【Haichuan. 【Pioneers in Chemistry】025 Zhang Zigao – The Founder of Chemistry Education at Tsinghua University

A bronze statue of this kind stands in the center of the Chemistry Building at Tsinghua University.

As a youth, he studied in a private school and became a xiucai. During the period when the imperial examination system was abolished and schools were established, in 1903, he was admitted to Wuchang Wenhua Ordinary Middle School. After graduating in 1907, he taught mathematics and English at the Higher Primary School in Zhijiang County. In the autumn of 1909, they were selected as part of the first group to study in the United States at public expense; 47 others, including Jin Tao, Mei Yiqi, and Hu Gangfu, were also chosen. The first group of students funded by the Boxer Indemnity funds went to study in the United States. He entered the Department of Chemistry at MIT in 1911, and after graduating in 1915, the renowned physical chemist Noyes kept him as an assistant researcher. And participated in the compilation of Nöll’s renowned book \"Qualitative Analysis of Rare Elements\".

Despite the support of renowned scholars and excellent research facilities, Zhang Zigao was eager to serve his country; therefore, after working in the United States for a few months, he returned to his homeland, where he taught at Southeast University, Jinling University, and Zhejiang University. He was recruited to Tsinghua in 1929, serving as a professor in the Department of Chemistry, department head, dean of academic affairs, and other positions. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan, Tsinghua University moved south as a whole, and in early 1938, Zhang Zigao arrived at the Southwestern Associated University, formed by the combined efforts of Tsinghua, Peking, and Nankai Universities, to teach there. Later, due to family matters, he returned to Beiping, where he served as a professor and head of the Department of Chemistry at the Private China University and Furen University, as well as dean of the Faculty of Science; he also held the position of guest professor at the Private Yenching University. Following the victory in the War of Resistance against Japan in 1945, at the invitation of President Mei Yiqi, Zhang Zigao joined the work of the Tsinghua University Takeover Committee on site. From then on, he returned to Tsinghua University to teach. In 1948, Tsinghua University was liberated, and Zhang Zigao once served as the head of the Tsinghua Education Union. During the departmental reorganization in 1952, considering the importance of basic courses such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry for engineering students, he voluntarily stayed at Tsinghua to serve as the head of the General Chemistry teaching and research group, playing a key role in the development of that group and in teaching activities related to general chemistry at Tsinghua during that period.

Two widely recognized characteristics of Zhang Zigao in teaching are as follows: First, he made efforts to incorporate the latest scientific achievements into his lessons; for example, in the 1920s and 1930s, he introduced \"chemical thermodynamics\", a field that was still considered an emerging science at that time, into his teaching； Second, there is a rigorous approach to scholarship, with every aspect of teaching taken seriously in order to foster in students a spirit of honesty and a meticulous scientific attitude. Our country’s renowned scientists such as Wu Youxun, Wu Xuezhou, and Zhang Jiangshu, who once studied under him and benefited from his teachings, all have a deep understanding of this. His students said, “In the several chemistry courses taught by Teacher Zhang, even though they were taught dozens of times, he prepared his lessons with the same care and attention as if it were a new course every time.” ” Zhang Zigao is inherently a person of the \"three integrations\"–the integration of literature and the arts, the convergence of Eastern and Western traditions, and the blending of the ancient and the modern. He was a modern natural scientist, but he had in-depth research on the history of ancient Chinese science. He published numerous articles in journals such as the Acta Archeologica Sinica, including ones titled \"Achievements in Ancient Chinese Chemistry,\" \"Alternative Interpretations of the Six Therapeutic Principles,\" and \"The Historical Development of Atomic and Molecular Theory.\" In 1964, he published a monograph titled \"A Draft History of Chinese Chemistry (Ancient Period).\" He is an outstanding collector of ancient ink, having spent 30 years collecting nearly a thousand square feet of such ink. But he did not collect antiques merely out of an interest in the past; in his own words, “Collecting inks is my hobby, as well as a small aspect of my research into the history of chemistry.” ”He is highly proficient in ancient Chinese texts and is an expert in the appreciation of classical poetry and prose as well as a writer in this field. He and the former president Mei Yiqi were not only classmates who went to the United States to study in the same year, but also close friends who worked together for many years. In the autumn and winter of 1948, members of Tsinghua University planned to hold a celebration to mark President Mei’s 60th birthday. They asked the artist Li Zongjin to create a portrait of President Mei, and invited Zhang Zigao to write an inscription for the occasion. The final part of this inscription read: I surely wonder whether those who live in this world, hold high positions, and bear the trust of the people, and who wish to work for the welfare of future generations, might be influenced by President Mei’s example as well By emulating this magnanimous gentleman, who accepts things as they come and serves as a role model for all, the positive influence of his example will surely spread far and wide, with nothing to stop it These portraits are based on the ancient paintings of the lord, depicting his true features. If one could attain even a fraction of the true nature of fairness? I write this merely to wish you a long life. A letter written by Professor Zhang Zigao from the Department of Chemistry.

