The Legacy of Nobel Physicist C.N. Yang: From Yang-Mills Theory to Bridging Nations

World‑renowned physicist, Nobel laureate, Chinese Academy of Sciences academician, and Tsinghua University professor Yang Zhenning passed away on October 18, 2025 in Beijing at the age of 103.

Yang Zhenning was one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century, making extraordinary contributions to modern physics. He once said, “My greatest contribution is helping Chinese people overcome the psychological inferiority they felt for many years.”

Born in 1922 in Hefei, Anhui, he experienced war during his youth.

From 1938 to 1944 he studied at the National Southwest Associated University, receiving top‑notch physics education under wartime conditions and earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees; in 1948 he obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

His research focused on statistical mechanics, symmetry principles, and particle physics.

In 1957, together with Tsung‑Dao Lee, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for proposing the theory of parity non‑conservation in weak interactions, becoming one of the earliest Chinese Nobel laureates.

In 1954 he proposed the Yang‑Mills gauge theory, now regarded as a cornerstone of modern physics, with scientific impact surpassing even the Nobel level.

In 1971 he made his first visit to the new China, building an academic bridge between China and the United States before diplomatic relations thawed.

In 2003 he formally returned to China, settled at Tsinghua University, and devoted his later years to developing the Advanced Institute and nurturing talent, advocating a modest and plain scholarly attitude.

In 2015 he renounced his U.S. citizenship, became an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and fulfilled his father’s wish to serve the motherland.

When discussing his renunciation, he said his blood carries his father’s lineage and Chinese culture, and he is gratified to have helped build a friendship bridge between China and the United States.

In March 2022, Yang was listed among the 2021 “Touching China” annual figures, praised for standing at the intersection of science and tradition, contributing profound knowledge to the world and pure dedication to his country.

On his hundredth birthday he fondly recalled his late classmate Deng Jiaxian, delivering a speech titled “May People Live Long, Together Across Miles,” expressing confidence that his “common path” vision would satisfy his friend.