Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2004

Heaven and Earth, and w i t h that a greater generosity of m i n d and a mo re p r o f o u nd h um i l i ty of character. Am i d s t all the accolades and tributes, the t r i ump h a nt Yang L i w e i attributed the success of C h i n a 's f i r st m a n n e d space m i s s i o n to c o l l e c t i ve e f f o rt a n d t e am s p i r i t. A t a w e l c ome r e c e p t i on o n 31st October 2003 i n H o n g K o n g he said: ‘The r e a l i z a t i on of a m i l l e n n i u m - o ld d r e am once again bears witness to the w o r l d that the Chinese people have the w i s d om and the courage to take t he ir r i g h t f u l place amo ng the peoples of the w o r l d . W i t h our o w n power and resources, we have b u i lt our wa y to the h e a v e n s. S e v e r al g e n e r a t i o n s o f a s t r o n a u t i c s experts have g i v en their u t mo st to the cause; t hey are the t r u e h e r o e s ' — w o r d s as sincere as t h e y are m o v i n g . S t a n d i n g o n t h e shoulders of giants and s h ow i ng the w a y f or those to come, M r . Ya ng has i n d e ed achieved a b r e a k t h r o u gh of mo n ume n t al significance. M r . Ya ng L i w e i is a g e n t l eman of a m o d e s t d i s p o s i t i o n. H e r e s p e c ts h i s parents a nd loves h is f am i l y; h is career does n o t a l l ow h i m s u f f i c i ent t i me a nd attention for his l o v ed ones. Howe v e r, as the o ld adage has it, ‘ A general forgets his f a m i l y the d ay he receives h is orders.' Fortunately, his parents and his w i fe f u l ly understood the importance of his mission, and gave h i m the support that he needed; Yang L i w e i was therefore able to go on his m i s s i on w i t h c omp o s u re a n d f r e e d om f r om worries. C o mm e n d a t i o ns h a ve been h e a p ed u p o n Yang L i we i 's t r eme n d o us success. T h e N a n j i n g P u r p l e M o u n t a i n Ob s e r v a t o ry w i l l n ame an a s t e r o id the Y a n g L i w e i Star, w h i l e t he A m e r i c a n Astronautical Society conferred u p on h i m, i n Va n c o u v er o n 5 t h Oc t ober 2004, the F l i g ht A c h i e v eme nt A w a r d for the year, t h is b e i ng the f i r st t i me the a w a r d was presented to a n o n - Ame r i c an since it was established i n 1958. A p r e v i ous recipient is N e i l A r m s t r o n g, the first m a n o n the moon. M r . Y a n g L i w e i a c h i e v ed the flight to outer s p a ce t h r o u g h years of stringent t r a i n i n g , unrelenting efforts, a nd u n r em i t t i ng d i l i g e n c e a n d p e r s e v e r a n c e . Eagerly wa t c h ed b y b i l l i ons of his c omp a t r i o t s, he created a first for astronautics f or the Chinese people; he showed to the wo r ld China's achievements i n science a n d t e c h n o l o g y, a n d l a i d a f o u n d a t i on for the country's astronautical e n d e a v o u rs i n t he y ea rs to come. H i s i n d om i t a b le spirit and his de t e rm i na t i on to achieve w i l l p r o v i de an excellent role mo d el for our y o u ng people. The ' Ma g ic A r r o w ' carried Shenzhou to great heights; Yang's w i l l p o w er p r ope l l ed h i m to great d e e d s. M r . C h a i r m a n, I r e s p e c t f u l ly present Mr. Yang L i w e i for the a w a rd of the degree of Do c t or of Science, honoris causa. (An English translation of the citation written by Prof. Serena Jin) Mr. Yang Liwei achieved the flight to outer space through years of stringent training, unrelenting efforts, and unremitting diligence and perseverance. Eagerly watched by billions of his compatriots, he created a first for astronautics for the Chinese people; he showed to the world China's achievements in science and technology, and laid a foundation for the country's astronautical endeavours in the years to come.... Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 2004 28