Peking University, August 1, 2024: Walking into Professor Li Yan's study, one is immediately greeted by towering bookshelves that stretch from floor to ceiling. These shelves are filled with books on a wide range of topics, from foundational chemical principles to cutting-edge scientific research, and from classic chemical experiments to innovative scientific discoveries. At the top, teaching aids show the marks of time, and photo frames capture moments from around the world, where the microscopic and macroscopic universes converge.

The collection of Professor Li, from the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering at Peking University, extends far beyond this study. Named one of the "Top Ten Teachers" by students, her journey spans from being a young scholar to a respected guide on the lecture stage, and from scientific research and teaching to student affairs and laboratory establishment. Her rich and fulfilling experiences are reflected in the pages and objects of this grand bookshelf, each telling its own story.


"My bookshelf really has everything," Professor Li says with a hint of humor. In this confined space, practical teaching reference books, scientific research materials, professional tool books, and many leisure reads are crammed together. Some are used for teaching and research, while others are compiled for commemoration or given as gifts to friends. Each book carries special emotions, filling the entire bookshelf to the brim. As she explains, she reads "for the sake of learning, to discern the guidance of the old professors, to explore the footprints of other disciplines, and to constantly update my own knowledge system."




On her bookshelf, there is a photo of Li Yan in the laboratory, holding a nanotube with a beaming smile as she shows it to her students. This scene was captured in a 2004 Xinhua News broadcast when her team made breakthrough progress in the controlled synthesis of nanotube structures. Their work was published in top journals such as Nature and won the Second Prize of the National Natural Science Award. Countless honors followed, including letters of congratulations from Professor Xiaoliang Sunney Xie, appointment letters from the School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, certificates for the Natural Science Award, etc. These honors represent years of dedication to reading and research, affirming her steady academic progress.

While traveling, Professor Li often reads a booklet titled Three Hundred Tang Poems with Chinese-English translations. The depth of the Tang Poems and the simplicity of the translations allow her to revisit classical literature while appreciating the beauty of concise language, mirroring her experiences through different stages of life.


Her bookshelf also houses a cherished publication: Pouring Ink, a journal edited by her students. The special issue "Chemical Elements" records shared memories of teacher and students. In 2005, students spontaneously created a series of works introducing chemical elements on the Weiming BBS, sparking enthusiasm across the campus. Professor Li compiled this series into a popular science reader, witnessing years of growth shared with her students.

At different stages, Professor Li has always been reading, "in different ways and about different content," from the pages of books to life experiences, from the screen in front of her to the earth beneath her feet. She places the coordinates of what she sees and feels upon her bookshelf, engaging in a dialogue with the whole world. A realm of understanding unfolds here, starting from chemistry and extending to the entire world.

This story is featured in PKU News' "A Scholar's Study" series. Read more here.

Written by: Wang Mengjiao
Edited by: Dennis Meng
Photos by: Lu Chen
Source: PKU Official WeChat