On the evening of August 17, 2024, while I was still on my way to visit abroad, I suddenly received the news that Mr. Guangzhao had passed away. For a moment, I was choked up and did not know what to say. Slowly, the scenes of my interactions with Mr. Guangzhao over the past decades began to emerge.

For the Chinese scientific community, Mr. Guangzhao’s departure is a great loss in every dimension. For those of us who were born in the 50 s, 60 s, and even 70 s, Mr. Guangzhao is a monument and beacon in our hearts. He not only set a benchmark in the front, but also encouraged us to move forward. The death of Mr. Guangzhao represents the farewell of an era of Chinese science, and also takes away the emotional sustenance of one or more generations of people.

To me, Mr. Guangzhao was a leader, a predecessor, a gentleman, and a friend. Looking back on so many precious pictures of my interactions with him, I would like to cherish my memory of Mr. Guangzhao with three memorable encounters.

Mr. Guangzhao was extremely committed to nurturing young talent. “Academic equality and mentoring young scholars” is his philosophy and style. In 1994, the Chinese Academy of Sciences was faced with the challenge of talent shortage. Under his chairmanship, the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched the “100 Talents Plan.” At that time, when the funding of the whole academy was extremely difficult, each person was given 2 million yuan of financial support to attract talents back to China. I was one of the first selected members of the “100 Talents Program.” I remember that before the Spring Festival in 1995, when I was still visiting my family during the transition period of the “100 Talents Plan,” I happened to attend the symposium on Young Talents of the Chinese Academy of Sciences hosted by Mr. Guangzhao. At the end of the meeting, he suddenly looked at me sitting in the back row and asked the young man who had just returned to say a few words. He looked at me affectionately, as if we had been colleagues and friends for years. He kept nodding and asking questions as I spoke. I remember that at this meeting, he talked about many extremely advanced and far-sighted views on talent development. As the president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the leader of China’s science and technology sector, he cared about and promoted every young talent from the bottom of his heart, making young people feel welcome and empowered. This was one of my earliest meetings with Mr. Guangzhao, and it left me with a deep impression. This meeting soon led to my full-time return to the Institute of Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Mr. Guangzhao advocated the scientific spirit of “Pursuing Truth and Being Innovative.” No matter how busy he was, he always cared about the key issues and authenticity of scientific research. The Institute of Physics was established in the early days of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and is also “an important town” for basic research in China. One day in 1999, I suddenly received a phone call from Mr. Guangzhao, who said that he would come to see the institute in the afternoon. At that time, I had already served as the director of the Physics Institute. To welcome the respected president’s inspection to the institute, we should have made careful preparations in all aspects. Mr. Guangzhao said not to make special preparations, as he preferred to walk around while observing and talking. In the afternoon, Mr. Guangzhao took a short ride from the Institute of Physics. He took me by the hand and said, “Enge, you are the new director. Today I come here to give you a pep talk on the one hand, and at the same time to see how the recent work in the institute is going, listen to your ideas, and what I need to support.” During the investigation, everywhere he went, he was very concerned about the details of physics research work and the most cutting-edge physics problems. Mr. Guangzhao had not been on the front line of scientific research for many years, and his deep understanding of the frontier of physics was bound to be the result of his long-term attention and tracking. Finally, he came to my lab for a closer look and a private chat. We talked about the specific physics research content, the future layout of the Institute of Physics, and the planning measures to attract talents. I remember that it was in this report that I first mentioned the idea of establishing an “International Center for Quantum Structure.” When we were parting, he held my hand and said earnestly, “To do a good job in management, we must grasp the sensitivity of cutting-edge scientific issues, gather top talents, and strive to build the Institute into a world-class institute. You are still young, so don't throw away your knowledge.” I looked at his kind, firm eyes, and I still vividly remember this entrusted responsibility. This was another meeting that impressed me deeply. Fortunately, in the course of our conversation, the reporter left a precious photo for Mr. Guangzhao and me. Since then, this picture has been with me, always on my desk in my office.

After so many years in my scientific career, I have quietly learn from Mr. Guangzhao, and I set a personal standard for myself—in my management work, I cannot neglect scientific research. After retiring from the leadership post, I have a deeper understanding of the mind, vision, and tolerance required by a leader, as well as the difficulty of accomplishing feats. I can now better understand the pattern and ability of Mr. Guangzhao’s conduct and work. Because of the changes in my personal work and the fact that he has been hospitalized for more than 10 years, we have rarely met in recent years. I have visited him in the hospital during this time, and although we can no longer talk, holding his hand, I can feel his familiar temperature, and I am sure he can sense my arrival.

In the blink of an eye, it is now 2024. My meeting with Mr. Guangzhao is no longer in physical space, but in the shared identity and lasting memory of “Science in China” and “Science Bulletin.” Many years ago, Mr. Guangzhao personally served as the chief editor of “Two Journals,” striving to raise the academic level of the journal and make it become an authoritative journal of the Chinese scientific community. After many years, I took over the responsibility of chief editor of the Two Journals. Now, sitting in front of my desk, looking back at the scenes of my interactions with Mr. Guangzhao, I remember the determination I made secretly when I first became the chief editor—I must do a good job with this journal, and strive for China to have a world-class, respected and high-quality academic journal. Now, we have another reason to do a good job of “Two Journals”—to follow the path of Mr. Guangzhao and live up to Mr. Guangzhao's expectations and trust.

From the heart, it is very difficult to say goodbye to a person, let alone to say goodbye to Mr. Guangzhao, such a highly respected, academic and exemplary scientist. I am proud to have had the honor of knowing Mr. Guangzhao in my life, and I take three profound moments in my memory as my remembrance and memory for him.