In the Haiyun Garden of Xiamen University, the shrubs are neat and green, and an iron-gray figure is hidden among the trees.
The figure is skeletal and sitting, with a pair of simple filament-rimmed glasses, with his legs crossed, his fingers crossed around his knees, and his eyes smiling into the distance.
Beside him stood a large black stone tablet with two inscriptions, one showing the earnestness and emotion of the person's letters, and the other with messy and unstructured numbers and formulas.
However, it was these seemingly strange and scribbled formulas that caused an uproar in the entire mathematical community.
Bole is often there, and it's just time
In May 1933, a little life was born in Fuzhou, Fujian, this little baby was born without crying or making trouble, but just looking at the world with his quiet black eyes - he was Chen Jingrun, a great mathematician of the future Chinese nation was born.
Chen's father, Chen Yuanjun, was a post office clerk, and his mother died when he was very young.
Chen Jingrun's four brothers and sisters were all supported by Chen's father's meager salary, and they lived in poverty.
As when he was born, Chen Jingrun was a child who did not like to talk, and the emaciation caused by malnutrition made Chen Jingrun unusually quiet since he was a child.
He was always silently doing his own thing in the corner, and his answer to others was only a "hmm", and everyone thought that he was a shy and not very intelligent child.
It wasn't until he went to school later that Chen Jingrun's talent blossomed in front of people's eyes overnight like an orchid. No one expected that this thin and silent child would have an amazing memory.
On this day, the Chinese teacher assigned a long prose recitation class assignment and asked everyone to memorize it before class.
Less than two minutes after he sat down, a thin boy timidly walked up to the teacher who was reading the newspaper and recited the original text like a babbling stream flowing down a secluded mountain.
The Chinese teacher was stunned for a moment, he saw the sunlight behind the boy shining on his thin shoulders through the blue glass, and the sweat beads on his sideburns with fresh short hair were glistening.
Later, Chen Jingrun showed an even more amazing interest in mathematics, and it is said that he can get all the math tests right, and he can also put forward mathematical theorems that are not at all what should be learned in primary school on the content of this lesson.
Chen Jingrun has shown an unusual passion for mathematics since he was a child, but such a beautiful jade, which has begun to faintly reveal its luster, has not met someone who can carve and polish it at a very young age.
A few years later, Chen Jingrun was admitted to the Sanyuan County Junior High School, and the door of mathematics paradise began to open in front of him at this time. It was also during this period that Chen Jingrun met his first nobleman - Shen Yuan.
Shen Yuan, an aerodynamicist and aeronautical engineer, is a senior academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He graduated from Tsinghua University in 1940 and received his Ph.D. from Imperial College London, University of London in 1945.
At that time, Shen Yuan stayed in Fuzhou to teach because of family matters, and was responsible for teaching students science.
This senior with high academic attainments did not talk about any cutting-edge and advanced theories, but vividly explained various scientific principles to the students who looked at him, using formulas and language that they could understand.
Chen Jingrun was one of these children, and during a class, Shen Yuan introduced them to the Goldbach conjecture, which no mathematician has been able to prove for two centuries since it was proposed.
This greatly stimulated Chen's interest in mathematics.
A mathematician who "can't understand mathematics".
In 1950, Chen Jingrun was admitted to the Department of Mathematics of Xiamen University through his unremitting efforts and talent.
During his studies, Chen Jingrun selflessly read various books on mathematical theory in the library of Xiamen University.
At this time, Chen Jingrun was already an adult, but he still looked thin, with a clean head and round-framed glasses.
However, in this thin body, there was a raging flame.
During his time at school, a teacher surnamed Li admired Chen Jingrun very much, and Mr. Li encouraged Chen to read Hua Luogeng's theory.
It was the first time that a teacher encouraged him so much, and Chen Jingrun strengthened his love for mathematics.
In order to be able to study all the time, he dismantled his books into sheets of manuscript paper and folded them in his pocket, and whenever he went out, he took out the paper and read it in his spare time.
Chen Jingrun has a dream hidden in the depths of his heart, he wants to break through the current frontier of mathematical research in China, and wants to go further in the research of his predecessors, who is Hua Luogeng.
Chen Jingrun wanted to optimize Hua Luogeng's results in a certain theory.
