Ma Dexiu, Zhang Jie and Xie Shengwu visited Qian Xuesen and congratulated his 95th birthday.

12/11/2006

Ma Dexiu, Zhang Jie and Xie Shengwu visited Qian Xuesen and congratulated his 95th birthday.

December 11 was the 95th birthday of our 1934 session alumnus Qian Xuesen---the scientist of the people. With all teachers’ and students’ best wishes, Ma Dexiu, CPC Party Secretary of the university, Zhang Jie, President of the university, Xie Shengwu, former President, and Pan Min, Deputy CPC Party Secretary went to Beijing on December 9 to visit Qian Xuesen and wished him a healthy and long life.

At 3 o’clock in the afternoon of December 9, when the school leaders came into his room, Qian Xuesen was sitting on his bed, in good health and with a smiling face, he shaked hands with the school leaders. Ma Dexiu sent warm regards to Qian Xuesen on behalf of the university and conveyed the teachers’ and students’ blessing for him. Ma Dexiu said: “Mr. Qian, on behalf of all the teachers and students of our university, we wish you a healthy and long life. We will always remember your great contributions to the country and the society, and we are so proud of you. This year marks the 110th birthday of our university. Stimulated by your thoughts and spirit, all the teachers and students are striving to build Shanghai Jiaotong University into a world-class university”. Hearing this, Qian Xuesen was very thankful. Then, Ma Dexiu, Zhang Jie and Xie Shengwu gave him the university’s gifts for his 95th birthday, which were a traditional Chinese Painting of Wu Yiping, painter of Shanghai Culture Research Center, indicating that Qian Xuesen’s scientific thinking and patriotism will be as respectful as mountains and clouds; a seal character couplet “both academy and articles are excellent, both forests and trees are in his heart” wrote by a 1947 session alumnus named Chen Yihong, indicating his excellent scientific thinking and academic contribution as well as the spirit of loving people all the times. When Ma Dexiu told him the implication of the painting and the calligraphy, Qian Xuesen said humbly with a smile: “many thanks to Shanghai Jiaotong University. I’m flattered”. They also gave him a potted green camellia with flower buds, indicating Qian Xuesen’s noble and modest character.

Qian Xuesen said affectionately: “after graduating from Shanghai Jiaotong University, I received scholarship and went to study in MIT and California Institute of Technology, after which I came back and was awarded so many honors...When I was in Shanghai Jiaotong University, there were a lot of camellia...Our university fostered many excellenttalents, such as Jiang Zemin, who often comes to see me...”. The whole room was filled by laughter. Professor Jiang Ying, Qian Xuesen’s wife, also took out a box of chocolate to entertain the guests from Shanghai Jiaotong University who also wished her good health and all the best.

After the visit, the school leaders also held a discussion with Qian Xuesen’s family members, discussing about raising money to set up Qian Xuesen Library, organizing activities for his 95th birthday, publishing his manuscripts, works and research collections.

Qian Xuesen was not only what makes Shanghai Jiaotong University feels proud, but also a valuable treasure of our country, nation and even our times. May Qian Xuesen enjoy a healthy and long life.