Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2004

of practical t r a i n i ng i n c l u d ed tests u n d er h i g h g - f o r c e s t h a t p u s h e d h u m a n physiological endurance to its l i m i ts and b e y o n d . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e a s t r o n a ut candidates h ad to exercise i n areas outside Beijing such as the Gu a n t i ng Reservoir, i n o r d e r t o t r a i n f o r sea e s c a p es a n d wilderness survival. ...The astronaut Yang Liwei, spirited and assured, made his way into Shenzhou-5, the largest manned spacecraft in the world up to this time. On his shoulders rested the task of achieving glory for the nation. . I n the 21-hour mission Yang Liwei orbited the earth 14 times, making a journey of about 600,000 kilometers. Shenzhou-5 then landed safely on the Amugulang Prairie in the Siziwangqi Region of Inner Mongolia, .For five thousand years the Chinese had dreamed of celestial travel, .this dream has come to be realized. . M r . Y a ng a m p l y d e m o n s t r a t ed h is i n d e f a t i g a b le s p i r i t a n d u n y i e l d i n g pe r s e v e r an ce d u r i n g t he f i v e years of s t r e n u o us t r a i n i n g. W i t h t r e m e n d o us courage, w i l l p owe r, and diligence he came first i n three i mp o r t a nt assessments, and was eventually placed o n the final shortlist of three. O n the eve of the expedition, he was selected as China's first m a n i n space f o r b e i n g a b le t o m a i n t a i n t he b e st psychological stability, such was his rock- solid composure d u r i ng the final phase of t r a i n i ng and assessment. E v e r y t h i ng was ready at the J i uquan L a u n c h Cen t re i n t he m o r n i n g of 15th October 2003. The astronaut Yang L i we i, s p i r i t ed and assured, ma de his w a y into Shenzhou-5, the largest ma n n ed spacecraft i n t he w o r l d u p to t h i s t i me. O n h i s s h o u l d e rs rested t he task of a c h i e v i ng glory for the nation. A r m e d w i t h courage and propelled by a sense of responsibility, he was ready for the mome n t o us j ou r ney into space. Shenzhou-5 was launched into space b y the Changzheng-2F carrier rocket, n i c k n amed the ‘ Mag ic A r r o w '. The f l i ght u p w a s s u c c e s s f ul a n d t he s pa c e c r a ft e n t e r ed its o r b i t 10 m i n u t es after t he launch. I n the 21-hour mission Yang L i wei o r b i t e d t he e a r th 14 t i me s, m a k i n g a j o u r n e y of a b o u t 600,000 kilometers. Shenzhou-5 then l a n d e d s a f e l y o n t h e A m u g u l a n g P r a i r ie i n t he S i z i wa n g qi Region of Inner M o n g o l i a , o n l y 4 . 8 k i l o m e t e r s f r o m t h e d e s i g n a t ed l a n d i n g s p o t, significantly p o i n t i ng to the ad v an c ed achievements of astronautics i n Ch i n a. For f i v e t h o u s a n d y e a rs t h e Ch i n e se h a d d r e a m ed of celestial travel, as manifested i n the my t hs of Chang'e and K u n and Peng and the poetic conceits of L i Bai (Let us hopefor a meeting amidst the clouds and the stars'); this d r eam has come to be realized. China also became the t h i rd space nation, after the Un i t ed States of Ame r i ca and the former Soviet Union. T h e f i r s t C h i n e s e a s t r o n a u t a c c o m p l i s h ed h i s m i s s i on w i t h g r e at success, a n d w i t h g r eat f l a ir — w h i l e o r b i t i ng past m i d n i g ht o n 16th October, he t o ld mission control that he felt ‘good'. The r ema r k, s i mp le y et o v e r w h e l m i n g, i mme d i a t e ly i n v i go r a t ed a b i l l i on hearts, r e v e r b e r a t i ng i n the m i n d s of countless p e o p le i n Ch i n a. We can i ma g i ne Ya ng L i w e i l o o k i n g o u t of t he s p a c e c r a f t, s u r v e y i ng the boundless universe above a n d t he e x pan s i ve p l a n et e a r th b e l ow. Su ch a celestial experience, b e y o nd the unde r s t and i ng of the o r d i na ry soul, mu st h a ve g i v e n Ya ng L i w e i the capacity to appreciate and embrace all that is between The 61st Congregation 27