1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 182 History of the Development of Chinese Physics, Future Scientific Family
When later researchers sorted out the history of physics in China, they were accustomed to starting from the founding of the Republic of China.

In real history, in 1913, the Imperial University of Peking opened a physics major, which marked the beginning of higher education in physics in China.

Under the guidance of He Yujie and Xia Yuancong, the first batch of undergraduate students majoring in physics trained in China graduated in 1916.

Among them were Ding Xubao and Sun Guofeng, who later became experimental physicists.

Physics during this period mainly focused on popularizing knowledge and establishing scientific thinking.

Real physics research did not begin until the late 20s.

At that time, there were four main development trajectories in domestic physics.

The first one is the Department of Physics of Huaqing University.

Under the leadership of Ye Qisun and Wu Youxun, the school used the Boxer Indemnity as funding to attract strong faculty and excellent students.

The Department of Physics at Huaqing University has trained a number of founders of specialized disciplines in domestic physics, such as Qian Xuesen.

Among the 9 university graduates in the nine classes that graduated before the Anti-Japanese War, nine later became academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and four were awarded the "Two Bombs and One Satellite" Medal of Merit.

This is a miracle in the history of Chinese science, but unfortunately it can never be repeated.

The second is the Department of Physics of Yenching University.

This church university was given new vitality after American missionary Stuart Leighton became its president.

The school implements free teaching.

The goal of the Department of Physics is to train physics teachers.

Before 1934, all graduates of Yenching University became teachers.

This laid a solid foundation for the subsequent development of Chinese physics.

The third one is the Institute of Physics of Beijing Academy of Sciences (abbreviated as Beijing Academy of Physics).

In 1931, Yan Jici was hired as the director of the Beijing Institute of Physics. Under his leadership, the institute's reputation and research level were greatly enhanced.

It has also trained more than ten physicists including Qian Sanqiang.

The fourth one is Imperial University of Peking.

Although Imperial University of Peking is the birthplace of higher education in physics in China, the school has always been in the vortex due to its special status.

This resulted in frequent changes in the head of the physics department, affecting normal teaching.

It was not until 1933 that Rao Yutai was hired to join the department as the head of the physics department, and the physics department of Peking University began to regain its prominence.

But then the Anti-Japanese War broke out and the teaching at Kyoto University was interrupted again. As a result, a complete trajectory of the development of physics was never drawn, which was very regrettable.

The six or seven years before the Anti-Japanese War actually became the "golden age" of Chinese physics and even Chinese academia.

Later, Wu Dayou, the father of Chinese physics, said sadly:

"The eight-year war of resistance against Japanese aggression caused the budding Chinese physics to die. When it was revived after the war, what was lost was not the eight years of time, but the vigor and continuity of development."

Many of the teachers and students involved in the above four paths have studied abroad, with the largest number in the United States.

Some people finally came back, and some people didn't.

This is the development of physics in China over the next forty years.

But now it is 1904, and at this point in time, physics in China has not even begun, but is at most in its infancy.

He Yujie and Xia Yuanzhao were still young boys, but they became his disciples.

However, there is still one person who has made an indelible contribution to Chinese physics.

He is Wang Jile, who is standing in front of Li Qiwei now, one of the important figures who ignited the spark of physics education in China.

Although the other party has never actually engaged in physics research, he does not have any physics results.

But he is still a famous physics educator in modern China and an important figure who cannot be ignored in the history of the development of Chinese physics.

In real history, Wang Jile was born in 1873 and is 31 years old this year.

In 1894, he passed the imperial examination.

In 1898, he went to the Jiangnan Arsenal in Shanghai to participate in translation work.

During this period, he taught himself and studied modern Western physics.

In 1900, Wang Jile translated the physics textbook of Sakura Country and named the book "Physics".

It was he who chose the word "物理" as the Chinese name for "physics".

Before this, the Chinese name for "physics" has always been "gezhi".

The word "physics" was not coined by Wang Jile, it has already existed in Chinese.

The Book of Zhou, Chronicle of Emperor Ming, states: "The heaven and earth have their limits, the five constants have their changes, how can man exist forever? Therefore, life and death are inevitable in physics."

Physics refers to the internal laws or principles of things.

This book "Physics" covers mechanics, acoustics, thermodynamics, magnetism, electricity, etc.

The book also mentions many professional terms, such as accelerated motion, decelerated motion, linear motion, matter, gravity, centripetal force, insulator, battery, etc.

These physics terms have been used until later generations.

The book was published by the Jiangnan Arsenal in 1901 and is the first university-level physics textbook in my country.

Then, Wang Jile began to teach physics all over the country.

But before Li Qiwei came back, Wang Jile's work did not receive much attention, just like Xu Qitai's grandfather Xu Shou.

As a result, when He Yujie was writing his own "Physics", he had no idea that this book existed on the market.

And Li Qiwei didn't know that there was such a person in the Chinese physics community.

If we have to blame someone, it’s because the Qing Dynasty’s means of communication were too simple and primitive at that time, and there weren’t even many telegrams.

Now that Li Qiwei saw Wang Jile, he of course showed great curiosity.