But the results of challenging the predecessors, in the eyes of the introverted Chen Jingrun, is a bit like disrespecting his predecessors, he has been hesitant to do this, Mr. Li was very surprised after learning Chen Jingrun's idea, and then patted him happily on the shoulder, encouraging Chen Jingrun to do it bravely and boldly.
In 1953, after graduating from university, Chen Jingrun was assigned to Beijing No. 4 Middle School as a mathematics teacher.
However, due to his lack of conversation since he was a child, he failed to develop a fluent Mandarin speaker, coupled with his introverted personality, Chen Jingrun's teaching career did not go smoothly, and students and teachers often reported that the teacher could not even understand the most basic theorems.
So Chen Jingrun was "suspended and returned to his hometown to recuperate".
During this period, Chen Jingrun was depressed for a while, and the fact that he could not teach mathematics made him lose great confidence, and he angrily put down his mathematics books and did nothing all day.
Later, as the frustration disappeared, Chen Jingrun finally couldn't let go of his obsession with mathematical research and picked up those books again, and he made up his mind.
In 1956, a paper entitled "The Problem in the Tower" was published, which improved the results in Mr. Hua Luogeng's "Theory of Stacked Prime Numbers" through the author himself and his rigorous thinking and well-organized formulas, which caused a little sensation in the mathematical community at that time, and Hua Luogeng himself also noticed this unknown mathematical junior.
In September 1957, under the efforts and coordination of Mr. Hua Luogeng, Chen Jingrun was transferred to the Institute of Scientific Mathematics of China and participated in the "Number Theory Discussion Group" organized by Mr. Hua Luogeng.
During this period, Chen Jingrun was mainly engaged in the research of analytic number theory, including the "Goldbach Conjecture" that he came into contact with in junior high school.
In May 1966, on this day, Chen Jingrun proved the "Goldbach conjecture", which greatly advanced the mathematical black hole that mathematicians around the world have failed to solve for more than 200 years.
In 1973, Chen Jingrun's theory was published in Science China, which caused a worldwide turmoil, and even children heard of the "Goldbach conjecture" and Chen Jingrun's name.
When the numbers are no longer quiet
In 1974, the central government vigorously affirmed Chen Jingrun's contributions to the mathematical community and China, and inquired about Chen Jingrun's situation.
Chen Jingrun is 47 years old in so many years of studying mathematics, and when his family thought that he would dedicate himself completely to mathematics in this way, Chen Jingrun quietly brought a 29-year-old daughter-in-law home, shocking his jaw.
It's also interesting to talk about this young wife.
At that time, Chen Jingrun was living in the People's Liberation Army Hospital because of many illnesses due to his perennial desk writing, and it was this wife who took care of him: You Kun.
You Kun's face was full and ruddy and healthy, Chen Jingrun, who was sick, was immediately fascinated by You Kun, and for the first time in more than forty years, he experienced the feeling of liking something other than mathematics.
In fact, Chen Jingrun, who has zero love experience, was not sure of his emotions at first, he just liked the feeling of You Kun appearing in his field of vision.
XiXi the autumn breeze and the mild sunlight slanted on the walls of the hospital painted with delicate pale green paint, Chen Jingrun ended his afternoon calculations and planned to rest his eyes according to the doctor's instructions.
Suddenly, laughter came from the corridor, the voice was crisp and lively like a lark, and then a mellow and lovely girl walked by like a messenger holding a document, and spring bloomed behind her.
The movement was far away, but Chen Jingrun seemed to be still immersed in the scene just now, and when he came back to his senses, the corridor was already empty and there was nothing left.
"I'm probably in love with someone. Chen Jingrun muttered to himself.
He began to pay attention to You Kun continuously, and whenever she appeared, Chen Jingrun's gaze was always conditionally projected and quickly retracted, and even appeared behind his back.
Chen Jingrun often looks for opportunities to "disturb" You Kun.
Once, when Kun was Xi learning English on the platform of the hospital, Chen Jingrun came over and said very shyly: "I also want to learn English recently, let's learn Xi together, so we can learn quickly." ”
You Kun didn't expect Chen Jingrun to invite him so abruptly, so he hurriedly waved his hand and refused: "No, no, no, the leader above has asked for it, and he can't disturb your rest." ”
Chen Jingrun, who was silent in the past, insisted and said: "It's okay, I also love to learn Xi, you can come to my ward to learn Xi, so there will be no disturbance." Of course he could say it, and he had said it thousands of times in his heart.
