Nobel Physics Laureate Yang Chen-Ning Dies at 103 | WPN World People News

Foreign media reported that Nobel Physics Laureate and renowned physicist Yang Chen-Ning passed away in Beijing on the 18th at the age of 103. Yang, a celebrated figure in the world of physics, jointly won the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics with Tsung-Dao Lee for their groundbreaking work on parity nonconservation. However, he is perhaps best known to the public for marrying 28-year-old Weng Fan in 2004 at the age of 82 — a union often described by the media as a “grandfather-granddaughter romance.”

According to a press release cited by foreign outlets from Tsinghua University in Beijing, Yang passed away on the 18th. The statement recounted his life and achievements. Born in 1922, Yang went to the United States in 1945 for graduate studies and, together with Tsung-Dao Lee, proposed the theory of parity violation, earning them the Nobel Prize. His research made outstanding contributions to statistical mechanics and particle physics. Yang was also an academician of several prestigious institutions, including Academia Sinica, and held honorary doctorates from more than twenty leading universities worldwide. He received numerous honors, such as the U.S. National Medal of Science and the Franklin Medal.

Despite his towering status in the field of physics, Yang was not without controversy, particularly regarding his personal life and his falling-out with Tsung-Dao Lee. The two famously parted ways in 1962, and although both have spoken publicly about the incident, differing accounts have left the true cause uncertain.

As for his personal life, Yang’s 2004 marriage to Weng Fan drew widespread attention. The relationship often made headlines, but Yang repeatedly stated that their marriage was founded on genuine affection and mutual understanding, despite public skepticism.