A bachelor who had just returned from the United States aroused great enthusiasm among the unmarried girls in Shanghai in 1947, just like the summer temperature. He comes from a distinguished family, his father is the director of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education; he is extremely smart and has been called a child prodigy since he was a child; he has just become a tenured professor at MIT and is only 36 years old. This bachelor’s name is Qian Xuesen.
Qian Xuesen returned to Shanghai from the United States at the request of his father (his father had not seen him for 12 years), hoping that he would come back to solve personal problems. After returning, he received a flurry of dinner invitations. A discerning person will know at a glance that this is not just a dinner party, but should actually be regarded as a blind date.
Many people can’t go directly to Qian’s family, so they ask Jiang’s family for help. Jiang Ying took advantage of the situation, because Jiang Ying also had a former name, Qian Xueying. Jiang Ying's father was the famous General Jiang Baili (in the 1920s, he was known as the "Father of Chinese Strategy" and was the first to propose a protracted war against Japan. He died in Guangxi in 1938. Jiang Weiguo once served as Jiang Baili's adjutant).
Jiang Baili’s first wife is called Cha Pinzhen (Jin Yong’s aunt), who is one year older than Jiang Baili. Although the Jiang family once wanted to terminate the engagement after Jiang Baili went to study abroad, Cha Pinzhen said that she would never marry another person. . In 1910, Jiang Baili returned to China and married 29-year-old Zha Pinzhen. After the marriage, Jiang Baili immediately went north to serve as the standard commander of the Imperial Guards of the Qing Dynasty, while Zha Pinzhen served her mother-in-law at home.
In 1912, when Jiang Baili was the principal of the Baoding Military Academy of the Army, he was so angry that he committed suicide because he failed to request military funds from the Beiyang government. Although the bullet missed his vital point and there was no danger to his life, he still needed timely treatment. . At the request of the authorities, the Japanese Embassy in China sent a military doctor and a female nurse named Noboru Satoya from Beijing to Baoding to treat him.
After the Japanese doctor arrived, he examined the injury and found that no surgery was needed. He suggested that Jiang Baili rest for a long time, especially in need of mental comfort. Yuan Shikai asked to leave one person to take care of Jiang Baili, so he decided to leave Sato Tengwu to take care of Jiang Baili. Sato Nobuya often advised Chiang not to commit suicide: he must put the country first. It is not easy for the country to cultivate a talent like him (referring to Chiang). Death is easy, but only by living can you serve the country. Jiang felt that this statement was reasonable, so he gave up the idea of ??committing suicide and at the same time developed a good impression of Sato in his heart. Three weeks later, Sato Toriya returned to Beijing. Jiang Baili subsequently resigned as principal and went to Beijing to recuperate.
After Jiang Baili went to Beijing, he did not expect that the hospital where he was located was the place where Sato Nobuya worked. So starting in 1913, Jiang Baili launched a frantic pursuit of Sato Nobuya. Sato was very distressed and decided to return to Japan. Jiang Baili reluctantly wrote the letter, and finally got the approval of Sato's family. In the winter of 1914, she married Jiang Baili at the German Hotel in Tianjin. General Baili loved plum blossoms, so he gave her a Chinese name: Jiang Zuomei. Cha Pinzhen soon heard about Jiang Baili's "passionate love" and chose to endure it silently.
Jiang Zuomei gave birth to 5 daughters, named Zhao, Yong, Ying, Hua, and He. Qian Xuesen's mother only had one child, Qian Xuesen, and had always wanted to have a daughter, so she asked the Jiang family if they could adopt a daughter from the Jiang family's mother, and the daughter she chose was Jiang Ying.
The two families had a meal together to celebrate, and 4-year-old Jiang Ying turned into Qian Xueying and arrived at the Qian family. She stayed only a few months before clamoring to return home.
Jiang Ying recalled in his later years: He had a lot of gadgets, such as a mouth organ, balls, etc., but he couldn’t play with his little sister. He just looked at me and teased me, so I didn’t like this brother. , I want to go home.
The brother and sister who are 8 years apart do not speak the same language. The year after Qian Xuesen went to the United States, Jiang Ying went to Germany with her father to study abroad and learn vocal music. When Qian Xuesen returned to China, Jiang Ying had just held her first solo concert in Shanghai, and the result was a blockbuster.
Jiang Ying was 27 years old at the time and was an older leftover woman. Jiang Zuomei was very anxious, but she didn't care because there were many people pursuing her, but she was more concerned about her vocal career. When two of her best friends asked her to introduce Qian Xuesen, she wholeheartedly agreed. Qian Xuesen had not seen his god-sister for many years, so he readily went to the appointment.
But as soon as they met, his painting style went astray. One of her best friends immediately fell in love with Qian Xuesen. Jiang Ying later recalled that the aristocratic lady immediately invited Qian Xuesen to her home to view famous paintings the next morning, because Qian Xuesen mentioned that he liked art, but Qian Xuesen said: I'm sorry, I will go to her house tomorrow morning. There was no free time at that time.