"Hello, Wang Jilie, we are strangers. What do you want to talk to me about today?"

"Besides, you call yourself a student. Judging from the way you dress, you must be taking the imperial examination."

"I can't even recite the Four Books and Five Classics, so I don't deserve your modesty."

Wang Jilie still said respectfully: "Your achievements in physics are enough to be called a grandmaster."

"Besides, you are the teacher of the current emperor, so you are naturally the teacher of all the scholars in the world."

“As the old saying goes: Those who achieve success come first.”

"Although Ji Lie is a few years older than you, he is far inferior to you in terms of knowledge."

Li Qiwei was amused and said with a smile: "Since you know my deeds, you know that I don't like the complicated rules in my country."

"You and I are not too far apart in age, so you can just call me your equal."

"I wonder if Brother Wang is here to give me some advice this time?"

Wang Jile was shocked, thinking that this big man was indeed a deeply Westernized physics master just as the rumors said.

Even though he has such a high status, he still treats me so approachably.

This was completely different from the officials he usually met.

So Wang Jilie stopped being reserved and said with a smile: "Brother Li is indeed a rare talent among men."

"I saw the report in Science Weekly some time ago and I deeply admire Brother Li's courage and talent."

“So I came here specifically to learn a thing or two.”

"To be honest, I did some physics-related work when I was at the Jiangnan Arsenal a few years ago."

"When I saw the book Physics written by your disciple He Yujie, I was immediately amazed."

"To be honest, I have also translated a book called Physics."

"But compared with He Yujie's, it's like a firefly competing with the bright moon."

Li Qiwei cooperated by showing a surprised expression, and in no time he got Wang Jile to tell him his entire experience.

"I never thought there is such a talent like you, Brother Wang, in the country's physics field."

"Disrespect, disrespect."

"Now my Huangpu Polytechnic University is recruiting students and teachers at the same time."

"If my brother Wang doesn't mind, I will take the position of professor and wait for you."

Wang Jile was excited. Before coming here, he had already had an in-depth understanding of Huangpu University of Technology.

This private university, founded by the current imperial tutor, focuses on the cultivation of natural sciences and technology, which is in line with the philosophy of their royal family.

However, he couldn't agree to it now.

"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Li." "But I will go to Beijing to take part in the imperial examination at the end of this year."

"If I fail, I will definitely come to Huangpu Polytechnic University to find a job."

"I hope Brother Li can take me in when the time comes."

Li Qiwei looked at Wang Jile and felt a sense of emotion. The harm of the imperial examination system to natural science was evident.

If history remains unchanged, Wang Jile will go to Beijing this year to take the imperial examination and pass it.

He then took part in the palace examination, and won the second place, and was awarded the status of Jinshi.

Although Wang Jile made great contributions to physics, he came from a family of imperial examination candidates.

In the eyes of his family, his work at the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau was not up to par, and taking the imperial examinations was the right path.

Although they knew that the imperial examination might be cancelled next year, it still couldn't stop countless scholars from yearning for it.

Because if you pass the exam you can become an official!
In real history, after Wang Jile passed the exam, he took a job in the newly established department the following year.

The faculty consists of 5 departments and 12 sections. He is the doctor of the "Special Department" and is responsible for the compilation and editing of professional books in various educational fields.

Later, when the Republic of China was founded, Wang Jile, deeply influenced by the Confucian ideas of "loyalty, filial piety, propriety and righteousness", decided to retire from officialdom and moved to Tianjin, where he devoted himself to the study of Kunqu opera.

Sadly, his journey in physics and education ended prematurely.

From the perspective of future generations, Li Qiwei would certainly come to the conclusion that Wang Jile was a pedantic person.

But if you put yourself in the other person's shoes, you might get a different feeling.

Therefore, he had no prejudice against Wang Jile.

Now that he is here in this life, he will naturally not let this big guy go astray and waste his talent. He must find a way to get him back on the right track.

Li Qiwei values ​​not only Wang Jilie himself, but also his family and future children.

Starting from Wang Jile's generation, the Wang family changed from a family of imperial examinations to a family of science.

Wang Jile was the eldest son of the Wang family. His parents had ten children in total, and the third son died early.

The rest are:

The second son, Wang Jitong, is a mathematician and electromechanical expert;

The fourth son, Wang Jidian, was a chemist and professor at the Imperial University of Peking;

The fifth son, Wang Jixu, holds a PhD from Cambridge University and is a professor at the Imperial University of Peking;
The eldest, Wang Jizhao, studied in Japan, majoring in biology;
The second queen, Chai (third tone), was a chemist and professor at the University of Chicago;

The third one is Wang Jiyu, an educator and the principal of Zhenhua Girls' School;

The fourth is Wang Jishan, an industrialist and educator;
The fifth daughter, Wang Jichang, was an educator and the founder of Anding Middle School.

It can be seen that other people’s children are indeed better, and each one of them is a talent.

Among them, the second son, Wang Jitong, was the first Chinese scholar to publish a mathematical paper in an international journal.

The second daughter, Wang Jizhi, was the first female PhD in chemistry in China and was known as "Dr. Pidan".

