Return to China One Day : The Learning Life of Qian Xuesen

This open access book is intended for common readers who are interested in the life story of Qian Xuesen (also know as Tsien Hsue-Shen). Based on a large number of original archives and historical materials, this book focuses on Qian Xuesen’s years of seeking knowledge from his birth in 1911 to his return to China in 1955 and describes how he grows into a world-known scientist from the aspect of humanity. This book can be used as reference material for Qian Xuesen’s earlier years. Editorial Committee Chief Editors Editorial committee members (listed in the number of strokes of Chinese characters) Prelude: A Special Visit to the Soviet Union Contents 1 Family and Education 1 His Father Qian Junfu 2 His Mother Zhang Lanjuan 3 Primary and Secondary Education 4 Family Education References 2 Serve the Country Through Engineering 1 At Shanghai Jiaotong University 2 Artistic Cultivation of an Engineer Student 3 Developing Interests in Aeronautic Engineering 4 Boxer Rebellion Scholar References 3 Life and Study in the United States 1 Application for MIT 2 From MIT to Caltech 3 Extended Scholarship from Tsinghua University 4 Life-Long Beneficial Academic Training 5 Professional Music Critic References 4 From Young Scholar to World-Class Scientist 1 Young Scholar at Caltech 2 An American “Army Colonel” on Europe Trip 3 First Chinese Professor at MIT 4 Summon from China 5 A Presentation at the American Rocket Society Conference References 5 Marriage and Family Life 1 Jiang Ying’s Recital 2 Wedding Bill 3 Wedded Life 4 Income and Expenditure References 6 Communism Enlightenment and Dedication to His Country 1 A Chinese Painting “A Corner of the Westlake” 2 Secret Letter from the “North Bureau” 3 Suspicion and Detention 4 Return to China 5 A Declassified Confidential File References Epilogue