On January 4, 1980, China's "Youth Daily" published a long newsletter "Motherland, Your Sons and Daughters Are Back" on the front page, introducing young doctoral researcher and chemist Ouyang Benwei (Jiangmen, Guangdong) Huangzhuang Renshouli) and his wife, assistant researcher Li Jinglian (from Chaozhou, Guangdong) gave up their affluent living and working environment in the United States and devoted themselves to the construction of the motherland. According to the report, "No matter how poor and backward the motherland is, she will always be my motherland. "Just like my mother, no matter how poor she is, she is always my mother." Her heartfelt words aroused strong responses among young people.
Ouyang Benwei graduated from Cambridge and Harvard University, and was a doctoral researcher at Harvard University. He taught at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and was a famous chemist and biochemical expert;
His wife Li Jinglian once served as an assistant researcher at Harvard University.
On January 4, 1980, China's "Youth Daily" published a long newsletter "Motherland, Your Sons and Daughters Are Back" on the front page, with the original picture of the newspaper.
I searched everywhere and found the second issue of "Broad World" in 1980. I used software to scan it into text. The full text is as follows:
Motherland, your children are back
——Interview with a young researcher who just returned from the United States
Ouyang Benwei and assistant researcher Li Jinglian
On December 13, 1979, there was a pair of twenty A young couple of eight or nine years old traveled across the ocean and returned to China from Boston, USA, and came to work at the Shanghai Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The man's name is Ouyang Benwei, and he was a doctoral researcher at Harvard University; the woman's name is Li Jinglian, and she is an assistant researcher at Harvard University.
We met them in a very simply furnished public room. Like long-lost relatives, we talked cordially.
“No matter how poor she is, she is always my mother”
We mentioned that the living conditions in China are worse than those in the United States. I wonder if you are mentally prepared? Ouyang Benwei said With a strong Cantonese accent, he said: "No matter how poor and backward the motherland is, she will always be my motherland; just like my mother, no matter how poor she is, she will always be my mother." Ouyang Benwei also said a very touching sentence He said: "We can't wait until the motherland is prosperous and powerful, and the conditions are better before we come back, right? By then, it won't matter whether we come back or not."
Both of them were born in Hong Kong. Growing up young people. When the school teacher explained to them the modern history of the motherland, they provided them with this image: Old China was like a country with countless patches on its clothes, a group of hungry and cold children and grandchildren, and suffered all kinds of humiliation. Mother. In the 1960s, Ouyang Benwei's grandmother in Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province was critically ill, and she called her to see her grandson for the last time. Under the guidance of his parents, Ouyang Benwei set foot on his hometown for the first time. After that, he returned to the mainland of the motherland for sightseeing three times. He saw the revolutionary holy land of Yan'an, the ancient capitals of Xi'an and Luoyang: the beautiful Seven Star Rocks, the charming West Lake, and the impoverished Loess Plateau. All this aroused his deep affection for the motherland. This is the place where my ancestors lived, my motherland, my home!
In 1974, shortly after Ouyang Benwei graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he was admitted to the world-famous University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. His lover Li Jinglian also followed him to Cambridge. Many teachers at Cambridge University have been to China. When they see Ouyang Benwei, they always greet him affectionately: "Chinese student!" Some students from the third world saw him either at the dining table or in the dormitory. He always said with an envious expression: "New China is amazing!" Listening to these words, he always felt deeply: As a Chinese, why didn't he understand the motherland as well as some foreign friends? He began to read from newspapers and periodicals I searched for news about the motherland between the lines and tried hard to understand New China more deeply. He also organized a Chinese student alumni association with Li Jinglian and some friends, and invited friends from the "British-China Understanding Association" to talk about the situation in China; with the support of the Chinese Embassy, ??he screened Chinese movies and held a photo exhibition of "Old Looks New Looks" ; He also made his own engravings and started the "Sword Newspaper". The deeper and broader their understanding of the motherland is, the deeper their feelings for the motherland will be.
