【Haichuan. Pioneers of the Chemical Industry】09 Tang Aoqing – The pioneer and founder of modern theoretical chemistry, whose students are found all over the world

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Tang Aoqing, a chemist born in 1915, is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and known as the \"father of quantum chemistry in China.\" He received **Natural Science Awards four times throughout his life. Tang Aoqing made significant contributions to the development of Jilin University. The story of his joint efforts with his \"eight disciples\" to reach academic heights is widely told and celebrated. 　　In December 1949, after obtaining his doctorate from Columbia University in the United States, Tang Aoqing returned to China to teach. In 1952, he responded positively to the call and moved from Peking University, where the working conditions were excellent, to teach at Jilin University, where he joined professors such as Cai Liusheng and Guan Shizhi in establishing the Department of Chemistry at Jilin University. 　　At that time, the Department of Chemistry was located in a two-story building constructed during the Japanese occupation period; the department had only a few small offices, with over 30 faculty members forced to work together there. There was no talk of experimental equipment, instruments, or chemicals at all. To carry out scientific research properly, Tang Aoqing led the teachers and students to clean ink bottles and add alcohol to them for use as heaters. 　　By the time he started working at Jilin University, Tang Aoqing was already renowned both domestically and internationally. Yet, in order to promote the development of the chemistry department, he continued to wear glasses with a high degree of myopia of 2000 degrees, reading and consulting materials at a distance of just 20 centimeters. What is even more admirable is that Tang Aoqing never brings any lecture notes when giving lectures; he keeps everything in his memory. Moreover, he explains his lessons in a simple and clear way, so that even students who are not majoring in chemistry find them interesting to listen to. 　　In the early summer of 1963, on a night when the lights had just been turned on, eight people, including Sun Jiazhong and Jiang Yuansheng, young teachers from the Department of Chemistry, were invited to the gray building where Tang Aoqing lived. At that time, 5 of these 8 people were associate professors and 3 were lecturers; they later became the \"eight key members\" of a nationally renowned research group, also known as Tang Aoqing’s \"eight disciples\". Today, these “eight disciples” have all become renowned chemists, with several of them being elected as academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Among them, Zhang Qianer was recommended by Lu Jiaxi, who was then the vice president of Fuzhou University and the director of the Fuzhou Institute of Material Structure; Yan Guosen and Gu Zheng were recommended by Ke Zhao, who was then the president of Sichuan University. Among these 8 students, Liu Ruozhuang once worked on theoretical chemistry research at Peking University alongside Professor Tang Aoqing in the early 1950s; Deng Conghao was a student in the course on the structure of matter in 1953, while Zhang Qianer studied for his master’s degree under Lu Jiaxi in the early 1950s; Dai Shushan and Jiang Yuansheng were graduate students of Professor Tang Aoqing. After the launch of the academic seminar, it received positive feedback, and various universities sent their teachers to participate in the discussions. According to the \"Documents Related to the Summary of the 1963 Academic Seminar on Material Structure and Personal Reflections\" (1965, Changchun: Archives of Jilin University, Volume 162, Catalogue 19), Xue Zhiyuan, who was already a teacher at Fudan University, Huang Zhongtao from South China Institute of Technology, and Li Leming from Peking University were all recommended by their respective institutions to attend as observers. By December 1963, there were 31 auditors, of whom 8 were from other regions (1 each from Nanjing University, Fudan University, Fuzhou University, Xiamen University, Beijing Institute of Electronics, and Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, and 2 from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics); 12 were from Changchun (1 each from Jilin Normal University, Northeast Institute of Physics, and Changchun Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, 2 from Changchun Institute of Geology, and 7 from Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry); and 11 were from Jilin University. You Xiaozeng from Nanjing University, Zhao Chengda from Northeast Normal University, Liu Chunwan from Fuzhou University, Qiu Zuwén from Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Tao Yusheng from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Gao Xiaohui from Changchun Institute of Geology attended the academic seminar as auditors. Li Lemin from Peking University (born 1935) attended a two-month academic seminar from May to July 1964 as a listener. Auditors are only arranged to attend lectures; no scientific research activities are assigned to them. Moreover, auditors are somewhat mobile, and the figure of 31 auditors refers only to the count as of December 14, 1963. However, since the start of the academic seminar, the number of observers has remained above 20. The above-mentioned students basically come from various well-known universities and research institutions across the country. Subsequently, most of these students achieved success at their own institutions, yielding rich results and carrying forward Tang Aoqing’s academic legacy.

Biographical notes edited by Tang Aoqing. Tang Aoqing (7 images). Born on November 18, 1915 (the fourth year of the Republic of China era), in Heqiao Town, Yixing County, Jiangsu Province. In August 1931 (the 20th year of the Republic of China), Tang Aoqing was admitted to Wuxi Normal School. In July 1934 (the 23rd year of the Republic of China), he graduated from Wuxi Normal School in Jiangsu Province. From August 1934 to January 1936, in order to raise funds for college, he worked as a teacher at Lingxia Primary School in Guanlin Town, Yixing County. In February 1936 (the 25th year of the Republic of China), he entered the preparatory class for college at Jiangsu Provincial Yangzhou Middle School. That same summer, Tang Aoqing was admitted to the Department of Chemistry at Peking University to study*. In 1938 (the 27th year of the Republic of China), he followed his school to Kunming and continued his studies at the Department of Chemistry of the Southwest United University. In July 1940 (the 29th year of the Republic of China era), he graduated from the Department of Chemistry at the Southwest Associated University and stayed there to teach. In 1946 (the 35th year of the Republic of China era), he went to the United States as an assistant to renowned Chinese scientists such as Zeng Zhaolun in chemistry, Hua Luogeng in mathematics, and Wu Dayou in physics, in order to study atomic energy technology. Later, he was recommended to pursue a doctoral degree at the Department of Chemistry at Columbia University. In November 1949, she received a Ph.D. from Columbia University. In February 1950, after returning to China, he became a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Peking University. In September 1952, he was transferred to Northeast People’s University (the predecessor of Jilin University) as a professor, where he helped establish the Department of Chemistry together with Cai Liuseng and others. In 1963, the Ministry of Education tasked Tang Aoqing with organizing a seminar on molecular structure in Changchun, selecting eight talented young scholars from universities across the country for participation. From 1978 to 1986, he served as the president of Jilin University, overseeing and leading all aspects of the university’s operations. In August 1981, he was elected an academician of the International Institute for Quantum Molecular Science. In 1986, as one of the key decisions made to reform the science and technology system, the State Council decided to establish the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Tang Aoqing was appointed as its first director. From April 1988 to March 1993, he served as a standing committee member of the 7th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In November 1990, he was elected as the president of the 23rd Council of the Chinese Chemical Society. At 11:15 on July 15, 2008, Tang Aoqing passed away in Beijing at the age of 93.

　Tang Aoqing (left) is pictured with Kuang Yaming, the former president of Jilin University, and Professor Jin Jingfang, a renowned historian (right).

Jilin University Holds Ceremony to Unveil Statue of Academician Tang Aoqing and Tang Aoqing Building Author: Lijing Date: 2009-07-15 Views: 245 On the first anniversary of Academician Tang Aoqing’s death, and in order to honor his outstanding achievements as well as to use his life of virtue, selfless dedication, and hard work as an example for future generations, Jilin University held a ceremony on July 13th in front of the Tang Aoqing Building on its main campus to unveil the statue of Academician Tang Aoqing and the Tang Aoqing Building.