Brief Introduction:

"Professor Chern, my father-in-law, was a rare brilliant man, but at the same time an elder who's gentle, cultivated and approachable. He was absolutely an unusual ordinary man." Professor Ching-Wu Chu, a distinguished American physicist and Professor Chern's son-in-law, shared the stories between him and Professor Shiing-Shen Chern from two perspectives.

As a member of Chern's family, Professor Chu recalled the very first time that he met with Professor Chern as a young student, while also, Professor Chern's future son-in-law, and he was so timid and cautious at that time. Professor Chern, out of concern for his own daughter, also carefully asked about Professor Chu's character and background. Then after spending more time together, Professor Chu gradually found that, though believing in the philosophy of "to govern without exertion", Professor Chern was always considerate and caring towards his families.

As a researcher on experimental physics, on the other hand, Professor Chu truly felt the kindness and guidance that Professor Chern offered to young scholars, including providing support on their study and daily life, and even giving advice to young couples' relationships. Besides, Professor Chern was also very hospitable. He often invited his friends and colleagues to dinner. In his conversations with others, Professor Chern always had a wide range of topics including academic work and philosophies of life. He once talked about high-temperature superconductivity in the 1990s, and believed that the superconducting properties of materials could be influenced by their geometrical properties. His words in recent years have been validated by related research results. He used to say that to engage in scholarship, one should follow his own mind instead of the trends, be hard-working and persistent, expand his study's depth and breadth, and keep a peaceful state of mind...

(Above is the video speech that Professor Ching-Wu Chu planned to deliver at CIM's Conference of Commemorating the 110th Anniversary of the Birth of Professor Shiing-Shen Chern)

Ching-Wu Chu is a distinguished American physicist, Member of the US National Academy of Sciences, Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and previously served as the President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He has won the US National Medal of Science and the Comstock Prize in Physics. Professor Chu is Professor Chern's son-in-law, his wife is Professor Chern's daughter May Chu.