Jiang Ying felt that Qian Xuesen was not giving her face, but what was even more embarrassing was that everyone found that the bachelor only focused on his godmother while eating, "Look left and right Look, he's been staring at me anyway." Jiang Ying felt that Qian Xuesen was very rude.
Jiang Ying then went to Shanghai Jiaotong University to listen to Qian Xuesen's speech. After the lecture, Qian Xuesen offered to send Jiang Ying home. After arriving home, Qian Xuesen didn't leave or spoke. Jiang Ying asked out of politeness, I have a lot of records here, can I play one for you? Qian Xuesen said: Not good.
The atmosphere is awkward again. After sitting like this for a while, Qian Xuesen said with a smile: When should we go to the United States together? Many years later, Jiang Ying recalled this detail and blurted out at that time: Why are we the only ones? When are we?
Going to the United States together, the meaning is very clear, it is a proposal.
In many versions of the story of Jiang Ying and Qian Xuesen, it is believed that the two families had a tacit understanding of the union of the two people, or even had planned it in advance. Jiang Ying denied these claims. She said that the two of them had actually had no contact before the summer of 1947, but in those short six weeks, they suddenly "hit it off".
The so-called feeling like old friends at first sight is actually love at first sight. Jiang Ying vaguely felt Qian Xuesen's good impression. She also admired Qian Xuesen's knowledge very much, but when it came to marriage, it was something she had never thought about. As a young lady who has returned from studying in Germany, she is eager to start with pursuit and love and take her time.
Jiang Ying, who was in a mess, chose to refuse. She said to Qian Xuesen: I have a boyfriend. The domineering president Qian Xuesen replied: I also have a girlfriend, but from now on, your boyfriend doesn’t count, and neither does my girlfriend.
This must be the first time I have seen such a proposal. In fact, Jiang Ying might have had a boyfriend at the time, but Qian Xuesen definitely didn't have a regular girlfriend. Why?
When he was in the United States, whether at Caltech or MIT, he was known for his bad temper and harsh treatment of others. It is said that students are very nervous when they listen to him in class, because he writes countless formulas on the blackboard, and no one can figure out which one he is talking about. There are many legends about Qian Xuesen's curses circulating on campus, which are mean and vicious.
According to Jiang Ying’s sister, someone once introduced a girlfriend to Qian Xuesen. One day, he picked up his girlfriend to attend a party. After waiting for a long time, Qian Xuesen came alone. When he asked, he found out that he had lost his girlfriend on the way.
Two days later, Qian Xuesen came again, still saying the same thing: When will you go to the United States? Jiang Ying said that it was strange that he "surrendered" after he repeated this conversation several times. It only took Jiang Ying and Qian Xuesen 6 weeks from their first meeting after returning to China to their final wedding.
On September 17, 1947, the wedding of Qian Xuesen and Jiang Ying was held at the Peace Hotel in Shanghai. At that time, it was popular to play "Wedding March" for weddings. The bride could not play it. The piano player was Jiang Ying's neighbor, Mr. Zhou Guangren, who later became a famous pianist. She was only 17 years old at the time. Jiang Ying specifically asked: I don't want Wagner's version. , want Mendelssohn’s version.
How the fairy tale goes: From then on, the prince and the princess lived happily together. But this is obviously not the end of the story. The fairy tale ends abruptly here because love is sweet and short-lived, but life is always so specific and detailed.
Qian Xuesen returned to the United States first and asked Jiang Ying to come later. A month later, Jiang Ying arrived in Boston. The next day, the newlyweds had breakfast together happily. Qian Xuesen made a cup of tea, drank it, stood up, and said to Jiang Ying with a smile: Goodbye, goodbye. Jiang Ying was stunned with a piece of bread in her hand. In her own words, "Is this called marriage? I just came here!"
Jiang Ying, who couldn't cook at all, was dumbfounded. After sitting there all day, Qian Xuesen came back at five or six o'clock in the evening. He politely said to Jiang Ying, "What would you like to eat?" The two of them went out to eat some fast food. Qian Xuesen told Jiang Ying some about life in the United States. Jiang Ying, who was confused, just started to find it interesting, and Qian Xuesen surprised her again. He just said see you later, see you later. Before he could react, he took a cup of tea and went to the small study. As soon as the door was closed, no one was there.
Jiang Ying did not expect that this would be their newlywed life. She never imagined that for more than 60 years after that, every night of their lives would be like this. "He would finish dinner every night, pour himself a cup of tea, hide in the small study to read, and never chat with me. Not even looking for friends to play with."
Only then did she realize that the story her sister told was indeed not groundless. But she loves him. This young lady who had never touched the spring water before began to learn how to buy groceries, cook and organize housework. She did not completely give up her singing career. After becoming pregnant, the first question that came to her mind was, could she still practice her voice with a big belly? Will it affect the breath?
However, although Qian Xuesen is a nerd who doesn't understand the charm, he really loves Jiang Ying. Even his mentor von Kármán can see it. When he first saw Jiang Ying, he fell in love with Jiang Ying. Friends of Qian said: Qian seems to have changed as a person, and Yingzhen is very cute.
