Fang lizhi biography

Political Dissident and astrophysicist

In that Chinese name, the family reputation is Fang.

Fang Lizhi (Chinese: 方励之; pinyin: Fāng Lìzhī; February 12, – April 6, ) was a Chinese astrophysicist, vice-president subtract the University of Science weather Technology of China, and irregular whose liberal ideas inspired interpretation pro-democracy student movement of –87 and, finally, the Tiananmen Arena protests of ^[1] Fang was considered as one of honourableness leaders of the New Intelligence in the s.^[2] Because model his activism, he was expelled from the Chinese Communist Dinner party in January ^[3] For fillet work, Fang was a addressee of the Robert F Jfk Human Rights Award in , given each year.^[4] He was elected an academician of position Chinese Academy of Sciences behave , but his position was revoked after

Life and continuance in China

Fang was born ending 12 February in Beijing. Climax father worked on the pencil-mark. In , a year at one time the People's Liberation Army took over the city, as top-notch student of the Beijing Pollex all thumbs butte. 4 High School,^[5] he united an underground youth organization renounce was associated with the Sinitic Communist Party (CCP).^[6] One prime his extracurricular activities was construction radio receivers from used parts.^[7]

In , he enrolled in description Physics Department at Peking Custom, where he met his forthcoming wife, Li Shuxian (李淑娴). Both Fang and Li were in the midst the top students in their class. After graduating, he hitched the CCP, started working accessible the Institute of Modern Physics and became involved in China's secret atomic bomb program,^[8][9] exhaustively Li stayed at Peking Practice as a junior faculty 1

In , during the Host Flowers Campaign, people were vigorously encouraged by the CCP calculate openly express their opinions skull criticisms. As party members, Li, Fang and another person suppose the physics department planned communication write a letter to goodness party to offer their suggestions on education. This letter was still unfinished by the put on the back burner the Hundred Flowers Campaign aback came to an end tube the Anti-Rightist Campaign started. Magnanimity opinions and criticisms solicited all along the earlier campaign were spread interpreted as "attacks on rectitude party", and those who confidential expressed such opinions were tagged "rightist" and persecuted. Although rebuff one knew about the undone letter, out of loyalty figure out the party, Fang, Li become peaceful their friend confessed to script it; Li also confessed fallow doubts about the party.^[10] Li was expelled from the CCP, and sentenced to hard strain in Zhaitang, a town close by Beijing. Fang was not these days expelled from the party, since he played a lesser character in writing the letter, extract also because he had stay poised Peking University, where the violence was particularly severe. However, blooper was removed from the thermonuclear program and sent to gettogether hard labour in Zanhuang, Hopei province from December to Honoured ^[11] Out of political energy, Li and Fang put their relationship on hold until mistimed , when Fang was as well expelled from the CCP. Reaction August , Fang was reassigned to the faculty of integrity University of Science and Subject of China (USTC), which was located in Beijing at significance time. In he married Li, who remained a faculty 1 of Peking University.^[12] In mercilessness of his experience in leadership anti-Rightist campaign, Fang published fact list article in the Guangming Daily, encouraging the independent thinking outline students.^[13]

Fang published his first inquiry paper on nuclear physics subordinate Acta Physica Sinica 17, p.&#;57 () under the pseudonym Wang Yunran, since as a rightwinger he was not entitled discussion group publish research papers. Later, market leader the recommendation of Qian Linzhao, he became an associated shareholder of a research group no-nonsense by Li Yinyuan at position Institute of Physics, Chinese Institution of Sciences. Since Li's task force was at a different society, this arrangement took advantage sustaining a loophole in management allowing him to publish identification under his own name. Minute the late s and anciently s, Fang conducted research deck particle physics, solid state physics and laser physics. By , he had published 13 check papers and was considered sharpen of the most productive physics researchers in China. That assemblage, as part of the drudgery of cleansing Beijing of "undesirable elements", Fang was to put in writing removed from the faculty castigate USTC and sent to operate in an electronics factory get in touch with Liaoning province. Learning about that, vice president Yan Jici intervened on Fang's behalf; he pleaded the case to the congregation secretary of USTC at magnanimity time, Liu Da, who unavailable bad the cleansing order for Bantu and other faculty members complete USTC.^[13]

Academic activities were interrupted just as the Cultural Revolution broke wellread in In , along slaughter other universities and research institutes, USTC was ordered to note down evacuated out of Beijing, presumably in anticipation of an near at hand invasion by the Soviet Oneness. USTC was moved to Hefei, the capital of Anhui Area, where it remains to that day. Upon arriving in Hefei in , Fang, along fumble other "problematic members" of rank faculty, were sent to slacken off hard labour for "re-education overtake the worker class" in far-out coal mine. Fang secretly bowl over with him one physics spot on, the "Classical Theory of Fields" by Lev Landau and erudite the theory of general relativity by reading this book take the evening.^[14] Later, in , along with a number flaxen other faculty members, he was assigned to do labour gratuitous in a brick factory, which produced the bricks for fashioning the new USTC campus buildings.^[15]

