"China has cultivated me, but no matter how chaotic the United States is, I will not return to China," said Yin Xi, a physics genius and publicly-funded international student. He was admitted to the University of Science and Technology of China at the age of 12 and became the youngest full professor at Harvard University at the age of 31.
The crow has the righteousness of feeding back, and the sheep have the grace of kneeling. Why is it that a native of Chinese who has long been trained by the state, but after studying abroad, he speaks of "wild words" and is unwilling to return to the embrace of the motherland? Why is he so "cold-blooded"? Is there any hidden meaning behind this?
Today, let's walk into the open life of the genius teenager Yin Xi to understand, is such a "genius" what you like?
Picture 丨 Yin Xi
From an early age, he had a superior IQ and was admitted to the Extraordinary Intelligence Experimental Class of Beijing No. 8 Middle School at the age of 9
Yin Xi was born in December 1983 in Beijing to a family of intellectuals, both to highly talented students at the University of Geosciences.
Compared with children of the same age, his growth environment is superior. Because his parents are both college students, they have attached great importance to his education since they were young, hoping to cultivate him into a talent.
When he was in elementary school, his parents enrolled him in many interest classes, including those who learned Go, those who learned to draw, those who learned the essence of the country, and those who took other courses. Over time, the parents found that Yin Xi had no interest in the painting, Go, and dance that many children liked, preferred physics and mathematics, and often stayed in the corner to read physics and math books.
Figure 丨 Physics book
Once he was also caught by his mother, and one weekend, his mother thought that Yin Xi was tired of studying, so he let him go out to play on the weekend and relax his mood. But after her mother got up, it was almost noon, but she found that Yin Xi did not go out to play with the children, but sat alone by the bookshelf reading a book.
Seeing such a scene, my mother was about to go over and praise him. As a result, after her mother saw the books in Yin Xi's hand, she not only did not praise him, but also educated him.
Why is that? It turned out that the book Yin Xi read was not a primary school textbook, but a math textbook for her mother's college. Isn't it nonsense that a second-grader is reading a college calculus textbook?
Figure丨 Calculus textbook
Mom immediately told Yin Xi about it, and also put the college math textbook where Yin Xi couldn't get it, and instructed him that he only needed to study primary school mathematics now, don't read some books he didn't understand, and study down-to-earth.
But this did not dampen Yin Xi's interest in upper-grade mathematics, and he often read the upper-grade math books alone. Gradually, the teachers in the class found that Yin Xi's acceptance of physics and mathematics was very high, and many of the knowledge points that the senior students did not understand, he could not only understand, but also write out the answers.
Under the observation of the teachers and parents in the class, they found that Yin Xi not only had a talent for learning physics and mathematics, but also had intelligence beyond his peers.
Under such circumstances, the teacher began to communicate with his parents and suggested that Yin Xi apply for the experimental class of extraordinary education in Beijing Eighth Middle School and not waste his talent.
Figure丨Physics and Mathematics
At the age of 9, Yin Xi did not live up to the expectations of teachers and parents, and after examinations and layers of screening, he entered the experimental class of extraordinary education in Beijing No. 8 Middle School.
The Beijing No. 8 Middle School Extraordinary Education Experimental Class is specially recruited for intellectually extraordinary children with Beijing hukou, who are about 10 years old and have the culture of the fourth grade of primary school, and after four years of training, they will complete all the courses in primary school, junior high school and high school. That is to say, the courses that ordinary children can only complete in 8 years, they have to finish 4 years in advance.
Entering the extraordinary education experimental class of Beijing No. 8 Middle School, this means that Yin Xi has become a national key talent since the age of 9.
Figure丨 Extraordinary Class Selection Examination
At the age of 12, he was admitted to the University of Science and Technology of China and made headlines in the People's Daily
Albert Einstein said: Genius is 1% inspiration plus 99% sweat, this sentence is not exaggerated in Yin Xi's body. After entering the Extraordinary Intelligence Experimental Class of Beijing No. 8 Middle School, although Yin Xi was the youngest in the class, his efforts were not less than his classmates.
