Peking University, April 2, 2018: Peking University is going to celebrate its 120 anniversary on May 4, the date of its foundation in 1898. As a milestone in the history of PKU, the 120th anniversary serves as a key point to review the past achievements and to look forward to future development. Knowing Beida via 120 keywords, produced by Beidanews, is a series of historical snapshots that provide a fresh and immersing entrée to PKU’s illustrious past.
1. Highest Science and Technology Awards
Founded in 2000, Highest Science and Technology Awards is the nation's most highly esteemed scientific award. To date, 29 scientific researchers have been the recipients of this Chinese Nobel Prize, among whom 11 recipients, Wu Wenjun, Wang Xuan, Huang Kun, Liu Dongsheng, Ye Duzheng, Wu Zhengyi, Wang Zhongcheng, Xu Guangxian, Xie Jialin, Yu Min, Tu Youyou, are PKU alumni and this numbers ranks PKU the first of all Chinese universities.
2. Two Bomb and One Satellite Meritorious Award
On September 18, 1999, 23 scientists involved in the Two Bomb, One Satellite project were awarded this meritorious award. Among 23 recipients, 12 are PKU alumni, namely Zhao Jiuzhang, Guo Yonghuai, Qian Sanqiang, Peng Hengwu, Chen Fangyun, Tu Shou'e, Yang Jiachi, Wang Xiji, Deng Jiaxian, Zhu Guangya, Yu Min, and Zhou Guangzhao.
3. First total synthesis of crystalline bovine insulin
Started in the year of 1959, the six-year crystalline bovine insulin synthesis project drew from the collaboration of the Department of Chemistry of PKU, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Institute of Organic Chemistry, and Chinese Academy of Sciences. The work was a pioneering study in protein science and was awarded National Natural Science Award in 1982. Among the 21 authors of the final paper, 7 are from PKU, namely Xing Qiyi, Ji Aixue, Lu Depei, Li Chongxi, Shi Putao, Ye Yunhua, and Tang Kaluo.
4. Chinese laser photo typesetting system
Wang Xuan's invention of Chinese laser photo typesetting system greatly promoted Chinese character processing and marked an 'industrial revolution' in the history of printing.
5. Rare earth separation
Xu Guangxian, a researcher in PKU, devised a cascade extraction theory and corresponding techniques for rare earth separation. This greatly facilitated the production of rare earth and transformed China from a low-profit exporter of raw ores to the worlds' dominant supplier of this most demanded compound. By virtue of this achievement, Xu was named "father of Chinese rare earth chemistry".
6. Tu Youyou
PKU alumna Tu Youyou is the laureate of Nobel Physiology or Medicine Prize in 2015, who is also the first Chinese Nobel laureate in this field. Tu's discovery of artemisinin has been regarded as a major breakthrough in 20th-century tropical medicine.
7. Ruzang (Confucian Canon)
Ruzang (Confucian Canon) is an ongoing project to compile all existing classical works of Confucianism. Started in 2002, the project has been one of the most prominent projects in philosophy and social sciences by order of the Ministry of Education of China. With leading forces in PKU, the project is carried out in collaboration with Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese scholars.
8. "Double First-Class" Initiative
The initiative, issued by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Development and Reform Commission, aims at establishing world-class universities and first-class disciplines. The initiative prescribes a list of select universities and colleges, which will assume an active role in the plan. PKU is in the A class list and 41 disciplines in PKU have been appointed as headmost pioneers.
9. A brand new system
In recent years, PKU has established 13 scientific research institutes operating under a newly devised system in aspects of matriculation, evaluation, research funding, management, curriculum, etc. The first MALBAC baby archived by BIOPIC institute is one of the examples.
10. Faculty construction
PKU now have 6 faculties in total, namely Faculty of Sciences, Faculty of Information and Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Management and Health Science Center. Intensive interactions between diverse disciplines in each faculty have promoted communication and cooperation. In the future, the unity of faculty will be strengthened by allowing more freedom of course selection, research collaboration, etc.
11. Regional studies
Based on China's One Belt and One Road Initiative and Double First-Class Initiative, PKU is actively seeking to establish a comprehensive academic system of regional studies. The move aims to guide scholars to pay more attention to the history, culture, politics and social conditions of different countries and areas.
12. The 2nd World Congress on Marxism
In October 2015, PKU successfully hosted the 1st World Congress on Marxism which exerted a great impact both domestically and internationally. The 2nd World Congress on Marxism will be held in May at Peking University.
Ref:
http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Highest_Science_and_Technology_Award
2 Bombs, 1 Satellite
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Two_Bombs_and_One_Satellite_Meritorious_Award_Certificate_of_Qian_Xuesen.JPG
Synthetic insulin
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4624679/
Laser photo typesetting system:
http://www.china.org.cn/english/NM-e/158295.htm
http://en.chinaculture.org/library/2008-02/01/content_68486_2.htm
Rare earth separation:
http://english.cas.cn/bcas/2009_2/201411/P020141121535804272384.pdf
Tu Youyou
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_Youyou
Ruzang
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruzang
Double first-class initiative
http://language.chinadaily.com.cn/2017-09/22/content_32332111.htm
World congress on Marxism
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2017-10/22/content_41775473.htm
http://english.pku.edu.cn/news_events/news/focus/6375.htm
Written by: Feng Shasha
Edited by: Ma Xiao
Source: PKU News (Chinese)
