His name is Zhang Zhusheng, and he is a rare mathematical genius in China. He devoted his life to studying mathematics and teaching people. However, as the first person with a doctorate from Peking University, he never obtained a professional title. Until his death, he was still an ordinary professor.
Perhaps, knowing his life, we will know what kind of feelings and pains are hidden in such an extraordinary life.
The first doctor of Peking University.
At that time, Zhang Zhusheng just graduated from graduate school, and he successfully solved one of Stevenson Meyer's "four conjectures" which was difficult to answer in the mathematics field at that time.
At the beginning, his graduate tutor didn't believe it either. Only in the master's stage can he solve this problem independently. I didn't expect him to use his rigorous logical reasoning to produce convincing research results.
Such a sensational academic achievement has attracted the attention of international mathematicians, who all agree with Zhang Zhusheng's research results and are surprised that he can complete such a big project only at the graduate stage.
Many teachers in the school jointly requested the president to grant a doctorate, but since Peking University had not yet issued a doctoral degree certificate, Zhang Longxiang, then president of Peking University, was very cautious and decided to hold a defense meeting for him again.
Zhang Longxiang invited more than 100 experts from the field of mathematics to attend Zhang Zhusheng's defense meeting, which was very spectacular.
Experts from all over the country were deeply moved by the wisdom of Zhang Zhusheng's fluent defense, so the first doctor's degree was born.
1983, Zhang Zhusheng graduated from Peking University as the first doctor in the history of Peking University. His doctorate certificate is not available. 00 1 was also exhibited as a precious exhibit in the centennial celebration of Peking University.
Just by looking at Zhang Zhusheng's appearance, we can't relate his appearance to the great energy he has. Zhang Zhusheng has a disabled left arm and a thin figure. Just by looking at his appearance, we can know that his life has experienced too many pains and frustrations.
From 65438 to 0940, Zhang Zhusheng was born in an ordinary peasant family in Guiyang, Sichuan. Since childhood, he was in poor health and often fell ill.
At the age of two, he was infected with meningitis, which damaged his cerebellar ataxia and left polio. When other children can run around the world, Zhang Zhusheng can only walk slowly.
However, it never rains alone. 1953, Zhang Zhusheng, who was only 13 years old, was once again treated unfairly by fate. His left arm was broken because of a fall, but unfortunately, a medical accident led to further bacterial infection.
Sepsis caused his whole body organs to be destroyed, his left arm naturally lost, and his left finger lost its function.
However, these do not prevent him from being good at thinking and studying hard. He is about to step down, and he must first work hard on his heart and bones. After all, God opened another window for him, and mathematics is the most important window in Zhang Zhusheng's life.
Zhang Zhusheng has shown extraordinary talent in mathematics since primary school. He taught himself advanced mathematics knowledge, and by 1962, Zhang Zhusheng was admitted to the Mathematics Department of Sichuan University.
At that time, Sichuan University was engaged in the activity of learning and setting an example. According to his classmates at that time, Zhang Zhusheng insisted on learning foreign languages every morning, and spent all his rest weekends studying at the expense of all his entertainment time. He is excellent in all aspects, especially in mathematics.
1964, Zhang Zhusheng graduated from Sichuan University, and he chose to stay at his alma mater as a teacher. I have worked in Sichuan University for nearly 14 years, and my work attitude, ability and academic level are among the best.
However, due to various factors, Zhang Zhusheng had no choice when choosing a professional title. Zhang Zhusheng felt depressed. At this time, with the re-opening of the postgraduate system in China, Zhang Zhusheng decided to apply for postgraduate studies in Peking University and continue to engage in mathematics research.
With Zhang Zhusheng's ability, one's postgraduate entrance examination is a natural thing. At that time, among the graduate students in the department of mathematics, several Zhang Zhusheng got the best grades.
It is said that one of the questions in the postgraduate exam was accidentally set wrong, resulting in no answer. However, among the national candidates, only Zhang Zhusheng has proved that this problem cannot be solved.