Every class is not late, do not leave early, but also be able to listen carefully to the lecture. Because of his very diligent study, his grades in all subjects are very good. In particular, the two courses of mathematics and physics, because of their own talent, the results are even better, surpassing many students in the class.
During school, an interesting thing happened: when I was in math class, the teacher found that Yin Xi never took notes. So the teacher told his mother about the situation.
Pictured by Yin Xi and his teacher
When I got home, I was asked by my mother: Why do I never take notes in math class? Yin Xi said that he had memorized it in his head and did not need to take notes.
Hearing such an answer, her mother was very angry and felt that Yin Xi was too proud, so she came up with some difficult questions to test Yin Xi, and as a result, Yin Xi could do anything.
Mom didn't say anything. And every time the math test results came down, Yin Xi did a good job, always in the top few in the class. In the end, the math teacher also compromised and allowed Yin Xi to take no notes in class. From this little story, we can find that Yin Xi is really very smart and talented in mathematical learning.
Picture 丨 Yin Xi
In 1996, Yin Xi completed all the courses before high school a year in advance and took the college entrance examination that year.
In the end, Yin Xi was admitted to the junior class of the University of Science and Technology of China with a high score of 572 points, and since then, he has entered the university's school door. At that time, Yin Xi was only 12 years old. Obviously, he is the age of carefree play, but he has achieved impressive results.
That year, he also made headlines in people's dailys. At that time, the deeds were reported, which attracted the attention of people from all walks of life across the country, and people were amazed that he had achieved such good results at a young age.
Picture 丨The junior class of the University of Science and Technology of China
The university has excellent grades in all aspects and obtained the qualification of studying abroad at public expense
After going to college, Yin Xi did not slack off in his studies because of his proud results, but studied harder. Although he is talented and has attracted everyone's attention, he is still tireless and still studies hard.
During his university years, he studied every day for 5 years, leaving early and returning home every day. The more you love, the more you learn, and the more you learn, the more you love. During his college years, he not only received high praise from teachers and classmates, but also won scholarships issued by the school every year.
Seeing this, if you think he's just a nerd who can learn, you're really wrong.
Pictured: Yin Xi's college life
He was also very good at sports and speaking. In school, he actively participates in activities organized by the school, such as various competitions, various speeches, and various seminars. In sports, he will keep running, especially love marathons.
In a marathon held in Beijing, he completed a 4-hour race and won a medal in the marathon. Although after the game, his calf was severely strained and he had to be carried away on a stretcher and had to rest in bed for 3 days, but afterwards, he said he did not regret participating in the game.
He also spoke from his heart, saying that when he went all out to do something, the potential of the body was released, and the feeling was very refreshing.
Picture 丨 Marathon
All the good results he has achieved also show that he is doing his best in the face of many things. His success is not good luck or talent, but the result of hard work.
Murakami Once Said: "He improves his physical fitness by insisting on running, so that he can withstand the intensity and pressure of writing every day."
I believe that Yin Xi is also like this, he insists on running for many years, never relaxes his physical training, and may also hope to enhance his willpower through physical exercise, so as to promote learning.
Self-discipline, diligence and dedication are synonymous with him.
Picture 丨 Yin Xi
In 2001, Yin Xi successfully completed his undergraduate studies. What should be the way forward? He hadn't figured it out yet.
At this time, the teachers of Harvard University in the United States found him and conveyed the news to him, hoping that he could study in the United States and continue to study physics, and said that he was willing to give him a full scholarship.
Harvard University is one of the top universities in the world, and in the face of the sudden throwing of an olive branch to himself, Yin Xi does not know how to choose? Faced with such confusion, he asked his teacher, who also reported the matter to the school.
In the face of Yin Xi, a talent who is excellent in morality, intellect and body, and extremely talented in mathematics and physics, his alma mater, the University of Science and Technology of China, made an important decision: decided to sponsor him to go to the United States to study at a university.
