"The classmates beside me fell, their blood splashing onto my clothes."
On March 12, 1926, Japanese warships intruded into China's inland waters and were resisted by Chinese troops stationed at Dagu. Eight nations, including Britain, the United States, and Japan, seized upon the so-called "Dagu Incident" to issue an ultimatum to the Chinese government. Teachers and students from Beijing universities were outraged, gathering four to five thousand people for a protest march. However, the traitorous Duan Qirui government ordered troops to open fire, killing a group of petitioning students in front of the Executive Government building. Wang Ganchang looked up and saw his classmates from the Women's Normal School lying dead in a heap; he himself was covered in blood. His classmate Wei Jiesan was shot dead by fully armed military police. Wang Ganchang angrily asked, "As a patriotic student, what should I do now? Where should I pour my passionate blood?"
That night, having narrowly escaped death, Wang Ganchang went with several classmates to Professor Ye Qisun's house to recount the Tiananmen massacre earlier that day. When Wang described how "the classmate beside me fell, and their blood splashed onto my clothes," Professor Ye Qisun stared at him intensely, asking sternly, "Who told you to go? Do you understand your mission? Why does a nation, why does a people, get beaten? Why are we backward? Do you understand? If our country were as strong as the great Tang Empire, who in this world would dare bully us? For a nation, just like for an individual, the law of the jungle—'the strong prey on the weak'—is an eternal truth. The only way for our nation to avoid humiliation by foreigners is through science! Science, only science, can save our nation!" Upon finishing, Professor Ye Qisun burst into tears, overcome with emotion.
Wang Ganchang was deeply moved by his teacher's heartfelt words. He profoundly understood the inseparable connection between patriotism and science, recognizing it as the most important thing in his life. His mentor's words determined the course of his entire life. From then on, he secretly resolved: to dedicate himself to science, and take the path of saving the nation through science!
To his German professor, he said, "In times of national crisis, I must return!"
Childhood left no happy memories for Wang Ganchang. When he was four, his father passed away suddenly. At thirteen, his mother fell seriously ill and died. After both parents died, his grandmother arranged a marriage for him early on. The bride was Wu Yueqin, a daughter from a wealthy family in a neighboring village, three years older than Wang Ganchang, educated in a private school, well-mannered and cultured—a match deemed suitable. Wang Ganchang dared not refuse and obediently followed his grandmother's wishes. After marrying into the Wang family, Wu Yueqin adhered strictly to propriety, meticulously managing household affairs and caring for her husband with utmost attention. Before he went to bed, she brought him heated water to wash his feet; after he woke up, she served him breakfast she had made herself; she personally sewed and laundered his clothes, providing light garments for summer and padded ones for winter. Gradually, Wu Yueqin's silent, loving warmth melted her husband's heart, and they slowly grew closer.
After completing elementary school in his hometown, Wang Ganchang went to Shanghai for middle school. After the May Fourth Movement, slogans like "oppose arranged marriages" and "strive for marriage freedom" resounded loudly. Wang Ganchang was deeply shaken. He felt he had made a mistake, becoming a victim of feudal ethics. He dared not mention to his classmates that he was already married, nor could he discuss the New Culture Movement in front of his grandmother or wife. Contradictions and confusion overwhelmed him.
After four years of hard study, Wang Ganchang was admitted to Tsinghua University. During winter break, he returned home for the New Year. As soon as he entered the house, his wife excitedly rushed over, holding their newborn daughter, and said to him, "You're so learned, please name the child!" "A child? Whose child?" Wang Ganchang was completely unprepared for this sudden surprise. He wasn't ready mentally to be a father. His career and ideals were at Tsinghua; he wanted to struggle alongside other ambitious youth for the rise and rejuvenation of China. How could he fulfill lofty ambitions burdened so early by marriage and children? Throughout the entire winter break, he was deeply remorseful yet unable to escape the whirlpool of love. When it was time to leave, his wife packed his luggage as usual, repeating her familiar words: "Go ahead, don't worry about things at home."