The tutor who gave the question in the school saw that this answer not only did not deduct points, but added 10 to him. The tutor praised his proof process. He is full of praise for Zhang Zhusheng's answer, saying that his level can even be used as a tutor for graduate students without going to graduate school.
Naturally, he was successfully admitted to the Graduate School of Mathematics Department of Peking University, which reopened his long journey on the road of mathematics.
Study for further study
Zhang Zhusheng entered the highest institution of higher learning in the United States, and became more fascinated by mathematical research. He studies in the library almost every day.
He has mastered the postgraduate courses, and his tutor has also approved him not to listen. Zhang Zhusheng made a detailed research plan and direction himself, and arranged his daily schedule to the brim.
He is like a machine with a good schedule, running as accurately as a clock every day. He gets up, reads, walks and sleeps. As long as it is time for him to study, he seems to be out of the world and can't hear anyone's voice.
Zhang Zhusheng is very calm and sees things thoroughly. Besides mathematics, he learns other courses quickly. Zhang Zhusheng often explains math problems to his classmates, and more than half of the people in the math department regard him as a teacher.
198 1, graduated from Zhang Zhusheng. In order to continue his mathematics research, he chose to continue his doctoral degree in Peking University.
In September, 198 1, the opening ceremony of master's and doctoral students in Peking University was held in the Great Hall of the People. At the opening ceremony, Zhang Zhusheng spoke at the conference as a representative. He said excitedly that he would try his best to make China's mathematics catch up with the international mathematics research level.
From elementary school to university, to doctor, Zhang Zhusheng devoted himself to mathematics research for 23 years. During these 23 years, he regarded mathematical research as the greatest pleasure in life and regarded his contribution to the domestic mathematical cause as the most brilliant glory.
Due to Zhang Zhusheng's outstanding talent, Zhang Zhusheng continued to study at Princeton University in the United States after being recommended by Professor Chen Shengshen of Peking University. He even overcame a series of math problems abroad.
In foreign speeches, Zhang Zhusheng said excitedly that there are not a few talented people with achievements in China's mathematics field, or they lack opportunities to go abroad.
1986, Zhang Zhusheng came back from abroad, and the school planned to give him a task-to write the basic textbook "New Lecture Notes on Mathematical Analysis".
Friends around him advised him to concentrate on scientific research, because scientific research can evaluate professional titles, and writing textbooks is not within the conditions for evaluating professional titles.
On the one hand, it is my unfinished scientific research achievements, on the other hand, it is also my contribution to basic education. With so much energy, you can't have your cake and eat it.
In fact, Zhang Zhusheng has been worried about the development of mathematics in China. Without a good basic textbook to study, the talent base in the field of mathematics in China will be unstable.
Zhang Zhusheng feels that he has good literary attainments and rich teaching experience. He can sort out the profound and complicated mathematical knowledge in an orderly way, and then explain the obscure knowledge points in easy-to-understand language.
No one wants to do this kind of work that is not the result of scientific research, but Zhang Zhusheng took it. As a basic textbook, Zhang Zhusheng has also made great efforts in compiling. He teaches at school during the day and arranges his textbooks when he comes home at night.
Finally, the Principles of Differential Dynamical Systems compiled by him became the earliest textbook for graduate students in China, and graduate students still use this textbook for classes.
Academician Liao spoke highly of this book. He praised Zhang Zhusheng's extensive knowledge, and said that because of this book, more young people have been exposed to cutting-edge mathematical science, and some students have returned to China to listen to his lectures and read his handouts.
In the next five years, Zhang Zhusheng wrote new lectures on mathematical analysis and differential topology. Professor Chen Tianquan said when evaluating this set of books: "There are books on mathematical analysis everywhere, but this set written by Zhang Zhusheng is quite individual."
Although Zhang Zhusheng has done so much, and even filled the gaps in domestic basic mathematics textbooks, these labors have not brought him more practical achievements such as professional titles or bonuses.
