Chapter 306 Arrival in Sweden
The next day, Yu Geng, the Qing Dynasty ambassador to France, learned that Zhang Xingjiu had arrived in Paris, so he invited him to the embassy and held a banquet. He had been the ambassador in Paris for more than two years and knew something about the influence of the Nobel Prize, so he wanted to use this opportunity to brag.
Zhang Xingjiu went there as invited. When he arrived at the place, Yu Geng saw that he had cut off his braids and kept short hair, but he didn't say anything because the Qing government began to pilot the Westernization Reform this year. Military and education became key areas. In new-style schools and the army, students and soldiers were required to cut off their braids to show that they were in line with modernization.
Although this measure was not fully promoted at the time and was more limited to specific groups, given Zhang Xingjiu's identity, he could not say anything wrong even if he cut his braids.
There is no need to follow the old rules of the country when you are outside. Zhang Xingjiu saw his two daughters, De Ling and Rong Ling, both of whom have left some records in history.
Because Yu Deling was proficient in eight foreign languages, she worked as a translator for Cixi for a period of time. Later, she married Thaddeus White, the vice consul of the American Consulate in Shanghai, and went to the United States with her husband and became a writer.
Yu Rongling was the first Chinese in modern Chinese dance history to study European, American and Japanese dance. Later, she entered the palace as a female official and choreographed many modern dances in Chinese style. After the founding of New China, she served as a curator of the Museum of Literature and History.
Many French celebrities came to the banquet, including some government officials. They were all very friendly when they saw Zhang Xingjiu, and had a good chat with him. They also discussed with Zhang Xingjiu the issue of attracting more international students to study in France.
Zhang Xingjiu knew that, just as Lippmann had said yesterday, they hoped to train him to be the spokesperson for France in China. They felt that France was so developed that as long as they extended an olive branch, there was no reason for Zhang Xingjiu to refuse.
In fact, it is not just now. In the past hundred years, Western countries have been constantly adopting similar measures. If they give a little preferential treatment, some people will come rushing over, treating the West as an absolutely wonderful existence and gaining benefits for themselves through flattery.
Zhang Xingjiu knows what they are, so he can send international students. After all, there are many things worth learning in France. If you want him to sell out China's interests, then forget it. He is not like that person, and he still has some basic backbone.
In any case, the banquet was quite successful. Yu Geng felt that he used Zhang Xingjiu to demonstrate the power of China. The French also felt that they had a good chat with Zhang Xingjiu and reached an agreement on cooperation with international students. When these international students come to France and see the prosperity of France, they will definitely have a good impression when they graduate and return home in the future.
As these people gradually grow up and occupy important positions in the Chinese government, France may be able to obtain excess returns from them.
Zhang Xingjiu was also on guard against this, so when selecting international students, he would definitely examine their character, and add patriotic education to the normal teaching at Aurora College. At the same time, he would reveal to them the dark side beneath the glorious appearance of Western countries, so that these people would be disenchanted by Western countries in advance.
He was a guest at the embassy at noon and returned to the Sorbonne University to give a speech in the afternoon. Some of his classmates who entered the Sorbonne University at the same time as him are still working hard to obtain a degree, but Zhang Xingjiu not only obtained a doctorate degree and a visiting professor position, but also won the Nobel Prize in Physics. These classmates were very envious of him.
In his speech, Zhang Xingjiu talked a lot about the help that the Sorbonne University had provided him and praised the university to the sky. The students were very happy to hear this, and the school administrators and teachers were also very pleased. They now regard Zhang Xingjiu as the pride of the Sorbonne University. It's just that he is too young now. If he were older, perhaps a bronze statue of him would appear on the campus of the Sorbonne University.
Of course, this is only a matter of time. As a student of the Sorbonne University and the first winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Zhang Xingjiu is destined to leave a significant mark in the history of the Sorbonne University. It is only a matter of time before his portrait is hung in the teaching building and a statue is erected for him.
What Zhang Xingjiu did was also paving the way for those who come after him. Now that the Sorbonne University and other French universities have recognized Chinese students, the situation will be better for others who come to study in France in the future.
After the speech, Professor Lippmann told him another good news. The French Academy of Sciences decided to admit Zhang Xingjiu as a foreign member, and he became the youngest member in the history of the French Academy of Sciences.
Zhang Xingjiu guessed that this was probably a decision they made after seeing the list of Nobel Prize winners. In addition to him, the winner also included Van'tov from the Netherlands (Chemistry Prize), who discovered the laws of chemical kinetics and the law of osmotic pressure.
Behring of Germany (Physiology or Medicine), for his research on serum therapy.
Prudhomme (Literature Prize) of France, who has made great achievements in poetry writing.
The Peace Prize winner was Dinan of Switzerland, who founded the Red Cross in 1864.
Passy, who founded the Inter-Parliamentary Union to promote international arbitration.
French scientists did not win any awards in the natural sciences, so they must have felt a little embarrassed. It just so happened that Zhang Xingjiu graduated from a French university, so recruiting him would add some glory to their cause. Moreover, Zhang Xingjiu's academic achievements were definitely up to the standards of foreign academicians.
Therefore, Zhang Xingjiu stayed in Paris for another day and went to the French Academy of Sciences with Professor Lippmann to receive the certificate of foreign academician. Then he reluctantly bid farewell to Lippmann, Lang Zhiwan, the Curies and others and took the train to Berlin.
If he took the sea route, he would have to go around Denmark to enter the Baltic Sea, which would take too long, so Zhang Xingjiu chose the current route.
The train arrived in Berlin, where I gave a lecture at the University of Berlin and exchanged ideas with German scientists. The next morning, I continued to take the train north and arrived at the port of Rostock on the Baltic Sea coast.
Then he changed ships, crossed the Baltic Sea, and finally arrived in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. During the entire journey, Zhang Xingjiu changed two passenger ships and three trains, which took more than a month.
No wonder the Nobel Prize results are announced in October and the award ceremony is held in December. The current transportation speed is really too slow. The winners from Europe may be better off, but winners from other continents who want to arrive in Stockholm to receive the award really need to set aside two months, otherwise they may not be able to make it.
Zhang Xingjiu went into a hotel specially designed to accommodate winners to rest. That evening, a group of guests came.
Happy New Year to everyone. I wish you all good health and happiness in the new year.
(End of this chapter)
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