Zhen Ning Yang: His 90th birthday is approaching, but he is disgusted by the gift given by Tsinghua University. Who looks down on whom?

China has been an emotional society from ancient times to the present, and I believe no one will deny it. Since it is a human society, reciprocity is unavoidable, and gift-giving has even become a culture in China. There is a clip in the high-scoring TV series "Yongzheng Dynasty". It tells the story of Nian Gengyao, who has just been promoted to the governor of Sichuan, and brings Sichuan local specialties to give gifts to the military minister Zhang Tingyu. The choice of gifts can be said to have profound meanings. Two The dialogue between the old foxes is very exciting. If you are interested, you can watch it and understand it by yourself. There were many things to pay attention to when giving gifts in ancient times, and they are no exception in contemporary society. If the gift is not given well, or if the gift is not what one wants, it will not only fail to communicate feelings, but will also lead to resentment and disgust from others. When Yang Zhenning, a leading figure in the field of physics, turned 90, the gift he sent from Tsinghua University was rejected by the old man, which made onlookers feel that it was vulgar. A well-known domestic university actually made a joke in the selection of gifts. It was really Don't you understand the ways of the world? Let’s see the editor explain slowly.

Academic leader in physics

Zhenning Yang, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, is also one of the first Chinese to win the Nobel Prize. The "parity non-conservation theory" he proposed overturned one of the central messages of physics: parity-conserving elementary particles behave exactly the same as their mirror images. When it comes to Yang Zhenning, what most impresses the Chinese people may not be this awkward academic theory, but his controversial marriage to Weng Fan. In 2004, 82-year-old Yang Zhenning married Weng Fan, a 28-year-old female translator at the time. This marriage caused an uproar at the time. Many people think that this marriage is obviously very utilitarian, but in the final analysis, no matter what the nature of this marriage is, it is a private matter between two people, and others have no right to criticize. Professor Yang Zhenning’s significant contribution to the development of physics in China and even China’s science and technology education cannot be concealed.

Yang Zhenning has always paid close attention to the development of science and technology in his motherland. During his stay in the United States, he wrote many times to advise the central government to pay more attention to cutting-edge subjects such as laser and computer technology. In 2003, Yang Zhenning returned to China after his retirement. In 2009, he settled at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He stood on the podium again and imparted his lifelong knowledge to students without reservation. In addition, Yang Zhenning relied on the network resources accumulated over the years to establish more than 60 physics research institutes in universities across the country, attracting huge research funds to Fudan, Tsinghua and other schools, and made outstanding contributions to the development of basic physics in China. . Now in his 90s, Yang Zhenning is still active in the front line of education and actively participates in social undertakings.

Birthday gift-giving controversy

June 30, 2012 is Yang Zhenning’s 90th birthday. 90 years old is called the "year of the turtle" in China. In China, where respect for the elderly is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, the birthdays of ordinary people are particularly grand, let alone Chen Ning Yang, an international physics leader? As the school, Tsinghua University may have put some thought into the selection of the gift. I don’t know which school leader made the decision, but a splendid “golden house” was presented to Yang Zhenning. Don't rush to scold Tsinghua University for being extravagant. This "gold house" is actually just a house model made of pure gold, but it is also valuable. The inexperienced editor really doesn't know what the meaning of giving a "gold house" is. I guess the leaders of Tsinghua University may think that only this heavy gold can represent the school's sincerity.

Since ancient times, literati have loved elegance and scorned yellow and white things. Most of the gifts among literati were calligraphy, painting, harp and harp. As an older generation of intellectuals, Yang Zhenning still has a scholarly temperament in his heart. When he saw this golden yellow and white thing, he already showed his displeasure. What do you mean by sending this lump of gold from Tsinghua University? Are you slapping a scholar in the face? Besides, the old man has many works and a reputation at home and abroad. Is he someone who is short of money? If you are short of money, will you be donated in real money? This is simply a personal insult to intellectuals! I originally wanted to show my face, but I didn't want to but was disappointed... Just imagine how red the leader who made the final decision to give the gold would turn red after learning about Yang Zhenning's attitude.

Tsinghua University responded quickly and quickly changed the gift. A black crystal handicraft engraved with "Eternal stories, knowing the gains and losses" was given to Yang Zhenning as a gift on the day of his birthday ceremony. Although the value is far less than that of the previous "golden house", the two sentences engraved on it really suit Yang Zhenning's heart. The first five words summarized the old man’s academic achievements, while the last five words expressed the school’s understanding of Yang Zhenning, who was in the whirlpool of online criticism at that time. Praising but not flattering, scientific and rational yet considerate, who wouldn’t like such a gift?

In the end, Yang Zhenning accepted the black crystal and the "gold house" together, which saved some face for Tsinghua University. A birthday party finally came to a happy ending for everyone.

The knowledge of gift giving

Gift giving is a science, and it is the most difficult knowledge to understand in social life but must be practiced regularly. Gift-giving is not just as simple as handing a gift to someone else. The choice of gift should match the personality, identity, and hobbies of the person to whom the gift is given. A light gift may be seen as contempt, while a heavy gift may be seen as a bribe. For example, if it's someone's 99th birthday, if you give them a calligraphy and painting saying "Long Live a Hundred Years Old" based on your conventional thinking, that would be to curse them to die next year. Although this metaphor seems to be a joke, it really expresses the true meaning of traditional Chinese gift-giving culture.

Looking back at the introduction, middle-aged Gengyao gave Zhang Tingyu gifts, including gastrodia elata, Shu brocade, citrus and folding fans. Citrus, Shu brocade, and gastrodia are all local specialties of Sichuan. Zhang Tingyu was given a taste of citrus. Gastrodia was used to replenish the body of the wife. Shu brocade is finely crafted and can be considered a valuable item. Otherwise, the gift would be too light. The folding fan is even more popular among literati. Gifts of elegance to each other. These gifts are not worth much if you add one piece to them. You have to accept them because of the sentiment and reason. The courtesy of scholars should not be regarded as bribes by your boss. This TV episode is the essence of Chinese gift-giving culture.

Conclusion

The reason why Tsinghua University, a well-known domestic university, can make such a joke is that domestic universities have become increasingly utilitarian and bureaucratic in recent years. The top management of the school has developed the concept of superiors and subordinates in the bureaucracy. They pay more attention to the gains in interests, but selectively forget about cultural literacy and literati character. From the perspective of people who only have interests in their eyes, this yellow and white thing of real gold and silver is naturally the best choice for a gift.