Because of the delay in scientific research progress, he was unable to further select senior titles. Therefore, he still lives on his basic teacher's salary, but he doesn't care about it anymore. For him, it is enough to make some contributions to domestic mathematics research.
Even heaven envies the elite.
At this moment, the magic hand of fate once again gripped Zhang Zhusheng's throat. 199 1 September, Zhang Zhusheng was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
One morning, Zhang Zhusheng felt something strange in his nose. He thought it was rhinitis, so he took some medicine for rhinitis, and the result was not good.
Zhang Zhusheng suspected that there was something wrong with his body, so he went to the hospital again and asked the doctor to give him another comprehensive examination.
The examination results came out, and the pathological results confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Zhang Zhusheng was very calm after learning the result, and he was still optimistic about his illness. After all, nasopharyngeal carcinoma is still in its early stage, and it has not completely lost hope. He can also hold on to chemotherapy.
At this time, he mentioned to friends around him that his only worry was that his health would get worse after he got sick and he didn't have the energy to continue studying what to do.
Since then, Zhang Zhusheng has struggled with the disease for more than ten years. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy and diseases have been eroding his already weak body, and the spread of nasopharyngeal carcinoma far exceeds his expectations.
Soon, nasopharyngeal carcinoma spread to all parts of the body. His whole body aches, his lower limbs swell, and his gastrointestinal system is seriously affected. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma has caused a series of complications.
At the end of the day, he even has diarrhea every day because of colitis and gives a lecture once a week. In order to finish this lecture, he had to eat less one day in advance, and didn't eat anything that day, for fear of his colitis attack, and he always wanted to go to the toilet during class.
After class, he almost collapsed, and the poor nutrition intake of cancer patients made it worse for him.
Peking University asked him to rest at home and be hospitalized immediately, but this request was rejected by Zhang Zhusheng. He doesn't want to spend the rest of his life in the hospital. He claimed that he was indestructible and died faster in the hospital.
He returned to school as the head coach of the national team of the Olympic Mathematics Competition. Zhang Zhusheng needs to lead and teach middle school students to take part in the competition, which, like the result of compiling textbooks, is a thankless job. Many people advised him that he was in poor health, so why should he put this burden on himself?
However, Zhang Zhusheng made the same choice as that year.
He said: "Personal fame and fortune are nothing compared with national honor." Said, "Someone has to do this, right? Who will do it if I don't do it? "
He thinks that since he has the ability to write basic textbooks well and simplify complicated things, he should be good at teaching middle school students.
As a result, he dragged his illness, looked up information, designed examination questions, and left fame and fortune behind.
God helps those who help themselves. During these five years, Zhang Zhusheng participated in five international Olympic Games and shared joys and sorrows with his classmates. He won the first place in the team five times, and six of his players won gold medals for three years in a row. Such brilliant achievements have made China famous.
Because of the high-intensity workload, he has also become the longest and largest cancer patient in Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
Zhang Zhusheng has experienced unimaginable sufferings in his life. According to his friend's memory, he has never seen Zhang Zhusheng talk about suffering and tears. Even the day before his death, he remained indifferent to life and death.
In September of 200 1 year, Zhang Zhusheng was completely unable to walk. Until 2002, Zhang Zhusheng was carried to the examination room of differential topology by several graduate students, which was the last invigilation in his life.
His weak body struggled for a whole exam, and then completely collapsed. On February 6th, 2002, the great doctor and professor left us forever.
The headline of Guangming Daily reported Zhang Zhusheng's related articles, which caused great repercussions in the society, and all kinds of mourning and condolences followed.
Zhang Zhusheng's character is mentioned in the article. What is Zhang Zhusheng's character? Just work hard and be down-to-earth, but this is just a spirit of dedication. He devoted his whole life to the long river of mathematics and built a huge monument with all his energy.
He will always be remembered and immortal.