Nobel Laureate Chen-ning Yang, Pioneering Physicist, Dies at 103 in Beijing

A Life Dedicated to Physics

Chen-ning Yang, the esteemed Chinese Nobel Prize-winning physicist, died on Saturday, October 18, 2025, in Beijing, China, at the age of 103, following an illness. Yang, also known as C.N. Yang, was a towering figure in 20th-century physics, whose revolutionary theories laid fundamental groundwork for understanding the universe's most basic forces.

Born in Hefei, Anhui province, China, on October 1, 1922, Yang's academic journey took him from Tsinghua University to the University of Chicago, where he earned his PhD under the tutelage of Enrico Fermi. He later became a permanent member and professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and the Albert Einstein Professor of Physics at Stony Brook University, where he founded the Institute for Theoretical Physics, now named in his honor.

Nobel-Winning Breakthroughs and Enduring Theories

Yang's most celebrated achievement came in 1957 when he, alongside his colleague Tsung-Dao Lee, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. The prize recognized their 'penetrating investigation of the so-called parity laws which has led to important discoveries regarding the elementary particles.' Their theory of parity non-conservation in weak interaction challenged a long-held principle of symmetry in physics and was experimentally confirmed by Chien-shiung Wu's team, revolutionizing the field of particle physics.

Beyond his Nobel-winning work, Yang made other seminal contributions, including the development of the Yang-Mills theory in 1954 with Robert Mills. This non-abelian gauge theory provided the mathematical foundation for the Standard Model of particle physics, describing how three of nature's four fundamental forces—the electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions—operate at the subatomic level. His work also included the discovery of the Yang-Baxter equation, which opened new avenues in statistical physics and mathematical research.

A Bridge Between Cultures and a Legacy in China

Yang was a Chinese-American physicist who, in 2015, renounced his U.S. citizenship to become a citizen of China, a decision he described as deeply personal and connected to his Chinese heritage. He played a crucial role in fostering academic exchange between China and the United States, making his first visit to the People's Republic of China in 1971 and inspiring a wave of visits by overseas Chinese scholars.

Upon his return to China, Yang became a professor at Tsinghua University, where he dedicated himself to nurturing scientific talent and promoting basic sciences. His profound impact on modern science and his efforts to build academic bridges earned him recognition as one of the 20th century's greatest physicists, often mentioned in the same breath as Albert Einstein.