After graduating from university, without consulting his family, Wang Ganchang secured a government scholarship to pursue graduate studies in Germany. Almost no one in his family supported or approved. During his four years at university, his wife had given birth to three children. Who would care for these infants still in swaddling clothes? Could he face his wife and children with a clear conscience? Looking at his lively, adorable children and his wife, whose heart was heavy with sorrow, Wang Ganchang hesitated and wavered. Wu Yueqin, showing remarkable understanding, expressed her stance clearly: "Ganchang, the opportunity to study abroad is rare. Whether to go or stay is your choice. My child and I won't hold you back. I only want to say one thing: never forget the child in the future..." "No, including you, I will never forget!" This was the promise Wang Ganchang made to his wife.
In the blink of an eye, more than ten years passed, and Wang Ganchang became a renowned scientist. But what did it mean to be a husband? What did it mean to be a father? Facing his wife and children, he felt deep guilt.
In the autumn of 1930, Wang Ganchang arrived in Germany to study at the University of Berlin. At that time, Germany was in a period of post-war development, the most active era for modern physics. Nuclear and particle physics experienced rapid advancement, widely recognized as the golden age of physics. Wang Ganchang's advisor, Lise Meitner, was a famous experimental physicist whom Einstein praised as having "greater talent than Marie Curie."
Wang Ganchang spent four years at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry at the University of Berlin. These four years, free from distractions, were dedicated to intense study, placing him at the forefront of global science. In April 1934, Wang Ganchang returned to his heavily burdened homeland with the prestigious title of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Berlin. From 1934 until the national liberation in 1949, Wang Ganchang taught successively at Shandong University and Zhejiang University. It was a chaotic and war-torn era, marked by the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan and the Third Domestic Revolutionary War. Wang Ganchang's family endured the hardships of displacement and upheaval. Now a professor with a stable job and income, he brought his wife and children to live with him, finally able to enjoy the happiness of family life.
In 1937, amidst the pain of war, his fourth child was born. Recalling that time, he感慨said, "I wasn't home for the births of the first three children, didn't even name them. This time I stayed by my wife's side, watching her give birth, and only then realized how difficult and painful childbirth truly is." After the child was born, he named him "Deji," praising his wife's greatness—"her virtue is as solid as a foundation."
In 1940, Zhejiang University relocated to Zunyi, Guizhou. Wang Ganchang's youngest daughter, Wang Zunming, was born here. With no fixed residence and barely enough food, the baby was weaned immediately after birth. At the time, the school was located in a mountain hollow. Wang Ganchang bought a small lamb, taking it with him to class every day, and then herding it on the mountains after school. A renowned professor using the hand that held a teaching rod to wield a shepherd's crook sounded almost absurd, but this arduous period earned him the affectionate nickname "the Shepherd Professor." In such circumstances, though sometimes struggling for livelihood and sometimes disturbed by war, Wang Ganchang never forgot his career and aspirations. Using his extraordinary wisdom and talent, he nurtured a large number of scientists, including Li Zhengdao, who later won the Nobel Prize.
The birth of New China brought Wang Ganchang a glimmer of hope. No longer would he be displaced or separated from his family. Just as he settled down to focus on teaching and research, a single official order transferred him to Beijing. Shortly after the peaceful liberation of Beiping, the new government, with strategic foresight, decided to establish the Chinese Academy of Sciences and initiate nuclear science research. At that time, there was a severe shortage of talent, with only a handful of people in China engaged in atomic science. Wang Ganchang was naturally one of its pillars. In February 1950, Guo Moruo, in his capacity as President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, invited Wang Ganchang to work at the Academy. Wang Ganchang came alone to Beijing. At the CAS, he met accomplished scientists like Qian Sanqiang and Yan Jici. Together, they established research directions in key fields such as theoretical physics, nuclear physics, cosmic rays, and radiochemistry, laying a monumental foundation for the development of nuclear physics in China.
In 1956, Wang Ganchang was sent by the state to work at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Soviet Union. Soon after his departure, the unexpected arrival of his wife and children brought him a delightful surprise. "Yueqin, how did you come?" "Didn't expect it, did you?" His wife answered with a question. Indeed, Wang Ganchang hadn't expected it; it was Premier Zhou Enlai's arrangement. "Chinese experts working in the Soviet Union are the backbone and elite of our nation's strength. We must ensure they can concentrate fully on scientific research, and their lives must be properly arranged. This is a political task." This was the Premier's directive. The Premier of a vast nation, busy with countless state affairs, did not forget to care about the personal lives of a few experts abroad. Wang Ganchang was deeply moved. This special care ignited Wang Ganchang's creative passion. Soon after, together with Zhou Guangzhao, Ding Dazhao, and others, he completed a discovery that shocked the world—the anti-sigma minus hyperon. This great achievement earned him the National Natural Science First Prize.
