China Holds Grand Farewell Ceremony for Nobel Laureate Physicist Chen-ning Yang in Beijing

Farewell Ceremony Honors a Scientific Giant

A grand farewell ceremony took place on October 24, 2025, in Beijing, honoring the life and legacy of Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Chen-ning Yang. Professor Yang, who passed away on October 18, 2025, at the age of 103, was remembered at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery, a significant site for interring China's leaders. The ceremony, which commenced around 9 a.m., drew a large number of mourners, including high-ranking officials, academics, and members of the public, all gathered to pay their final respects to one of the 20th century's most influential physicists.

The memorial hall at Babaoshan was described as solemn and quiet, filled with mournful music. Professor Yang's body was draped in the national flag of the People's Republic of China and surrounded by flowers and evergreens. A large black banner inscribed with white Chinese characters, 'In Memory of Professor Chen Ning Yang,' hung prominently, beneath which his portrait was displayed. Wreaths were sent by dignitaries, including President Xi Jinping, and various organs of the party's Central Committee and government ministries.

A Legacy of Groundbreaking Discoveries

Chen-ning Yang, also known as C.N. Yang or Yang Zhenning, was born in Hefei, Anhui, China, in 1922. His illustrious career was marked by revolutionary contributions to theoretical physics. He is most renowned for sharing the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics with Tsung-Dao Lee for their groundbreaking work on the parity non-conservation of weak interactions. This discovery overturned a long-held assumption about the fundamental symmetry of nature.

Beyond his Nobel-winning research, Yang also co-developed the Yang-Mills theory in 1954 with Robert Mills. This theory, a mathematical framework describing how force-carrying particles interact, is considered a cornerstone of modern physics and laid the foundation for the Standard Model of particle physics. His work also extended to statistical mechanics, integrable systems, and condensed matter physics, profoundly shaping these disciplines.

Deep Connection to China and Academia

After pursuing higher education in the United States and obtaining U.S. citizenship, Yang maintained a deep connection to his homeland. He reportedly renounced his American citizenship in 2015 and spent his later years in China, serving as a professor at Tsinghua University and as the Honorary Director of its Institute for Advanced Study. Tsinghua University, where his father was a mathematics professor and where Yang himself studied for his master's degree, described him as 'one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century.'

His return to China in 1971 was pivotal, sparking academic exchanges between China and the United States and contributing significantly to the development of scientific research in China. Mourners at the ceremony, including students and faculty from Tsinghua, highlighted his dedication to science and his country, with one doctoral student recalling Yang's motto: 'Better to be genuine than clever; better to be simple than ornate.'

Enduring Inspiration

The farewell ceremony underscored the profound impact of Chen-ning Yang's life and work. His intellectual rigor, pioneering discoveries, and commitment to education and his country continue to inspire generations of scientists and scholars worldwide. The large turnout, despite chilly weather, reflected the deep respect and admiration for a man who not only reshaped our understanding of the universe but also built bridges between scientific communities.