99 Major Inventions That Have Influenced the World

Author: Dong Shuliang, Meng Yingchun, Dong Yao
Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Extracting the "pearl" on the crown—the historical background of the "Chen's Theorem"
When we think of mathematicians, the first person that comes to mind is Liu Hui from the Wei and Jin period, who pioneered the "Circle Division Method," elevating the study of pi to a new height.Zu Chongzhi from the Northern and Southern Dynasties period used Liu Hui's research to calculate pi to seven decimal places, meaning pi was greater than 3.1415926 and less than 3.1415927. This achievement surpassed Europe by over a thousand years. The modern mathematician Chen Jingrun's research on the Goldbach Conjecture also deserves pride and admiration for every descendant of the Yellow River. In 1973, the world-famous British mathematician G. H. Hardy and the mathematician Riesz from the former West Germany added a chapter to their upcoming book Sieve Methods, naming Chen Jingrun's research "Chen's Theorem."
### The Invention Journey
In the 17th century, the German mathematician Goldbach discovered in his theoretical research that every large even number could be expressed as the sum of two prime numbers, i.e., (11). However, he couldn't prove this pattern and wrote to the then-world-renowned mathematician Euler for help. Surprisingly, even Euler, a great mathematician, was stumped and never succeeded in proving the correctness of the Goldbach Conjecture in his lifetime. Thus, Goldbach became famous for discovering this pattern but was also known as the "Goldbach Conjecture" because it remained unproven—the "pearl on the crown of mathematics."
More than 200 years passed, and countless mathematicians tirelessly tried to crack this puzzle, but none succeeded. Unexpectedly, Chen Jingrun, a high school student, became fascinated by this "pearl" and resolved to study mathematics diligently, determined to snatch it one day. After graduating, whether teaching in middle school or working as a librarian in university, Chen Jingrun never gave up on his research. However, he deeply knew that with his current capabilities, he was still powerless to take the "pearl." Therefore, he immersed himself in the vast sea of books.
In 1956, Chen Jingrun, who had already made some achievements in mathematics, was spotted by the renowned mathematician Hua Luogeng and transferred to the Institute of Mathematics. From then on, Chen Jingrun thrived and accelerated his research on the Goldbach Conjecture. He often thought, "Work hard, work even harder, and never let down the trust and hope the Party and people have placed in me." Day after day, year after year, Chen Jingrun tirelessly overcame one challenge after another, gradually approaching the alluring "crown."
Tragically, just as Chen Jingrun was making a valiant push forward, the unprecedented "Cultural Revolution" broke out. A group of ignorant "Red Guards" stormed his study, seized his precious manuscripts, and destroyed his valuable research materials. Chen Jingrun was plunged into extreme sorrow and indignation.
"Let's give up, stop researching," his family members, seeing Chen Jingrun still obsessed with writing and calculating, advised with a heavy heart.
"Never mind. They can cause trouble their way. I'll research mine," Chen Jingrun, like a "fanatic," dragged his frail body and remained deeply immersed in his "Goldbach Conjecture."
In 1973, Chen Jingrun finally published his paper On the Representation of a Large Even Number as the Sum of a Prime and the Product of at Most Two Primes in Science in China, which shook the international mathematical community. At this point, the Goldbach Conjecture had been proven to (12), and the proof of (11) seemed almost within reach. The entire mathematical world was bathed in the victory of snatching the "pearl."
### Related Archives
In 1933, Chen Jingrun was born in Minhou County, Fujian Province. He graduated from the Department of Mathematics at Xiamen University in autumn 1953. In 1956, showing promise in mathematical research, he was recommended by the authority of the Chinese mathematical community, Hua Luogeng, and joined the Institute of Mathematics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to study the Goldbach Conjecture. In May 1966, Chen Jingrun published a simple proof of the Goldbach Conjecture in Science Bulletin. In 1973, he completed the proof of (12), a feat that stunned the world.
### Small Inspiration
Chen Jingrun devoted his entire life to researching the Goldbach Conjecture, and in a dormitory no larger than 10 square meters, under extremely harsh conditions. This shows that perseverance and determination are the first requirements for invention and creation. Those who wait for "heaven to drop a pie" will never achieve anything in their careers.
P38-41