{"id":6593,"date":"2026-09-04T10:05:25","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T14:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/?p=6593"},"modified":"2026-09-07T09:09:33","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T13:09:33","slug":"chasing-the-true-stars-together-in-celebration-of-the-70th-anniversary-of-the-all-china-federation-of-returned-overseas-chinese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/original-writing\/6593\/","title":{"rendered":"Chasing the True Stars Together \u2014 In Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Li Zhanyong<\/strong><\/p>\n

Throughout the various historical periods of China\u2019s revolution, construction, and reform, overseas Chinese, returned overseas Chinese, and their relatives have never been absent. With devoted hearts and patriotic deeds, they have rendered indelible service to the independence and liberation of the Chinese nation, as well as to the prosperity and development of their motherland.<\/p>\n

We remember Tan Kah Kee\u2019s solemn vow: “Even if I have to give up everything I own, I will ensure the normal operation of Xiamen University.”<\/em> We recall his anti-Japanese motion: “To speak of peace before enemy troops leave our land is treason,”<\/em> and his firm conviction: “China has a savior, victory is guaranteed, and China\u2019s hope lies in Yan’an.”<\/em> We remember the Southbound Mechanics who braved bullets and mortal danger to transport war supplies\u2014an epic tale of heroism, forming a brilliant constellation of spirit in human history. We remember mathematician Hua Luogeng expressing his resolve in verse: “Dedicate my remaining years to modernization; never rest until the people prosper. Ready to lay down my bones anywhere for the Party, be it by rivers, seas, or wild hills.”<\/em> These vivid stories, steeped in deep love for the nation, selfless dedication, and integrity beyond fame and wealth, never fail to move us deeply.<\/p>\n

Patriotism \u2014 A Faith Inscribed in the Soul<\/strong><\/p>\n

In those dark and turbulent times, our predecessors went abroad with the ambition to save the nation through science, education, industry, military preparedness, transportation, aviation, and even law. Zhou Ren sought to “awaken a sleeping motherland with advanced science and technology.”<\/em> Xian Xinghai pledged to “revive an ailing China through music.”<\/em> Zhao Zhongyao, revered as the “teacher of masters,” explored various paths to save the country\u2014few know that China\u2019s famous “Chunghwa” pencils originated from the “Great Wall Pencil Factory,” which he co-founded with friends.<\/p>\n

As Mr. Li Gongpu wrote in 1938 for the fifth anniversary of the Overseas Chinese Laundry Union: “Those far from the motherland know best how precious she is, and their love for her is all the more sincere and passionate.”<\/em> During his studies in Japan, Yu Dafu wrote in his diary: “…I have a great love, and that is patriotism.”<\/em> Bai Xuejiao enlisted as a Southbound Mechanic without her parents’ knowledge, leaving behind a letter: “Home is what I cherish, and my parents and siblings are whom I love. But my broken motherland is what I hold most dear… My contribution may be no more than a drop in the ocean, but drops of water gather to form a vast sea. I hope to give my humble drop of strength to the torrent of national salvation.”<\/em><\/p>\n

“Science knows no borders, but scientists have a motherland.”<\/em> Serving the country earns the respect of its people. Su Buqing declared: “I must return to my motherland and serve her with what I have learned.”<\/em> To prevent the U.S. government from obstructing his return under the pretext of “carrying sensitive materials,” Guo Yonghuai publicly burned his manuscripts and research data at a farewell picnic. He said: “As a Chinese, it is my duty to return to my motherland and build our beautiful land together with the people.”<\/em> Wang Chengshu recalled: “It was not that I didn\u2019t enjoy a comfortable life in America, but that I loved my motherland even more.”<\/em><\/p>\n

A shared heart called out to overseas Chinese: “Go back! Let us return and pour our blood and sweat into the soil of our motherland to cultivate brilliant flowers.”<\/em> Yu Guocong politely declined an invitation from a prominent American academic journal editor, replying: “Chinese scholars prefer to publish their papers in Chinese academic journals.”<\/em> Immersed in the joy of “working for one\u2019s own country,” Chen Nengkuan set out to “write a grand thesis” for China, after which he and his peers lived in anonymity for decades…<\/p>\n

Someone once asked Liang Sili: “What is the most precious thing you inherited from your father [Liang Qichao]?”<\/em> He answered: “Patriotism!”<\/em> Although Liang Qichao had little direct influence on him during his youth, Liang Sili never missed a single lesson on patriotism.<\/p>\n

