qingdao. He wrote to Shu Xingbei in advance to see it at home. Hearing this news, Shu Xingbei's family was very excited, because Wang Ganchang was not only Shu Xingbei's personal friend, but also the benefactor of the whole family!
Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei
However, a great friendship is great, completely different from ordinary friendship. The two people met, there was no greeting, no hand shook, as if the two people had never separated at all, and it seemed that they were next-door neighbors, just casually coming to visit the door. Wang Ganchang stayed at Shu Xingbei's house for one night, and the two did not mention the past, but just casually talked and laughed. However, when It was time for breakfast at Shu Xingbei's house, the "truth" of the two people was finally exposed. When Shu Meixin was cooking in the kitchen, she suddenly heard the roar of two people, Shu Xingbei suddenly roared loudly, followed by Wang Ganchang shouting loudly, Wang Ganchang's voice was thinner, but the frequency was very high. Shu Meixin quickly ran to the living room, only to see her father lock his eyebrows, his chest whistling and panting like a bellows, and Wang Ganchang twisted to the side of his face and blushed. Shu Meixin did not dare to ask about the elders, and quickly brought the meal to the table, and saw the two people talking and laughing again. After Wang Ganchang left, Shu Meixin asked her father what was going on, and Shu Xingbei smiled: It is still a matter of argument in Meitan. Before parting, Wang Ganchang shook Shu Xingbei's hand and said, "You are still the same as you are." Shu Xingbei replied, "People will not change." The meaning of this sentence is very rich in detail, but in fact, Shu Xingbei is not unchanged, he has changed a lot, but when he returns to the aura with Wang Ganchang, the two souls who have been running together for decades are still the same, and what has not really changed is their great friendship...
One friend is always a mirror of another friend
Things are clustered in groups, people are divided into groups, and Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei can form a deep friendship, which fundamentally lies in the similarities and similarities between the two people than the differences between the two people. Both men were outstanding scientists, and their love of science and scientific research was completely consistent and of equal proportion. Their remarkable sensitivity and understanding of science are very magical and radiant, and what they show each other and show the students together is the image of the top wise man. And what they see and feel in each other is largely their other self. This is the basis on which they build friendship at the highest level of humanity. Their meeting and friendship is a miracle in itself, a very fortunate thing, and especially for students like Li Zhengdao and Cheng Kaijia. At the pulpit of Zhejiang University in Yongxing and Meitan, in a certain sense, it can be said that without Wang Ganchang, there would be no Shu Xingbei, and there would be no Li Zhengdao and Cheng Kaijia and all their classmates. Some commentators believe that although Shu Xingbei is full of wisdom and understanding, he has not achieved any decent scientific research results as a scientist, and even since he has not achieved corresponding results, he does not have enough ability, so it is meaningless to assume that he must be how he is, and there is no need to raise his status in science. I don't quite agree with this. In fact, Li Zhengdao and Cheng Kaijia admitted that their success is attributed to Shu Xingbei, which is Shu Xingbei's unparalleled scientific achievements, and the value of this achievement is no less than the value of Wang Ganchang's personal achievement of the status of two bombs, and teaching and educating people is the process of teachers shaping the souls of students, if they are successful, it will definitely be a process that shocks people's hearts, and it will make people very excited and excited. In contrast, in fact, Wang Ganchang's achievements as a scientist and educator are inferior to Shu Xingbei's, just as Shu Xingbei's own scientific research achievements are inferior to Wang Ganchang's. When Shu Xingbei died in 1983, Wang Ganchang wrote a letter for him, and it can be said that his evaluation of Shu Xingbei was very accurate and had the nature of a coffin theory: "Brother Xingbei is talented and knowledgeable throughout the ages, and is cultivating talents and building many miracles for the country; he loves the party and the country, is enthusiastic about the public, and his sudden death in what period makes me cry with tears." Brother Wang Gan Chang Jing Bang". It seems that there is some sense of bureaucracy, but in fact, Wang Ganchang believes that Shu Xingbei has built a miracle for the country in cultivating talents, which is completely in line with reality, and the sudden and long death of such a Shu Xingbei not only makes Wang Ganchang burst into tears, but also makes all people with the same feelings as Wang Ganchang burst into tears. Wang Ganchang's evaluation is a full embodiment of Wang Ganchang's life as a confidant of Shu Xingbei.
At the same time, Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei, as mirrors of each other, also reflected each other's shortcomings. In a reply letter to Shu Xingbei in 1960, Wang Ganchang put forward the advice of an old friend on the basis of understanding The tragic situation of Shu Xingbei: "It must be completely reformed, otherwise it is impossible to contribute, and more seriously, it is impossible to adapt to the environment, and sometimes it is impossible to survive." Shu Xingbei was furious after receiving Wang Ganchang's letter, believing that Wang Ganchang's use of preaching to deal with him was an insult and contempt for him. In his reply, he attacked Wang Ganchang with a lot of disrespectful and emotional language, and finally resolutely proposed to cut off Wang Ganchang from then on.
It is not certain whether Wang Ganchang received the letter of renunciation, but it is clear that Wang Ganchang will not heed the impulsive remarks of his old friend. But these two letters present the personality characteristics of the two men very clearly. Imagine how sad and sad Wang Ganchang must have been when he learned that his old friend had been hurt because he could not control his words and deeds, and was close to the point of "not being able to survive", how sad, how sad, how sad, how angry he was! I believe that when he advised Shu Xingbei to change himself to adapt to the environment, he must have been angry, and he poked at Shu Xingbei's sore spot to the point. Shu Xingbei obviously thought that it was natural for him to be able to casually engage wang Ganchang when he was in Yongxing Meitan, but he did not realize at all that the appearance of a soul confidant like Wang Ganchang was extremely accidental, and that he could get such a friendship as Wang Ganchang was really a gift of fate. In particular, it was also the magnanimity of Principal Zhu Kezhen who tolerated him. Shu Xingbei's colleague Professor Tan Jiazhen once believed that Zhu Kezhen and Cai Yuanpei were the presidents of the two best universities in China, and that the best achievements of his life were achieved at Zhejiang University, which moved west. In fact, Beam Star North is really like this. Wang Ganchang's kind counsel as a best friend even made Shu Xingbei propose to break off friends, which further highlighted his overly emotional and emotional personality characteristics.
Zhu Kezhen is considered to be the president of the university with the same name as Cai Yuanpei
However, what is very intriguing is that one day in the 1990s, when Shu Xingbei's daughter Shu Meixin expressed in front of Wang Ganchang that she was sorry because her father was always arrogant, could not take the overall situation into account as his uncle, and said and acted decently, Wang Ganchang seriously criticized her: Don't say this about your father, he said what we wanted to say in our hearts, and did what we wanted to do but did not dare to do, which is the character of sincerity and integrity. (See Shu Meixin and Xu Shuitao, "Shu Xingbei's Family and Friends", No. 6, 2016, "Yanhuang Chunqiu") From Wang Ganchang's words, it can be seen that Shu Xingbei is not good at using Wang Ganchang's mirror to reflect his shortcomings and improve himself, while Wang Ganchang will, and Wang Ganchang will, and Wang Ganchang can find bright spots from Shu Xingbei's character flaws and give him enough respect and acceptance. This is an important reason why the great friendship between Wang Ganchang and Shu Xingbei has always existed. (The picture is from the Internet, and the infringement is deleted)