The original Qian Xuesen, who was mean, serious, and unapproachable, disappeared. He became lively and cheerful, and gradually became good at socializing. In "The Mystery of Qian Xuesen" written by Zhang Chunru, Jiang Ying simply fascinated all the bachelors at Caltech:
She was well-informed, beautiful and generous, and with a good singing voice, Caltech Excellent men are all fascinated by her. They even say that we are all in love with Mrs. Qian!
There are many opinions about Qian Xuesen’s return to China. But no matter which statement it is, one thing cannot be denied, Qian Xuesen is a true God of War master.
He served as the chief representative of the United States after the Allied forces captured Germany at the end of World War II. Go to Germany to receive rockets, missiles, and aerodynamics research materials left behind by the German army.
Since Qian was one of the few scientists in the world who first started aerodynamic research and eventually became successful, the well-known German V-1 and V-2 missiles in World War II were produced by German scientists. Based on Qian Xuesen's advanced research results at that time, the key technology of missile aerodynamics was broken through.
Everyone knows about the V1 and V2 missiles that brought huge disaster to London at the end of World War II, but few people know their close relationship with Qian Xuesen!
Qian Xuesen is also the founder of the American space shuttle. Qian Xuesen designed the United States’ first staged rocket, Private A. To this day, Qian Xuesen’s abbreviation appears many times in NASA documents. —— H. S. Tsien.
Without Qian Xuesen, the United States’ early rocket and missile research plans would have been impossible to discuss. Qian’s design plan for the US military led the United States’ subsequent 20-year missile and rocket research process. His role in aerodynamics Works in the field are regarded as must-reads for entry into this field. < /p>
In this sense, I would rather believe that the famous saying of the Deputy Secretary of the Navy "I would rather kill him than let him return to China" is true. In addition, from Von Kármán’s oral account, we can know that Qian Xuesen, in addition to being under house arrest, had actually been in prison. The prison was located on “Terminal Island”, not too far from Los Angeles, and Qian Xuesen was detained there for 15 days.
During the days when Qian Xuesen was under house arrest, Jiang Ying bought a guitar. After the child fell asleep, she played the guitar for Qian Xuesen and invited Qian Xuesen to play with her on the bamboo flute. Qian Xuesen suggested that she take her children back to China first, but she said: No, we will be together wherever we go.
During the five years of house arrest, Jiang Ying did not hire a nanny out of concern for Qian Xuesen's safety, and she did all the housework herself. She took care of her two children by herself, went out to buy groceries alone, and cleaned the house alone. At twelve o'clock in the middle of the night, she often received inexplicable phone calls asking where Qian Xuesen was and whether they had gone out... She never took these calls seriously. Tell Qian Xuesen.
Qian Xuesen could not go anywhere during those five years, but he still completed the masterpiece "Engineering Cybernetics" and became the founder of this discipline. Von Kármán, the father of aerodynamics, said of him: Money’s achievements have surpassed mine. At the beginning of this monograph, there are three words "dedicated to Ying". Jiang Ying said: "This is my reward."
They eventually returned to China. Because of the confidentiality of his work, Qian Xuesen was often away from home and never told Jiang Ying what he was doing. Jiang Ying told Qian Xuesen that she wanted to start music education again: "You do your thing, I will do mine, I won't disturb you, you don't disturb me." Qian Xuesen encouraged his wife's decision, and Jiang Ying became the leader in China's vocal music education career With a banner on her face, she was filled with peaches and plums throughout her life, and many of her students won prizes in vocal competitions at home and abroad.
Although she rarely performed on stage, in Jin Yong's article, we can still imagine Jiang Ying's graceful singing voice: This is not to praise her relatives, I think her singing is really wonderful... The singing volume is very loud, and every sound shakes the roof tiles. It is completely like singing a grand opera in an opera house, which is indeed very rare among sopranos in my country.
Qian Xuesen won many awards in his later years. He once said humorously to Jiang Ying: "The money belongs to you, and the award (Jiang) belongs to me." In 1991, at the "National Outstanding Contribution Scientists" award ceremony, Qian Xuesen, who won the award, said to everyone:
Everyone knows what I do, but let me explain to everyone what my wife does. My wife is mainly engaged in teaching classical art songs. I won the award today and will never forget the understanding and support my wife has given me over the past decades.
On Jiang Ying's birthday in 1992, she deliberately said to Qian Xuesen, "I tell you, it says "Happy birthday, dear mother!", and their names (referring to their children) are written on the cake. , there would be no name for you. What did you do? Qian Xuesen was still smiling happily, just like that day when he sent her home, he said: I am very lucky, my wife is several years younger than me.
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On February 5, 2012 (five years ago today), Jiang Ying passed away. She was very quiet when she left, with her children accompanying her. She once promised to walk behind Qian Xuesen. In the 1990s, Jiang Ying had a major operation. Before the operation, she said to the doctor anxiously: "I can't walk in front of him."
She finally got her wish. Qian Xuesen passed away in 2009. Everyone said that this couple went to heaven to sing the song "Swallows Fly" that they sang when they were children.