Academician couple He Binglin and Chen Ruyu donated years of savings to establish a scholarship fund, with the primary condition for awardees being “patriotism.” In an interview, He Binglin stressed: “If a student does not love their country, what is the point of us educating them?”<\/em><\/p>\n

Patriotism is the spiritual foundation of our overseas Chinese predecessors, and it remains the cornerstone of character education today.<\/p>\n

Dedication \u2014 Fusing Life with the Nation’s Needs<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Not a day, hour, or moment goes by without longing to return and join the great surge of construction.”<\/em> Facing questions from colleagues, Qian Xuesen said firmly and affectionately: “I will do anything as long as my motherland needs me. If planting apple trees were the only way to serve my country, I would go plant apple trees without hesitation!”<\/em><\/p>\n

Yan Kai took on the grueling task of water conservancy, believing that “seeing rivers brought under control and people living in peace makes all the hardship worthwhile.”<\/em> At age 66, Huang Weilu lost 11 kilograms due to overwork; he wished to “graft this flesh and blood onto our missiles to forge the hope and pride of a nation!”<\/em> Deng Jiaxian once said: “If life could begin anew after death, I would still choose China, and I would still choose our nuclear cause.”<\/em><\/p>\n

To meet the country\u2019s needs, Xu Guangxian changed his research direction four times throughout his career, making rare earths a strategic pillar for China. Min Enze shifted fields four times, “burning himself to illuminate the energy industry.”<\/em> Zhang Cunhao changed research tracks three times, giving his absolute best to achieve perfection each time. Zhou Guangzhao stepped away from his specialized scientific career three times, becoming an outstanding leader in the scientific community. Wang Chengshu said “I am willing” three times, taking on heavy national responsibilities without hesitation…<\/p>\n

Hou Debang single-handedly broke the monopoly of foreign powers on chemical manufacturing. Though he had at least two opportunities in his life to become a billionaire, his book Manufacture of Soda<\/em> opened the secrets of alkali production to all humanity\u2014a monumental contribution by a Chinese chemist to world civilization.<\/p>\n

In his application to join the Communist Party, Wang Ganchang wrote: “Experiencing firsthand the suffering of the Chinese nation under imperialist oppression, I know that without the Communist Party, there would be no new China. Joining the Party allows me to do more work. To not work is meaningless; I do not care for a quiet retirement, and I like luxury even less. I cherish the phrase: ‘To bend oneself to the task and exert oneself to the utmost until death.'”<\/em><\/p>\n

At 95, Li Huanying solemnly raised her hand under the red flag to fulfill her lifelong wish. She said: “Joining the Party, like doing scientific research, is about pursuing the truth. I have served the country for nearly 60 years; now I feel I might finally be qualified.”<\/em><\/p>\n

For them, the greatest happiness in life was knowing that everything they did was closely tied to their motherland. They were determined to “stand tall,”<\/em> “not let others leave us behind,”<\/em> “ensure no one dares bully us,”<\/em> make China “a force to be reckoned with,”<\/em> and allow the Chinese people to “live happy lives with dignity.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Broad-minded, selfless, and humble, they acted as stepping stones for future generations. Qian Sanqiang was hailed as the “Father of China\u2019s Atomic Bomb,” yet he preferred to view himself as a “pebble” or “grain of sand,” paving the road for thousands to march toward victory. Yang Shixian wrote of himself: “My only comfort is that for over 60 years, I have worked conscientiously for my country, speaking the truth and doing honest work without seeking private gain or wasting time.”<\/em> He encouraged young scholars to surpass the older generation; among his students, 15 became academicians. He Binglin remarked: “I respected President Yang deeply. How he taught me is how I teach my students.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The final gift Yang Chengzong gave to his country was donating his body for medical research: “I spent a lifetime exposed to radiation yet lived healthily to 100. There must be something worth studying.”<\/em> Zhu Xianyi\u2019s fourfold anatomical donation fulfilled “the final destination of a medical scientist,”<\/em> leaving behind an enduring legacy of love, responsibility, and dedication.<\/p>\n