“Material deficiencies can be compensated spiritually”
This period can be said to be an important period for them to make serious choices about their future, especially one year before graduation, they Think more seriously about your future. There are three possibilities before them: one is to find a suitable job abroad.
Ouyang Benwei had already published an academic paper in the British "Proceedings of the Chemical Society" at that time. His tutor, Professor Ian Fleming, thought this Chinese student was "good". With his academic qualifications, he can definitely find a satisfactory job abroad and further achieve a higher academic status under the superior scientific research conditions. However, no matter how hard you work abroad, your research results never belong to the motherland, and can often only be patented by a few people. The second way out is to return to Hong Kong and reunite with my family. But Hong Kong is a small place, and the more cutting-edge and professional scientific research, the harder it is to put it to use. The third is to return to the motherland. They believe: "Material deficiencies can be compensated spiritually." Ouyang Benwei said: "Capitalist countries have a scientific side in management, and of course material life is better, but there is a poor side in spiritual life. How do you look at this problem? It depends on how you do it. Understand the meaning of life." How well said! The words are simple, but they sparkle with the brilliance of thought. They also thought: "Will there be another catastrophe like the Cultural Revolution in our motherland?" Their conclusion was: "The people of the motherland will understand. Our motherland can no longer afford such heavy tuition fees. !" After many nights filled with thoughts, the young couple finally chose the last option.
Children care deeply
After Ouyang Benwei obtained his doctorate at Cambridge University, his mentor recommended him to his mentor - a professor at Harvard University in the United States and winner of the Nobel Prize. The famous organic chemist Woodwater. In order to further broaden his horizons and improve his independent research capabilities, Ouyang Benwei and his wife first came to the United States to work as a doctoral researcher in the laboratory chaired by Woodwater. This is a well-equipped and well-funded laboratory. He and his wife will receive an additional salary of $20,000 per year. However, this young couple did not even buy a house. They bought a car and sold it within a few months. They even bought old furniture and rarely even spent time on vacation like some young people. Go have a fun day.
One night, they opened their mailbox and received a notification from the Chinese Embassy in the United States that they were allowed to return to the country. Their wish came true. Ouyang Benwei resolutely resigned from the job he had just hired at Brandeis University for a three-year term. They gave some of the money they had saved in the United States over the past few years to their parents and told the elderly that they were already staff members of the scientific research institution of the Shanghai Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Regarding the young couple's determined move to return to China, his father said: "You have grown up and have your own ideas, and we will not stop you. Returning to work in China is of course a good thing, and we also hope that the motherland will be stable and prosperous." But Ouyang Benwei Ouyang Benwei's mother said regretfully: "I originally planned to live with you." Ouyang Benwei said to his mother sincerely: "Mom, come to Shanghai to live with us after retirement. If you are afraid that you will not get used to life, next year After spring comes, come and stay for a while and give it a try."
"The future of the individual is integrated with the future of the motherland."
This experience reflects this pair of young people. The couple's loyalty to the motherland and the nation. They also said that before they returned to China, some foreign friends asked at a farewell banquet: "You have served the country well when you returned. But, what about your positions and salary?" The question was very implicit. They smiled and replied: "This will happen after returning to China." In fact, they were mentally prepared. The motherland is not rich yet, so how can we have high salaries and benefits? So they have saved a lot of money by frugally and took this into consideration.
When we asked them what their current working conditions are like, Ouyang Benwei said: "The scientific research conditions here are worse than abroad. In terms of personal academic achievements, they may be better after returning to China than at home." It's worse abroad. But I think about it from another perspective. There are not many people like us who understand foreign science and technology, so my role will not necessarily be smaller than abroad." He said repeatedly. He said this sentence: "I always feel that my personal future is integrated with the future of the motherland."
There was also an interesting episode in the conversation. Li Jinglian quietly asked a lesbian among us: "Is there a nursery here? At what age can I be admitted?" In order to study and work, they have been married for many years without having children. Now they feel that they are "back home" and their lives have "settled down" from now on. Maybe they think it's time to consider this matter?
Xiao Gang? Shen Quanmei
(According to " Xinhua News Agency Press Release")