Zhongxin Wanghai, September 9 (Reporter Fan Yubin) "Grandpa once taught me, 'When you have, think that others don't; When you don't, think about the past', grandpa has a lot of life experience at the age of 19, but he knows how to be content and always gives. Tan Jizhen, an overseas member of the Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and granddaughter of Tan Jiazhen, said in an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Network at the former residence of Tan Jiazhen at Fudan University on the 18th.
Tan Jidong settled in Sweden with her husband in her early years, and recently she returned to China with her daughter Hua Qiong, visited the former residence of Tan Jiazhen in Jiuyuan, Fudan University, and planned to go to Ningbo Cicheng, Zhejiang, the birthplace of Tan Jiazhen, to visit the Jiazhen Life Science Education Center.
Tan Jidong told reporters, "These two venues have been newly built in recent years, and I have always paid close attention. Affected by the epidemic, I have not returned to China for four years, and I am very excited to come back this time to see it immediately. ”
On September 9, Tan Jidong visited the former residence of Tan Jiazhen in Jiuyuan, Fudan University. Photo by Fan Yubin
Tan Jiazhen is a famous biologist, one of the founders of modern genetic science in China, an outstanding scientist, educator, a famous patriotic democrat and social activist. In 1937, Tan Jiazhen returned to China to teach at Zhejiang University, and in 1952, he was transferred to Fudan University, where he established China's first genetics major, the first genetics institute, and the first life science college, making important contributions to the development of genetics in China.
No. 65, the ninth dormitory of Fudan University, was built in 1956, and in the 20s of the 70th century, Tan Jiazhen lived here. In 2020, initiated by Fudan University, the former residence of Tan Jiazhen was built as an integral part of the Jiuyuan patriotic education complex, and was built as a theme exhibition hall of "Adhering to the Truth and Serving the Country with Science".
On September 9, Tan Jidong and his daughter Hua Qiong took a group photo in front of the former residence of Tan Jiazhen in Jiuyuan, Fudan University. Photo by Fan Yubin
"The transformation of the old house into an exhibition hall is not easy, and I am very attentive, and I am very moved to see it." Walking into Tan Jiazhen's former residence, Tan Jidong carefully examined the historical photos, and from time to time pointed to the room in the old residence to tell reporters the functions and furnishings here.
"This place is familiar to me, and when I come back after many years, it seems that the memories of the past have come back." Tan Jidong recalled, "Back then, my father and I used to visit my grandfather on Sundays. Grandpa studied in the United States, liked to drink coffee, often made coffee on the second floor, and the smell of coffee wafted all over the house, which also became a unique taste in my childhood memories. ”
"At that time, I was very young, and I liked to stand by the window and watch the scenery, next to Chen Wangdao, Su Buqing, Tan Qiqiang and many other professors, and in the distance was a farmland. Nowadays, things are different from people, and farmland has become playgrounds and buildings. Tan Jidong said.
A corner of the former residence of Jiuyuan Tan Jiazhen of Fudan University. Photo by Fan Yubin
Although Tan Jiazhen has made great achievements in professional and academic achievements, in Tan Jidong's mind, "I don't think he is very powerful, he is an amiable elder with a kind smile, he is very good to us, and he has never murdered us." He enjoys swimming, playing soccer, and entertaining American friends and his students at home. ”
Inside the old residence, a photo taken in 1948 made Tan Jidong quite moved. "In this photo, the person in the dark suit in the middle of the back row is Grandpa, who attended the <>th International Congress of Genetics in Stockholm, Sweden, as the only Chinese representative, and was elected as the executive director of the conference." Tan Jidong revealed, "This photo is very precious, I found it from overseas video websites a few years ago, there are many people in the photo, I took a magnifying glass to look for them one by one, and then I found my grandfather." ”
An old photograph in Tan Jiazhen's former residence shows Tan Jiazhen attending the 1948th International Congress of Genetics in Stockholm, Sweden in <>. Photo by Fan Yubin
"Abundant food and clothing, live and work in peace and contentment, prolong life, and the world is peaceful." There are also these sixteen characters inscribed by Tan Jiazhen in the old residence. Tan Jidong said that his grandfather condensed the responsibility of life science workers in these 16 words, and his sincere message still inspires generations of students, "He also deliberately wrote 'a little' on the word 'Feng'."
In a letter to alumni at home and abroad for the centennial celebration of Fudan University, Tan Jiazhen wrote: "I have nothing to pursue in my life, and the plan for my life lies in cultivating people." In Tan Jidong's opinion, grandpa is actually better for students than for his family, because he puts his heart on students. Grandpa once said, "I have no money in my life, wealth is a student." ”
A corner of the former residence of Jiuyuan Tan Jiazhen of Fudan University. Photo by Fan Yubin
In 1994, the 86-year-old Tan Jiazhen went to the United States to find geneticist Jin Li and invited him to return to China to contribute to the development of genetics. "Grandpa had a habit of taking a nap, and between visits to Jin Li, he slept on the bench. This scene moved Jin Li, who gave up the favorable conditions abroad and returned to Fudan University full-time. ”
Tan Jidong said that his grandfather was quick-thinking and far-sighted, and for the development of genetics in China, he also went overseas regardless of his advanced age, invited well-known scientists to give lectures in China, and recommended a large number of young and middle-aged academic backbones to visit, study and cooperate in research abroad. In 1997, he wrote to the Central Committee proposing the protection of China's genetic resources and the establishment of a national human genome research center.
Tan Jiazhen's benevolent mind made Tan Jidong very impressed. As an overseas committee member of the Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Tan Jidong has built a bridge for exchanges between Shanghai and Sweden. "I am happy to introduce my grandfather's deeds to overseas Chinese students and encourage them to succeed in their studies and serve the country." (End)