Pictured: Harvard University
After getting his undergraduate diploma, Yin Xi took the expectations of his parents and teachers and entered the door of Harvard University as a publicly-funded international student, where he began to study for master's and doctoral degrees.
It can be imagined that the reason why his alma mater and the country have such a good attitude toward him is also such an original intention, hoping that he will return from his studies and make a contribution to the scientific research cause of the motherland.
However, his alma mater and the motherland did not wait for his return. After completing his Ph.D. at Harvard University, he not only became a teaching assistant at the school, but also gave up his Chinese citizenship and changed to American citizenship, and has since settled in the United States.
Why did he make such a move? Did he not have the slightest gratitude to the motherland?
Picture 丨 Yin Xi at Harvard
Harvard University broke the historical conventions and "pressed" step by step, just to retain the talented teenagers
After Yin Xi entered Harvard University, his academic performance was still impressive. Originally, the professors and teachers of Harvard University thought that he was just a high-scoring teenager, but they did not expect that Yin Xi's achievements in Harvard University were impressive, and in physics, many of his insights were unique, and the research results exceeded many of his classmates.
In 2006, he received his Ph.D. in physics from Harvard University.
He was preparing to return to China, but he did not expect that a few days before returning to China, he received such a message: Harvard University informed him that the school was willing to break the historical conventions, and that doctoral students could not stay in the school for postdoctoral research, so that he could continue to stay in the school to engage in postdoctoral research.
Such sudden good news made Yin Xi give up the opportunity to return to China immediately and stay at Harvard University to engage in postdoctoral research.
Picture 丨 Yin Xi at Harvard
In fact, at this time, Yin Xi was no longer a student at Harvard University, but was engaged in postdoctoral research at Harvard University as a professor at Harvard University.
After staying in school, Harvard professors paid more and more attention to him, and during postdoctoral research, many predecessors in physics often brought him to appear at international physical theory conferences. This made more of the world's physics predecessors know him and be amazed by his physical talent.
In 2008, in just 2 years, he became the world's most famous doctor of physics, and it was also in this year that Harvard University made another decision: to hire Yin Xi as an assistant professor of physics at Harvard University.
Perhaps because of years of living in the United States has become accustomed, or it may be that the school's physics research is indeed one of the best, or it may be that the superior conditions offered by the school are impossible to refuse, Yin Xi once again decided to stay in school and become an assistant professor in the Department of Physics at Harvard University.
Picture 丨 Harvard University in class
In the years of living in the United States, Yin Xi's life has become more and more smooth, and he has become more and more successful in physics research, and in his heart, he also has the idea of taking root in the United States.
After that, Yin Xi renounced his Chinese citizenship and changed his nationality to American citizenship. For Yin Xi's practice of changing his nationality, it has also aroused heated discussion among many netizens across the country in a short period of time.
Some netizens said that this is a serious lack of patriotic education, and some netizens said that yin xi should not be gossiped about, he has his own choices. This phenomenon should make us reflect more on how to improve the scientific research environment and retain talents. Some netizens said that there is no shortage of talents in China, and since one Yin Xi can be trained, a second Yin Xi can be trained.
For the matter of changing the U.S. nationality and staying in the United States, Yin Xi also publicly expressed his thoughts.
Picture 丨 Yin Xi
He said: "Although China has cultivated me, I will not return to China no matter how chaotic the United States is, because there are still many gaps compared with foreign countries compared with the domestic scientific research environment." He made it clear that science knows no borders.
Judging from Yin Xi's answer, his decision to stay in the United States can also be understood, as a scientific researcher, when making decisions, he considers the scientific research environment and his own achievements in science, which is understandable.
Yin Xi made such a decision, perhaps it has nothing to do with love or patriotism, he just stands from a personal point of view, hoping to shine in a better scientific research environment.
Speaking of which, some people may say that if he is understood, how should those who return to the motherland and dedicate their lives to the motherland understand?
