You must have a scientist you admire. Tell his story in his own language and write an award-winning speech for him that touched China.

Tan, male, 1909, from Ningbo, Zhejiang. As one of the founders of modern genetics in China, he brought the word "gene" into Chinese and created several firsts: the first genetics major in China, the first genetics research institute in China and the first life science academy in China.

On the morning of June 1 65438+1October12008, Tan, a centenarian, passed away. This edition selects an article published on the eve of Tan Lao's centenary birthday as a memorial.

He, a young scholar, traveled across oceans and became a proud disciple of Morgan, the founder of modern genetics.

He devoted himself to his motherland, but at the age of 30, he resolutely returned to China to teach and brought the word "gene" into Chinese. In his prime, he founded the first genetics major in China.

He insisted on the truth, bravely climbed the peak of science, and devoted his life to the cause of modern genetics in China from scratch, from weak to strong. Nine years ago, an asteroid with international number 3542 was named after him.

Tan, an outstanding scientist, educator and social activist, celebrated his centenary birthday on September 6, 2005.

"Morgan, China", nicknamed Ping.

When Mr. Tan entered the ward where he was recuperating in East China Hospital, the old man was taking a nap, and several visiting students stood quietly by the door, unwilling to disturb him. Looking up, the bright "100" has been spelled out with red buttons outside the window, and the big "one hundred years of life" on the white wall is particularly eye-catching. Talking about his wife, Dr. Qiu said that he had asked him before: "Are you happy on your birthday?" The old gentleman, who is inconvenient to talk because of physical reasons, gently shook her hand, smiled and blinked: "He means thank you."

On the pillow, the old man leaned his head to the left and fell asleep quietly. In the wrinkles around his eyes and cheeks, there are many regrets about faith and persistence in truth.

At the beginning of 1950, Nurijin, deputy director of the Institute of Genetics of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, came to China and strongly recommended the "Michulin-lysenko" theory, confusing politics with natural science. He made 76 speeches and held 28 symposiums, with more than 65,438+10,000 participants, aiming at suppressing Morgan's theory which was proved to be correct by experiments. After Nuriding arrived in Shanghai, he named to "debate" with Tan Jiazhen, a "China Morgan". Under the great political pressure at that time, Tan did not flinch from the "big brother Soviet Union". He made a special trip from Hangzhou to Shanghai to "fight" and let the other side get a rebuff with strong arguments.

It is difficult to have eggs under heavy pressure. At that time, Mendel Morgan's theory was labeled as "reactionary bourgeois idealism", "pseudoscience" and "agnosticism" and was criticized. Tan was the first to be criticized again and again, ordered to check again and again, and even deprived of the right to teach genetics. It was not until the policy of "letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend" was put forward that he regained the opportunity to explore in the ocean of science. 196 1 year, Tan was appointed as the vice president of Fudan University by the Premier, with Chen Wangdao as the principal. At the end of this year, Fudan University established the Institute of Genetics, with Tan as its director, which is a zero breakthrough for domestic universities in this project. After the establishment of the Institute of Genetics, it began to carry out in-depth and detailed research in the fields of animal and human genetics, plant genetics and evolutionary genetics, microbial genetics and biochemical genetics. As a foreign friend said at that time: "Geneticists in New China are catching up!"

During the Cultural Revolution, a "farmer scientist" in Sichuan claimed that colored cotton was planted by painting cotton seeds with pigment before planting. The ruling propaganda team went to ask Tan Xin if he believed it. Of course, the purpose of asking questions is not to solicit Tan's expert opinions, but to force him to show his position as "the authority of bourgeois reactionary genetics", that is, to recognize and prove the "fearless revolutionary pioneering work" of this "farmer scientist" who successfully cultivated colored cotton. Unexpectedly, Tan replied, "I have never seen this kind of colored cotton." Anyone who knows the background of that era knows that under the high-pressure politics at that time, for Tan, who has been criticized for six years, such contradictions mean what kind of life and death risks he is taking. Speaking of the past, Tan said with emotion: "At that time, if I wanted to engage in political speculation, it was an opportunity. But I am a scientist, and the most important virtue is seeking truth, and I can't tell lies. How can I fool around with them! "

Few people know that this geneticist, known as "China Morgan", has such a nickname as "stubbornness" and "stubbornness".

"I have no money in my life, and wealth is a student."