Because she completed her doctoral thesis in 1918, entitled "Chemical Research on Chinese Preserved Eggs and Edible Bird's Nests."

The fourth daughter, Wang Jishan, had three daughters, one of whom was named He Zehui, and her husband was Qian Sanqiang.

Wang Jile's next generation is even more talented.

Among them, Wang Jitong had the most children. He had 12 children in total, 5 of whom died young, leaving 7. They are:
The third is Wang Shuzhen, doctor of medicine, founder of Shanghai Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital and one of the founders of obstetrics and gynecology in my country;

The fourth son, Wang Shoujing, was a Ph.D. in physics and a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He served as the dean of the Department of Physics at the Imperial University of Peking from 1931 to 1933.

The fifth is Wang Mingzhen, a physicist, a graduate of Yan University, and the first female professor of Huaqing University;

The seventh daughter, Wang Shoucan, studied in the UK and engaged in the translation of physical literature;
The ninth son, Wang Shourong, is a precision machinery expert and professor at Nankai University;

Tenth son Wang Shouwu, microelectronics scientist, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences;
The twelfth disciple Wang Shoujue is a semiconductor device physicist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Wang Jile’s parents have made great contributions to the Wang family’s ability to cultivate so many top talents.

The Wang family, to which the Wang family belongs, is a top-notch Jiangnan family in Suzhou that combines business, imperial examinations, and culture.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were 12 Jinshi and 16 Juren.

Wang Jile's father, Wang Songwei, was a Jinshi in the fifth year of Guangxu.

When he was an examiner for the imperial examination in 1890, he strongly recommended Cai Yuanpei's examination paper, so he was considered Cai Yuanpei's mentor.

In addition, Wang Songwei also advocated that scholars "study measurement, chemistry, and optics."

Wang Jile's mother's original name was Xie Changda. After marrying into the Wang family, she changed her name to her husband's surname, so she was also known as Wang Xie Changda.

She is a famous feminist activist and educator in China.

She attaches great importance to women's rights and once said: Physical perfection is a great happiness, but being uneducated and untalented will eventually be criticized by society.

So, she set up a girls' school with the help of her friends.

And whenever she sees women being treated unfairly, she will stand up and fight for justice.

She also attaches importance to modern science and technology education and encourages children to learn Western scientific knowledge.

It was Wang Songwei and Wang Xie Changda's enlightened new educational ideas that had an important influence on the growth of their children.

Of course, as the eldest son, although Wang Jile had the guidance of his parents, he was too deeply influenced by family traditions, so he embarked on the path of imperial examinations.

After all, at this time, no one knows what the future of technology will be like.

The elders of the Wang family still hoped that some of their descendants could take the imperial examination, perhaps they were betting on both sides.

Faced with such a legendary family, Li Qiwei had nothing but admiration in his heart.

He was full of expectations for the future of the Wang family, perhaps someone among them could be of use to him.

"Haha, Brother Wang, you worry too much."

"This time when you come to the capital, you will surely pass the imperial examination and become famous all over the world."

"By then, how will you be willing to come to my little place?"

Wang Jile quickly said, "Brother Li, you are embarrassing me."

"However, I have many brothers and sisters, and several of them are very interested in Western science."

"And they have no interest in the imperial examinations."

"After I return this time, I will definitely tell them about Brother Li's eagerness to recruit talented people."

"I think they would like to become students of Whampoa Polytechnic."

"By then, I hope Brother Li can test them and accept them as students if they are qualified."

After listening to this, Li Qiwei suddenly realized that this was your goal.

He had always wondered, since Wang Jilie was unwilling to take up the position here right now, why did he come to see him?

It turned out that he was looking for a way out for his younger brothers and sisters.

Is this how the children of aristocratic families behave in the world?
No wonder the Wang family has been able to remain a prominent family for so long. This foresight alone is enough to create a huge gap between them and ordinary people.

When Wang found out that the imperial examination system had come to an end and science and technology had become the mainstream of society, he immediately fully supported his family members in engaging in the scientific field.

Otherwise, without the support of the family, the Wang family would not have developed so smoothly.

As expected, one should not underestimate any family that can last for hundreds or even thousands of years. The experience and resources they have accumulated are beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

At the same time, Li Qiwei was also fantasizing that he should have more children.

With his future status, the Li family will definitely become the world's number one scientific family.

But he was also afraid of the situation in the future: parents who both studied at Huaqing University, but their children can only go to Lanxiang Technical School.

"That's great, Brother Wang, you have solved my urgent problem."

"You are already so outstanding, I'm sure your brothers and sisters are also extremely talented."

"What's the use of examination? I want it when I come."

Wang Jile was overjoyed.

Although there are several Western-style schools in the country today, none of them can compare to Li Qiwei's university.

He himself had studied physics, so he naturally understood Li Qiwei's position in the field of physics.

If the family members can study under the other party, their future achievements will be limitless.

Now, while the other party is still in its early stages, the earlier you join, the more secure your position will be in the future.

The thoughts of the aristocratic families are so terrifying.

Li Qiwei also wanted to take this opportunity to "catch" the Wang family's future in one fell swoop.

(End of this chapter)