Seeing this, Yu Kun also blushed and agreed.
In this way, whenever you have free time, you Kun comes to Chen Jingrun's ward to Xi learn English, and when she doesn't understand something, she will ask him for advice, and occasionally make small talk.
Slowly, Chen Jingrun and You Kun became familiar with each other.
In the end, Chen Jingrun finally couldn't bear his feelings and confessed to Youkun, but he didn't expect Youkun to also have a secret love for Chen Jingrun.
So this love became so smooth, and the two who became husband and wife got along harmoniously and lovingly, and had a son.
In 1978, the National Science Conference was held in Beijing, and Chen Jingrun was invited to attend, and the great man Deng Xiaoping also appeared at this meeting, which was one of Chen Jingrun's most beloved people.
After the meeting, Deng Xiaoping met with Chen Jingrun, including outstanding scientists, and when Deng Xiaoping walked up to him, Chen Jingrun, who had always been quiet, shook Deng Xiaoping's hand excitedly.
Later, under the great attention of the party leaders, Chen Jingrun's family moved to live in a four-bedroom expert building in Beijing.
Chen Jingrun was also very grateful, he turned his head to his wife and said: "I must work hard, for the party and the country, even if I die, I am willing!"
Later, Chen Jingrun's condition deteriorated further, and even at the end of his life, Chen Jingrun still insisted on working in the hospital bed, and was accompanied by mathematics that he had been attached to all his life.
The sun sets, and the teenager chases the sun on the road at dusk
In 1996, Chen Jingrun quietly completed his life at the age of 66. That year, he and Youkun's son Chen Youwei was only 15 years old.
In October 1999, the International Committee on the Nomenclature of Small Bodies named the first asteroid with the international permanent number "7681" discovered by the Beijing Astronomical Observation Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences as "Chen Jingrun Star".
On April 4, 2006, the inauguration ceremony of the bronze statue of Chen Jingrun was held in the Haiyun Garden of Xiamen University, and the bronze statue of Chen Jingrun was erected in front of the new office building of the Department of Mathematics.
After Chen Jingrun's death, his son Chen Youwei certainly received a lot of attention.
In fact, Chen Youwei later confessed that being the son of a great man was very stressful.
Due to his father, Chen Jingrun's great contribution to mathematics, many people will unconsciously compare father and son.
In the past, Chen Youwei didn't like people to talk about his father, because it would make him feel a lot of pressure - too many people expected too much of him.
Too much stress when he was a child made Chen Youwei say that he did not love mathematics, he liked music.
Father Chen Jingrun knew his child's situation well, not only did not make irresponsible remarks about his son, but also firmly and clearly encouraged Chen Youwei to do what he liked.
When he grew up, Chen Youwei chose to study business and trade. But in fact, in the long years, Chen Youwei has unconsciously fallen in love with mathematics.
Finally, he chose to embark on the path of mathematics and follow the distant back.
At that time, Chen Jingrun had been dead for several years.
It was raining lightly on this day, and Chen Youwei, who was at school, made a phone call to his mother.
"Why do you suddenly want to learn mathematics?" the mother jumped, she cleared her son's temper from childhood.
"Mom, it's not that I don't like math, I'm just afraid of disappointing my father. The words on the other end of the phone were cautious and sad, revealing a sense of nostalgia.
In the end, Chen Youwei embarked on the same path that his father had walked.
Without the guidance of his father, Chen Youwei walked very this road, but he knew that his father must have experienced many hardships, and he just needed to be silent and persevere like his father, and then leave everything to time.
A few years later, Chen Youwei is already a master of mathematics and a budding rookie in the business field.
In his spare time, he often goes to his father's statue, sometimes offering a bouquet of flowers, sometimes a hug after a long gaze, Chen Youwei likes to be in a daze in front of his father's statue.
He teased in front of the statue, "It's so convenient to see you, even when I'm out of town, I can meet you in front of you, Dad." ”
Chen Youwei often takes his mother to the statue to miss Chen Jingrun, and the family of three hugs each other, and the father and son both wear a pair of simple filament round-framed glasses.