ST Yau letter to a top political Chinese leader:
---This letter was published by many Chinese newspapers as evidence how close S-T Yau was to the great leadership.---
Your highness Chairman Zemin,
It was a great and unspeakable honor for me to be given a meeting by you, who, from a higher level, asked about science of today's world, and to be conferred a dinner at Beidaihe.
In May, I read while kneeling the Chairman's thesis in the US journal Science, which pointed out the importance of basic science in national plans and people's lives. It was really a needle that gets the blood on one punch.. I deeply felt the knowledge and the vision of the national leader. In the twentyfirst century, China will not only be on the par with the West in economy, but also plays a leadership position in the pursuit of truth, honor and beauty. Such a hundred year plan can not be achieved in one day. Chinese sons and daughters, would not lag behind others, even humble servants living outside China would be afraid if they do not serve the country.
Chairman has such great taste in liking poems, making other people feel that they are surrounded by the Spring wind. Shing-Tung, while a child, was educated at home by (his) father, and wondered a little into ancient literature, and after midlife and wondering far in a foreign country, whenever thinking about the family and the country, could not help myself, but used my crow-like hands to scribble some poems. I am humbly xxxxting a few of my horrible poems and I would take up the courage to beg the Chairman to use your axe-like pen (and great mind) to correct them.
Humbly submitting the above
with salutation for your peace in the autumn,
Shing-Tung Yau
October 1, 2000.
The letter by S-T. Yau to Chairman Jiang Zemin in 2000 was written in Chinese (while Jiang was still in power).
The wording was semi-ancient, mimicking the tone of an obedient servant. It is difficult to translate the letter. So the original is included: any American who could not understand the translation should consult their Chinese colleagues/friends/students to get the explanation.
notes for translation:
October 1st is the celebration day for the new administration founded by the Chinese communist party.
垂询 is talking from a higher point to a lower point: ST Yau obediently said that Jiang Zemin was talking to him about science from a higher point.
赐宴 is not a simple dinner, it is a emperor conferring a meal to an servant (or lower ranking official)
Beidaihe is a summer resort by the sea frequented by the political leadership.
不胜荣幸之至 is not just an honor, it is more like honor upon honor
拜读 is not just "reading",it is reading while kneeling
Yau called Jiang's policy article in Science a thesis 论文,a word only used for real scientific articles, while he clearly knows that it was a policy article (which was most likely written by an official, using Jiang's name)
子民is not in use now, was only used in ancient times for servants to described oneself to an emperor. 远方子民is an indirect reference to Yau himself who is not living in China.
如沐春风is not just saying that Jiang was great but that it changes the natural environment so that it brings the spring season to any person at any time.
奉上拙文数篇is not just showing you a few, but humbly showing you a few of my bad poems
敢请主席斧正is not just asking the chairman to appreciate or comment on the poemsk, but "I took up the courage to beg you to use your axe-like pen to fix them".
The original:
泽民主席阁下：
今夏蒙主席接见，垂询当世科学，又赐宴北戴河，不胜荣幸之至。
五月时拜读主席在美国科学杂志发表的论文，指出基本科学在国计民生的重要性，可谓一针见血，深感国家领导人的真知卓见，廿一世 纪的中国不单会在经济上与西方并驾齐驱，在人类追求真善美的崇高立
场上，也将处于领导的地位。百年大计，总非一朝可成，中华儿女，岂甘人后，远方子民，敢不为国效劳！
主席雅好诗文，使人如沐春风。成桐少年时，承父亲庭训，略涉古文，中岁后远托异邦，每有家国之思，不能自给，竟有涂鸦之作，谨奉上拙文数篇，敢请主席斧正。
敬颂秋安
晚
丘成桐敬上
二零零零年十月一日
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