Picture 丨 Yin Xi
For example, Qian Xuesen went to the United States to study at the public expense of the Seventh Gengzi Indemnity in 1935, returned to China in 1955, served as the first director of the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and made great contributions to the scientific cause of the mainland for half his life.
His name and story will be remembered and admired by future generations.
This is because in China, which was in ruins at that time, the scientific research force was very weak, and there was an urgent need for talents like him. He gave up the superior conditions abroad without hesitation, chose to return to China, contributed to the mainland, and made very good achievements on the road of scientific research.
So, he became a role model for a generation.
Figure 丨 Qian Xuesen
However, in the current era, the development of scientific research in the mainland has made a lot of progress, and on the road of scientific research, the mainland will not interrupt the development of scientific research because of the lack of a Yin Xi. Therefore, for any choice Yin Xi makes, we should respect him.
On the other hand, if China's scientific research environment is very good, in the future, he may also return to the embrace of the motherland and engage in physics research.
Yin Xi's stay in the United States also reflects from the side that the mainland's scientific research environment and scientific research development cannot attract some top talents.
However, in 2013, at the invitation of his alma mater, the University of Science and Technology of China, Yin Xi returned to China during the summer vacation to explain "Superstring Microtherapy" to undergraduate and graduate students of his alma mater.
Figure 丨 Yin Xi returned to the University of Science and Technology of China to teach
Judging from the fact that he returned to his alma mater to teach, Yin Xi still has certain feelings for his alma mater and the country, and it may indeed be only because of the problem of the domestic scientific research environment, he chose to stay abroad.
In fact, most of the scientific researchers on the mainland are obsessed with scientific research. That is to take the road of scientific research to the end, and since they take the road of scientific research to the end, they will naturally choose a place where the scientific research environment is relatively good. In addition to Yin Xi, there are also some students on the mainland who stay abroad because of the problem of the scientific research environment.
I believe that in the future, if the scientific research environment on the mainland becomes better, many outstanding international students will return to China without hesitation and do their best for the motherland.
Picture 丨 Yin Xi talks about the scientific research environment
Settled in the United States, he became the youngest full professor at Harvard University at the age of 31
Since staying in the United States in 2008 and becoming an associate professor at Harvard University, Yin Xi has not forgotten his original intention and has continued to explore physics. Over the years, he has developed very well in the United States.
In February 2013, he received the American Sloan Research Prize. In September 2015, he was successfully promoted to professor of physics at Harvard University. That year, at the age of 31, he became the youngest Chinese full professor at Harvard University and the youngest full professor to join Harvard from the University of Science and Technology of China.
In December 2016, he was awarded the 2017 Scientific Breakthrough Award, the New Horizons In Physics Award.
At present, Yin Xi has settled in the United States, lives with his family, and continues to conduct research in physics. His main research field is string theory, and he has become one of the young physicists who have high hopes from the international physics community.
Picture 丨 Yin Xi
Throughout every step of his first half of life, Yin Xi walked very smoothly. Although he is intellectually superior and has achieved one amazing achievement after another as he grows older, he never prides himself, but demands himself more strictly and continues to cultivate on the road of dreams.
He is a man who has achieved great things because of his talent and continuous efforts. His hard work, his self-discipline, his diligence, his dedication to things are worth learning from the younger generation. Although after completing his studies, he did not return to China to support the development of China's scientific research career.
But as he said, scientific research has no borders, and if he makes a choice that can better support his research in physics, this is not a blessing for the physics community. Because no matter where he does his research, all his research results can be shared and shared in the physics community.
Picture 丨 Yin Xi
Since he has made his own choice, we wish him more and more smooth on this road, and we also wish him an early breakthrough in property research and greater achievements. I also hope that the scientific research environment on the mainland is getting better and better, that scientific research can make one breakthrough after another, and that in the future, excellent talents can be retained.
After reading Yin Xi's story, what do you think about Yin Xi as a person? Feel free to leave a comment to me.