At 1:08 p.m. on July 12, 2024, Mr. Zhang Cunhao, China's Meritorious Scientist and winner of the highest national science and technology award, passed away in Beijing at the age of 96!
The name Zhang Cunhao may still be unfamiliar to many people. But his achievements have a profound impact on our daily lives. His life experience is like a legendary story of ups and downs, full of hardships and struggles!
In 1928, Zhang Cunhao was born in an ordinary family in Baodi, Tianjin. During his childhood, like many of his peers, he spent a happy time studying at Nankai Middle School. This school not only cultivated great men like Zhou Enlai, but also gave birth to great people of science like Zhang Cunhao.
However, the peaceful life was soon shattered. The arrival of the Japan invaders forced the young Zhang Cunhao to embark on the road of exile. This experience could have destroyed a child's mind, but for Zhang Cunhao, it became an opportunity to hone his will. How will these difficult years affect his future life choices?
At the age of 20, Zhang Cunhao came to the University of Michigan in United States. In a foreign land, he was hungry for knowledge. In just two years, he earned his master's degree. This extraordinary talent and diligence laid a solid foundation for his future scientific research career. However, he always had a dream in his heart, and that was to serve his country.
In 1950, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea broke out. At this time, Zhang Cunhao was facing a major choice in life. Should we stay in the materially superior United States, or will we return to our homeland, which is in ruins? The threat from the CIA in the United States did not deter him, nor did the resistance stop him. He resolutely chose to return to China. This decision not only changed the trajectory of his life, but also injected new strength into China's scientific and technological development.
After returning to China, Zhang Cunhao showed amazing adaptability and learning ability. In order to meet the needs of the country, he changed the direction of his research many times, and each "change of career" brought a major breakthrough.
In the mid-50s of the 20th century, China's national defense science and technology urgently needed to be developed. Zhang Cunhao received the task of researching D-bombs and rocket propellants. This is undoubtedly a huge challenge for him who has just returned to China. But he did not flinch and led the research team to work day and night. In the end, they successfully solved the propellant problem of China's Dongfeng series D bombs and Long March series rockets. This achievement has laid a solid foundation for China's aerospace industry. The spectacular scene of each rocket launch embodies the hard work of Zhang Cunhao and his team. Can you imagine? The aerospace achievements we are proud of have such a dedicated scientist behind them.
In 1960, the world's first ruby laser was introduced, and laser technology became an international research hotspot. Zhang Cunhao once again accepted the challenge and turned to the development of chemical laser weapons. This field is still a blank for China, but Zhang Cunhao led the team to overcome difficulties. After several years of hard work, China not only has laser weapons, but also is at the forefront of the world in this field. The movie "Death Light on Coral Island", which swept the country in the last century, was created based on their deeds. Have you seen this movie? The scientific and technological elements are likely to come from the research results of Zhang Cunhao's team.
With the development of the times, Zhang Cunhao once again adjusted his research direction and devoted himself to the research of optical quantum science and spectroscopy. This is an area that is closely related to our daily lives and involves the most cutting-edge technology of display devices. Thanks to his efforts and those of his peers, China's imaging technology has undergone earth-shaking changes. From the initial single transistor, multi-transistor, to glass screen, LCD screen, and now the popular LED screen, every technological progress embodies the wisdom and sweat of scientists such as Zhang Cunhao. Now, when you pick up your mobile phone and watch TV, can you feel the convenience brought by these scientific and technological achievements? These scientific and technological products that we are accustomed to are all backed by the contributions of scientists such as Zhang Cunhao.
Zhang Cunhao's scientific research achievements have made great contributions to the country, and he has won the highest honor of the country's highest science and technology award. But for him, perhaps the greatest honor is to see his research results serve the country and the people. All his life, he struggled for the scientific and technological development of the motherland. This spirit of selfless dedication is worth learning from each of us.
Now, the great scientist is gone. After the news came out, the whole country was shaken. People spontaneously mourned this silently dedicated patriot in various ways. His life is a microcosm of China's scientific and technological development, and it is also a portrayal of the struggle of countless scientific and technological workers. From his story, we can see the arduous process of China's scientific and technological development, as well as the perseverance and perseverance of scientists.
The departure of Mr. Zhang Cunhao is not only a loss to the scientific and technological community, but also a loss to the entire country. But his spirit will always inspire future generations. He spent his life interpreting what is the feelings of family and country and what is the spirit of science. In this era of rapid development, we need scientists like Zhang Cunhao more to contribute to the development of the country.
Let us look back on the life of Mr. Zhang Cunhao: he grew up in the war, studied in a foreign country, resolutely returned to China to serve the motherland, changed the direction of research many times to meet the needs of the country, and made significant contributions in the fields of rocket propellants, laser weapons, and display technology. Isn't his life experience a microcosm of the history of China's modern science and technology development?
Mr. Zhang Cunhao's deeds have left us with a lot to think about. In today's era of rapid technological development, how can we inherit and carry forward the spirit of Mr. Zhang Cunhao? As ordinary people, how can we contribute to the country's scientific and technological development?
Perhaps, we can start from our side. Pay attention to the development of science and technology, support domestic science and technology, and cultivate the scientific interest of the next generation. Perhaps some of us will become the next Zhang Cunhao and make significant contributions to the country's scientific and technological development.
Elder Zhang, go all the way. Your deeds will always be engraved on the monument of China's scientific and technological development, and your spirit will always inspire us to move forward. In this era of rapid technological change, each of us should think: how can we contribute to the scientific and technological development of the motherland like Mr. Zhang Cunhao? This is not only the best commemoration of Mr. Zhang, but also an important driving force for the development of science and technology on the mainland.
Let us pay our highest respect to Mr. Zhang Cunhao, and also pay tribute to all the scientific and technological workers who have dedicated their lives to the country. In this new era full of opportunities and challenges, each of us has the responsibility and obligation to inherit and carry forward the spirit of Mr. Zhang Cunhao and contribute to the development of China's science and technology. Are you ready?