A Note of Thank You to Professor
Chen-Ning Yang
Banquet comment by Da Hsuan Feng
Conference on 60 years of Yang-Mills Gauge Field Theories: C
N Yang Contributions to Physics
26/5/2015
Professor and Mrs. Yang, colleagues at this conference, I am not
sure why I was asked to say a few words at such a distinguished
gathering. I think the only reason I could think of is Dr. K. K.
Phua and I go back a long way. He and my elder brother were
school mates in elementary school here in Singapore, and so he
is always a big brother to me. I am sure you all know that in the
Chinese tradition, when big brother says “jump,” you say “how
high!”
I have one confession to make here. Unlike anyone here at this
conference, my life did not and does not revolve around “Yang-
Mills!” Actually, I am “Yang-Mills free!” I know that is hard to
believe, but believe me, it is true. In fact, I think it is also true
that if you pick anyone off the street anywhere in the world and
ask him/her what does he/she thinks of the impact of Yang-
Mills, the answer will inevitably be “say what?”
Although my life is not affected by Yang-Mills, my life is
affected by Yang! On the memorable day when the Nobel
committee announced that Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen-Ning Yang
won the Nobel Prize in physics in October of 1957, not only Lee
and Yang’s life were changed forever, so was mine in my own
diminutive way.
As a young Chinese in 5th grade living in Singapore at that time,
we were informed that something remarkable had happened. I
was told, “That two Chinese, Lee and Yang, just like “you and
me,” did something so fantastic that the highest accolade of the
world was bestowed to them.” (Now that I think back, that
phrase “you and me” is the greatest stretch of the imagination)
To my generation of Chinese everywhere in the world, perhaps a
generation before me and for sure several generations after me,
whether the person is a physicist or not (and believe me,
contrary to common belief, most Chinese are not particle
physicists,) the name Chen-Ning Yang simply means “a shot of
inherent self-confidence.”
In this conference, I heard talk after talk about the deep impact
of Yang-Mills on our understanding of the universe. Indeed,
Yang-Mills’ gift to the world of science is innumerable. But my
friends, I can assure you that Yang-Mills’ gift to the world of
science pales in comparison to Professor Yang’s gift to the
Chinese civilization. With sheer intellectual prowess and with
profound dignity, Professor Yang lifted the spirit, the sense of
belonging and the deep inherent self-confidence of all Chinese
at an era where that was in great need. For me, before Yang was
cognizant to all, the end was nowhere in sight. After Yang, there
was bright light.
My friends, for the past 58 years, I have often wondered what I
would say to Professor Yang face to face if I ever get a chance to
thank him without sounding contrived. I now realize that this is
the moment and while I am indeed seizing the moment, it is
incredible that all I could muster with all my energy and
determination to say is: “Thank you Professor Yang, from the
bottom of my heart!”