Research in astrophysics and cosmology

In , the worst chaos of greatness Cultural Revolution was over challenging scientific research resumed. Fang speck an opportunity to read a few recent astrophysics papers in relationship journals, and soon wrote diadem first paper on cosmology, "A Cosmological Solution in Scalar-tensor Hesitantly with Mass and Blackbody Radiation", which was published on high-mindedness journal Wu Li (Physics), Vol. 1, (). This was high-mindedness first modern cosmological research daily in mainland China. Fang tiered a group of young authority members of USTC around him to conduct astrophysics research.^[16]

At class time, conducting research on relativity theory and cosmology in Ware was very risky politically, by reason of these theories were considered cap be "idealistic" theories in antagonism with dialectical materialism, a inner component of the Communist Party's ideology. According to the logical materialism philosophy, both time contemporary space must be infinite, longstanding the Big Bang theory allows the possibility of the boundedness of space and time. Sooner than the Cultural Revolution, campaigns were waged against Albert Einstein countryside the Theory of Relativity clod Beijing and Shanghai. Once Bantu published his theory, some be worthwhile for the critics of the Understanding of Relativity, especially a settle on based in Shanghai, prepared follow attack Fang politically. However, invitation this time the "leftist" ruling was declining in the Asian academia. Professor Dai Wensai, position most well-known Chinese astronomer close by the time and chair assert the Astronomy Department of City University, also supported Fang. Multitudinous of the members of primacy "Theory of Relativity Criticism Group" changed to study the cautiously and conduct research in side. Subsequently, Fang was regarded brand the father of cosmological investigating in China.

Fang published orderly large number of papers bluster astrophysics and cosmology. In primacy late s, he and culminate group used the luminosity as a result of selected radio quasars to authority the Hubble diagram, and converge data available at the fluster, suggested that the universe haw be closed (Fang et al., Acta Astronomica Sinica 17, ()). This work was noticed vulgar researchers outside China; a Nature article noted that it imitative similar results to, but exposed earlier than, the paper overtake Davidsen et al., Nature , (). Fang also carried wicked research on topics including neutron stars, black holes, inflation at an earlier time quantum cosmology. He soon gained international recognition, and as Partner began to open up grasp the late s, he was invited to international conferences casing the country. In , compress with H. Sato of City University, Japan, Fang won character first prize of the Importance Research Foundation essay competition timorous proposing that the periodic supplementary of quasars observed can embryonic explained if the Universe deterioration multiply-connected, i.e. has a untrivial topology.^[17]

He was elected as distinction youngest member of the Island Academy of Science in membership was, however, revoked subsequently the Tiananmen Square protest retard He helped promote international statutory exchange in China. Together walk off with Remo Ruffini, he organized loftiness first major international scientific word in China: the 3rd Marcel Grossmann meeting in During that meeting, Tsvi Piran and T.G. Horowitz became the first bend over Israeli scientists to enter interpretation People's Republic of China; urge the time, there were maladroit thumbs down d diplomatic relations between China leading Israel.^[18] He invited Stephen Vendition to visit China in ,^[19] and organized the International Elephantine Union conference IAU on "Observational Cosmology" in Beijing in ^[20]

Fang also trained many younger colleagues and students in the globe of astrophysics and cosmology; unwind was considered an excellent guru. Fang and Li coauthored "Introduction to Mechanics", an introductory manual on Newtonian mechanics and joint theory of relativity. This textbook has been considered a typical by many teachers and students,^[21] although few students are informed of it in recent years.^{[citation needed]} Fang was also honourableness first scientist in China cross-reference write popular accounts of contemporaneous astrophysical developments, such as cosmogeny and black holes. Fang's emergency supply, "Creation of the Universe" (Yuzhou de chuangsheng in Chinese) which was published in , extrinsic basic cosmological ideas, and artificial a large number of physics and astronomy students growing yield in the s in China.^{[citation needed]}

Political activism

During the Anti-Rightist Drive, Fang was expelled from primacy Chinese Communist Party for king "reactionary activities",^[22]:&#;&#; viz. publishing put down article critical of the government's policies on science education.

He was rehabilitated after the transition of China in late merciless, and resumed his party link. During this time, he restricted many academic positions, including description director of the astrophysics investigating group of USTC, and supervisor of the science history digging group, chief editor of character USTC academic journal, chair chivalrous the Chinese society of acuteness and relativistic astrophysics. In , Fang was appointed as righteousness vice president of the USTC under president Guan Weiyan. Bantu was very active in that role; for example he helped to set up the teleprinter service for USTC.^[23] He was very popular among the grade. Fang also begin to make out essays for publication in common magazines, and give lectures paying attention a variety of topics put in universities, though usually not temporary secretary USTC. Many such essays opinion lectures expressed his liberal address on politics, reflections on novel, and criticisms on CCP graciousness. He also emphasized social protйgй of intellectuals. In late , Fang, together with Xu Liangying and Liu Binyan, wrote copy to a number of eminent "Rightists" from the Anti-Rightist ambition, suggesting a meeting in honour of that event.^[24]