They dedicated everything they had to their motherland and its people.<\/p>\n

Integrity \u2014 Pure and Unblemished Moral Character<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zhuang Xiquan sold his family property to relieve the Party’s financial hardship while living frugally on plain porridge and pickles. He remained “forever loving China and devoted to the Party, unyielding through a hundred trials.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Zhang Guoji repeatedly declined official entitlements like secretaries, drivers, or housing renovations. He insisted on living in a modest 30-square-meter apartment and refused to use birthday gifts sent by overseas students to repair his son\u2019s dilapidated home, leaving his descendants only “nine teeth” as a keepsake. He Zehui\u2019s rigorous scientific standards stood in stark contrast to her humble lifestyle; she continued taking the public shuttle bus to work until age 92. Ke Jun, adhering strictly to facts rather than authority, was still riding an old bicycle between laboratories and classrooms well into his eighties.<\/p>\n

In a letter to his mother, Zuo Quan wrote: “For the interests of the nation, I had not a single copper coin in the past, I have not a single copper coin now, and I prepare to have not a single copper coin in the future. I ate grass in the past, and I am prepared to eat grass again.”<\/em> Qu Duyi and her husband felt they “did not deserve such a high salary”<\/em> from the government and voluntarily requested a reduction, donating the vast majority of their royalties as Party dues and buying equipment for their news bureau out of their own pockets. Dr. Wu Mengchao always sought to minimize financial burden on his patients, stating: “When I use hand sutures, it costs them nothing.”<\/em><\/p>\n

In an interview on CCTV\u2019s Face to Face<\/em>, when asked about her major charitable donations, Ye Jiaying made no secret of her disdain for money. Despite her early hardships and earning her wealth through decades of hard teaching, she remarked frankly: “Those people are so boring; they have eyes only for money.”<\/em> She then added with disappointment: “I came to talk about scholarship with you, but it seems you have no interest in scholarship.”<\/em><\/p>\n

In Qian Xuesen\u2019s heart, the country weighed heaviest, family came second; science mattered most, while fame and fortune meant nothing. He famously said: “My surname is Qian [which sounds like ‘money’], but I do not care for money,”<\/em> nor did he care for foreign honors. Yet he was overjoyed to the point of sleeplessness when recognized as an outstanding Party member alongside Lei Feng and Jiao Yulu. He repeatedly refused titles such as “Father of China\u2019s Aerospa.dce” or “Father of China\u2019s Missiles,” saying: “If the people feel I have done a few useful things for the country, that is the highest reward for me.”<\/em><\/p>\n

T. D. Lee praised Zhu Guangya as the “commander of commanders” in China\u2019s nuclear program, but Zhu humbly viewed himself as “just one member of a collective doing his part.”<\/em> When praised for his contribution to the nuclear program, Zhou Guangzhao remarked: “Science is a collective effort. I am merely one in a hundred thousand.”<\/em> Similarly, Peng Huanwu left behind stories of collective teamwork. After China\u2019s first atomic bomb succeeded, he penned a poem: “A tall tower stands against the autumn sky; six hundred million people share the same wish. Without the combined effort of workers, peasants, and soldiers, how could physics and chemistry succeed?”<\/em> As leader of the synthetic insulin project, Wang Yinglai insisted: “We are not making Shanghai\u2019s insulin, nor Beijing\u2019s insulin; we are making China\u2019s insulin,”<\/em> and refused to put his name on any papers or achievements. Guo Musun declined a nomination for the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, insisting: “The work was done by everyone across two or three generations; credit and honor cannot belong to me alone.”<\/em> When the FAST radio telescope was launched, Nan Rendong reflected: “I cannot possibly summarize the 20-year effort of tens of thousands of people in just a minute or two.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Such modesty and clarity of mind are priceless.<\/p>\n

Though they have passed, their spirit endures. With their lives, they wrote grand chapters steeped in Chinese culture and spirit, turning into shining stars across the cosmos. Let us keep our feet on the ground, look up at the night sky, and chase these true stars together\u2014<\/p>\n

Embedding love for the homeland into our very soul,<\/strong><\/p>\n

Integrating personal ideals into the grand cause of national rejuvenation,<\/strong><\/p>\n

And polishing our life\u2019s canvas with integrity and responsibility.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Li Zhanyong Throughout the various historical periods of China\u2019s revolution, construction, and reform, overseas Chinese, returned overseas Chinese, and their relatives have never been absent. With devoted hearts and patriotic deeds, they have rendered indelible service to the independence and liberation of the Chinese nation, as well as to the prosperity and development of their motherland. We remember Tan Kah Kee\u2019s solemn vow: “Even if I have to give up everything I own, I will ensure the normal operation of Xiamen University.” We recall his anti-Japanese motion: “To speak of peace before enemy troops leave our land is treason,” […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6596,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[176],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-original-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6593"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6634,"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6593\/revisions\/6634"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/victoriamedia.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}