Wang Ganchang's mysterious "disappearance" puzzled not only foreigners but also his own family. It wasn't until more than ten years later that his wife learned of her husband's "secret."
Just as scientists at Dubna were celebrating the great discovery of the "anti-sigma minus hyperon," Wang Ganchang quietly left Dubna and returned to his homeland.
"Mr. Wang, this time we've called you back for a more important task: to participate in and lead the development of the atomic bomb." Liu Jie, Minister of the Second Ministry of Machine Industry, spoke directly. "Chairman Mao and the Central Committee have made the decision—we must develop our own atomic bomb. Some people are trying to pressure us; we must prove ourselves by creating our own 'face-saving bomb!'"
Are we really going to build an atomic bomb? Hearing the minister's words, Wang Ganchang was deeply excited. He was grateful for the minister's trust and recognition and eagerly anticipated the chance to contribute.
"Chairman Mao has named the atomic bomb project the 'Project 596.' It is the nation's highest secret, absolutely confidential to the outside world. From now on, you must live under a false name for a long time, cutting off all contact and relations with overseas. Can you do it?" Minister Liu waited earnestly for an answer.
"I can!" Wang Ganchang made a solemn, weighty promise.
"You are a famous scientist at home and abroad. For work purposes, you need a pseudonym. Think about what name would be suitable."
"Just call me Wang Jing, the 'Jing' from Beijing." Wang Ganchang blurted out. "Good, comrade Wang Jing, let us wait for your good news!" Their two hands clasped tightly together. In that moment, Wang Ganchang felt a profound sense of trust, expectation, and support.
After returning from accepting the mission, Wang Ganchang suddenly remembered that his wife and children were still in Dubna. They didn't know he had taken on a new, irrevocable task and could never return to the Soviet Union.
After returning from the Soviet Union, his wife's first impression was that her husband had changed—so much so that he seemed like a different person, even strange to his own family. He frequently traveled on business, spoke little when home, and most incomprehensibly, had actually changed his name. "Why did you change your name?" his wife asked. "Work necessity," Wang Ganchang replied. "What kind of work is so secretive?" "An absolutely secret task, not even family members can know." Knowing her husband was doing something significant, his wife never asked again. Later, for work needs, Wang Ganchang went alone to an unknown place in the Gobi Desert of western China, dedicating himself to his atomic bomb research. He remained there for over a decade, until years later when China's first atomic bomb successfully exploded.
His wife knew her husband was doing great things, but the children did not. The father worked far away for years; when he rarely came home, he was like a wooden man, speaking very little. He had no time to consider his children's careers or their thoughts. He missed the wedding of each of his three daughters, leaving the children resentful. Fortunately, the children were diligent and capable—all five were admitted to university.
On Wang Ganchang's 90th birthday, his prized student, Dr. Li Zhengdao, came specially from the United States to celebrate. Dr. Li asked him what he was most satisfied with in life. Wang Ganchang replied that he was most satisfied with two things: one was his wife and children, and the other was his research achievement in nuclear fusion. Although his wife had little formal education, she successfully raised all five children to become university graduates—an indispensable contribution.
One day in August 1997, Wang Ganchang, after his usual dinner, was taking a walk by the roadside when he was knocked down by a reckless young cyclist. Suffering a femoral neck fracture, he was rushed to the hospital. Just as he was able to walk without crutches, his wife Wu Yueqin was hospitalized. Wang Ganchang, still not fully recovered, frequently visited his ailing wife. Six months later, his beloved wife passed away. Overwhelmed with grief, Wang Ganchang attended her funeral in a wheelchair. Another six months later, on December 10, 1998, Wang Ganchang followed his wife, with whom he had shared 78 years of life, without regret, leaving behind for the world a magnificent classic of century-long love.