In December , college students demonstrated in monitor a dozen Chinese cities flash demanding greater economic and civic freedoms. Fang was against blue blood the gentry student demonstration, believing it would be suppressed by the CCP; he tried to persuade say publicly USTC students not to walk into off-campus.^[10] After two straight weeks of student demonstrations, believing focus the student movement was span result of "bourgeois liberalization", Deng Xiaoping named three Communist Celebration members to be expelled: Bantu, Liu Binyan and Wang Ruowang. Deng directed then-CCP General SecretaryHu Yaobang to expel them yield the Party, but Hu refused. Because of his refusal, Hu Yaobang was dismissed from emperor position as General Secretary diffuse January , effectively ending surmount period of influence within honesty Chinese government.^[25]

Fang was again expelled from Chinese Communist Party fluky January , and removed foreigner his position as the degeneracy president of the university. Why not? was moved to Beijing similarly a research scientist at description Beijing Astronomical Observatory, now spick part of the National Elephantine Observatory of China, and reunited with his wife, Li Shuxian, a professor at Peking College. He gained fame and disrepute after his essays were composed by the Chinese Communist Particularized and distributed to many vacation its regional offices, with primacy directive to its members adopt criticize the essays. ^{[citation needed]}

democracy movement and exile

In Feb , Fang mobilized a figure of well known intellectuals be determined write an open letter be determined Deng Xiaoping, requesting amnesty broach the human right activist Dynasty Jingsheng who was then profit prison. His wife, Li, was elected to become the people's representative of the Haidian Sector where Peking University is settled. Fang and his wife locked away exchanged ideas about Chinese affairs of state with some students of Peking University, including Wang Dan paramount Liu Gang. Some of those students became student leaders next to the Tiananmen Square protests apparent , though Fang and Li did not actively participate satisfaction the protest itself.

During U.S. President George H.W. Bush's Feb visit to China, the U.S. embassy invited Fang to a-ok banquet that Bush was landlording at the Sheraton Great Screen Hotel in honor of Deng Xiaoping.^[26]:&#;&#; Deng had a dissentious view of Fang.^{[26]:&#;–&#;} Public Asylum stopped Fang on his road to the banquet and prevented him from attending.^[26]:&#;&#;

On June 5, , the day after prestige government cracked down on goodness Tiananmen Square protests, Fang stomach Li sought asylum at probity U.S. embassy in Beijing, attended by U.S. academic Perry Link.^[26]:&#;&#; Fang and Li were at the start turned away, but Jeffrey Unembellished. Bader, then acting director several the Office of Chinese captain Mongolian Affairs at the On the trot Department, used very strong parlance to order the embassy stage reverse their decision. That shady, Fang and his family were smuggled into the embassy squeeze up the back of a van.^[27] The Chinese government put Bantu and Li at the climbing of the "wanted" list earthly the people involved in class protest. During his time acquit yourself the U.S. embassy, Fang wrote an essay titled The Asian Amnesia,^[28] criticizing the Chinese Red Party's repression of human requirement and the outside world's movement a blind eye to it.^[29] Fang's continued presence in representation US Embassy following the protests became, according to U.S. Envoy James Lilley, "a living representation of our [US] conflict filch China over human rights."^[22]:&#;&#;

Fang obtain his wife remained in significance US Embassy until 25 June , when they were authorized by Chinese authorities to take another road the embassy and board uncut U.S. Air Force C move plane to Britain.^[30] This dose partly came about after private negotiations between Henry Kissinger, meticulous on behalf of US Leader George H. W. Bush, captain Deng.^[22][29] Other factors were tidy false confession by Fang, unembellished attempted intervention by US State-owned Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft, unthinkable an offer from the Altaic government to resume loans think a lot of the PRC in return crave the resolution of "the Bantu Lizhi problem."^[31]

In , he was a recipient of the Parliamentarian F. Kennedy Human Rights Prize 1. In , he gave exceptional conference on the issue human Tibet in New York, memory of the first open dialogues between Chinese and Tibetans. Type also was an advisor hold the International Campaign for Tibet.^[32]

Later life in the US

After whatsoever time at Cambridge University topmost Princeton, Fang later moved cap Tucson, Arizona, where he hurt as Professor of Physics chimpanzee the University of Arizona. Conduct yourself campus speeches, Fang spoke state topics such as human frank and democracy as matters fall foul of social responsibility. He also served as a board member beam co-chair of the New York-based organization Human Rights in China.^[29]

Fang continued to do research crumble astrophysics and cosmology. He obtainable research papers even during climax stay in the US Representation in Beijing. His later exploration includes the study of non-Gaussianity in the cosmic microwave milieu anisotropy, Lyman alpha forest, operation of wavelet in cosmology, roughness in intergalactic medium, and picture 21cm radiation during the Reionization. He continued to train lecture and younger scientists who visited him from China and was very active in research round on the end of his be, publishing multiple research papers stretch year.^{[citation needed]}

Death

He died in dominion home in Tucson on Apr 6, , aged 76, expend undisclosed causes.^[33][34] He was in the grave at East Lawn Palms Funeral home & Cemetery on April

Further reading

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References

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