In the ward, I happened to meet Mr. Tan's third son, who had just returned from America to celebrate his birthday. While tidying up his coat soaked by heavy rain, he talked about his father's past ... What impressed him most was his friendliness to students. "In my memory, my father treated his students like family. He never hides his secrets in imparting knowledge. He also arranged a' task' for his mother-helping the big boy who can't take care of himself to wash clothes and socks, introducing the object to the students and holding the red line. "

"I have no money in my life, and if I have money, I will be a student", which is Tan's expectation for himself. "The purpose of my life is to let students surpass me and get better from generation to generation." In 2005, Tan Lao wrote a letter to alumni at home and abroad for the centenary of Fudan University. The letter wrote: "I have nothing to pursue in my life, and my lifelong plan is to educate people. I hope my students will use their knowledge to serve the society and contribute to mankind. " Academically, some students are ahead of him, and influential papers are published in the world's top scientific journals. Teacher Tan will copy it down immediately, frame it and hang it on his own wall, and will call to congratulate him as soon as possible.

Mr. Tan's student Zhou, who is now a professor at the School of Medicine of Shanghai Jiaotong University, still remembers that when the first paper was finished, it was difficult to abstract in English. It is not that they don't study hard. The problem is that everyone studied Russian in the 1950s. What shall we do? We will bite the bullet and finish "correcting" Miss Tan. I brought it back a few days later. Wow, the abstract has been changed beyond recognition by the red pen. Not only is there error correction, but the layout of the whole article has also been greatly changed. And the choice of words is particularly elegant and authentic. The next day, Mr. Tan wanted to go back and rewrite the abstract. He smiled at the stunned Zhou and said, "You shouldn't treat those beautiful pictures badly." Later, this paper was published on the first page of the first issue of the Journal the following year. In the following six months, six short messages came from abroad, including the British Museum and the International Anti-locust Alliance. Zhou knew that without Mr. Tan's excellent and fluent English abstract of nearly 400 words, no one in foreign academic circles would care about the works of China's two "peers". Two students? Yes, there are only two undergraduates in the author column, and there is no teacher's name. The teacher accepted the thanks, but did not agree to sign. What they want is to push young people to the front line as soon as possible, even if they are only in their twenties.

Zhou said that this English abstract written by Mr. Tan has been with him for more than 40 years, not only as a model essay, but also as a motivation to study hard. Now, he has to help his classmates revise their papers and sometimes rewrite all the English abstracts.

"At the age of 90, I always have a Millennium policy, and my blood is warmer than the spring of the century."

"The secret of human evolution is the most mysterious, and it is difficult to find the source. What are the similarities between ancient and modern kinds? The reason is genetic code transmission. Talk big, surprise nine Huan, send waves to stab the flag to reflect the sky. In the past 90 years, I have always cherished the Millennium policy, and my blood is warmer than the spring of the century. " When talking about his hometown, there is a self-encouragement poem that he copied.

1in April, 1997, regardless of his advanced age, Mr. Tan went to Shanghai, Zhejiang and other places to inspect many genetic research and product development units. He deeply felt that the climax of gene research and bioengineering industrialization in China was coming, but he was facing great difficulties and impacts. Genes are wealth. Once their codes are interpreted and used in biopharmaceuticals, their scientific value and economic benefits are enormous. China is a rare genetic power in the world, with a large population, many nationalities, many families and many kinds of diseases, which has attracted special attention from some developed countries. In the name of cooperation, they came to China to search for a large number of genome samples (blood samples). Mr. Tan is very anxious about this. He wrote a special letter, suggesting that we should cherish our genetic resources and start the research on China-specific genes led by China researchers as soon as possible. This proposal was adopted by the state, and with Tan's direct concern and help, the Shanghai Human Genome Research Center was established in 1998.

What makes Tan indomitable and prosperous in adversity? Tan's answer is: "Now the development of scientific research in China is at the right time, and I want to recover the lost time."

Mr. Tan once said that everyone's situation is different, but one thing is the same, that is, everyone lives in a contradictory world without exception. It is normal to have contradictions, so when there are problems in work, life and career, you don't have to be so scared and pessimistic. People need to have the courage to face reality and solve contradictions. To live in this world is to make progress by constantly solving contradictions. Resolving contradictions means that individuals acquire knowledge, thus promoting and developing society.

"Love the people, abide by the responsibility for the people, be good at enriching the people, and do more things that benefit the people." Tan often encourages himself by this. He uses what he has learned, said and done to move towards this goal.

(Excerpted from Jiefang Daily, September 2008 14)