Major Works: 1. Zhang Zigao. A Brief History of Scientific Development (lecture notes). Shanghai: Zhonghua Book Company, 1924. 2. Zhang Zigao. Achievements in Ancient Chinese Chemistry. New Tsinghua Monthly, 1954, Issue 1: 35–38. 3. Zhang Zigao. The Historical Development of Atomic and Molecular Theory. Chemical Bulletin, 1957, 9: 1–8. 4. Zhang Zigao. Alternative Interpretations of the Six Alloys. Journal of Tsinghua University, 1958, 4(2): 159–165. 5. Zhang Zigao. The Origin and Development of Alchemy. Journal of Tsinghua University, 1960, 7(2): 35–51. 6. Zhang Zigao. An Evaluation of Cai Lun’s Contributions to Papermaking. Journal of Tsinghua University, 1960, 7(2): 23–29. 7. Zhang Zigao. On the Timing of the Origin of Wine Brewing in China. Journal of Tsinghua University, 1960, 7(2): 31–33. 8. Zhang Zigao. Two Issues in the Study of Chinese Chemical History. People’s Daily, 1961, August 10. 9. Zhang Zigao. Is the “Tao” in Laozi’s Philosophy an Atom? Guangming Daily, 1962, April 19. 10 Zhang Zigao. After Reading “A Discussion on the Relationship between Cai Lun and Paper-Making.” Guangming Daily, 1962, April 19. 11 Zhang Zigao. On the Date of Zhao Xuemin’s “Supplements to Compendium of Materia Medica” and the Fact That China Was the First to Use Acidic Liquids for Engraving Copper Plates. Journal of the History of Science, 1962, 4: 106–109. 12 Zhang Zigao. Further Discussions on Cai Lun’s Contributions to Paper-Making. Acta Universitatis Tsinghua, 1962, 9(5): 109–112. 13 Zhang Zigao. The Historical Significance of He Liaoran’s “Introduction to Chemistry” in Terms of the Translation of Chemical Elements’ Names. Acta Universitatis Tsinghua, 1962, 9(6): 41–47. 14 Zhang Zigao. A Draft History of Chinese Chemistry (Ancient Period). Beijing: Science Press, 1964. 15 Zhang Zigao, Yang Gen. Studies on Bismuth Iron. Journal of the History of Science, 1964, 7: 45–52. 16 Zhang Zigao, Yang Gen. The Introduction of Western Chemistry to China Before the Wars. Acta Universitatis Tsinghua, 1964, 11(2): 1–14. 17 Zhang Zigao, Yang Gen. “Yaquan Magazine” and the Issue of Translating Chemical Element Names in Modern China. Chemical Communications, 1965, 1: 55–59. 18 Zhang Zigao, Yang Gen. The Metallurgical Techniques of the Warring States Period as Seen from Houma Pottery Molds and Xinglong Iron Molds. Acta Universitatis Tsinghua, 1973, 3: 40–48

The bronze and plastic bust of Zhang Zigao was erected by alumni from the Class of 1964 and 1965 of the Department of Chemistry; it was completed on April 24, 1994, on the occasion of the university’s 83rd anniversary, and was created by Professor Chen Shuguang from the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts. The bronze statue is placed right in the center of the entrance to the Chemistry Building. The front side of its pedestal is covered with a white marble inlay, on which is inscribed a message written by his student from the 1930s and former president, Jiang Nanxiang: “A pioneer in China’s field of chemistry, the founder of chemistry education at Tsinghua”” ； On both sides of the platform are engraved Professor Zhang Zigao’s resume, as well as messages from alumni of the Chemistry Department’s classes of 1964 and 1965: “To celebrate the anniversary of our alma mater and the 30th anniversary of graduation; six years of hard study, thirty years of remembrance for our mentor.” ”

These days, actors are in the spotlight; scholars turn to business, while businessmen give lectures

So in this section, it is still possible to learn a bit about it