Yao Mu: "Poplar Tree" In China's Textile Discipline

- Gu Bohong

Some time ago, I took the high-speed rail to Xi'an alma mater (Xi'an Polytechnic University) to participate in the Symposium of Yao Mu, academician of Chinese Academy of engineering. We discussed Mr. Yao's important contribution to the development of textile discipline in China, and organized an academic report on the basis of these important contributions. Although teacher Yao is already the year of mackerel back, but the spirit is hale and hearty, the speech state at the meeting seems to have returned to the classroom of that year, free and easy, passion and selflessness.

Ten years ago, during the mid Spring Festival, I transferred to Xi'an on business trip to attend the frontier forum of International Textile Science, which was held at Alma mater. At the meeting, Mr. Yao's speech was clean, fast, and full of breath. At that time, Mr. Yao was taking the lead in the textile group project of the Chinese Academy of Engineering on science and technology and engineering power. Many academicians and experts from the textile industry and the China Textile Industry Federation also participated in the project. According to the specific situation of textile industry and textile science and technology in many countries, the project experts put forward a preliminary evaluation index of textile technology power.

Thirty years ago, in the late spring season, I arrived in Xi'an on a green train and arrived in Xi'an one night and went to the northwest Textile Institute of Technology (now the Xi'an Polytechnic University) to take part in the postgraduate entrance examination. First, report to the main building, and then the staff take me to the two floor of the main building to see Mr. Yao. I remember Yao teacher wearing a blue polyester jacket, black cloth shoes, walking fast, from the appearance of purely northwest farmers. About a month and a half later, I received a letter of acceptance from my master's degree, and began to follow Mr. Yao's graduate student, which almost influenced and decided my lifelong path.

"Suggestions" (Yao's teacher's mantra), the general content is: first, any project development process must adopt the way of collective cooperation, not only to take care of the raw materials in the front, but also to focus on the specific conditions and requirements of the final products, and we should work together to make collective efforts well. Collective efforts are needed for scientific and technological research. Second, the final test results are "on paper". Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. If we neglect the sole criterion, we will make mistakes in our work. Third, to build a strong textile country, we need to do more concrete work, and we must accomplish a great deal of tasks, and we should do a good job in carefully studying the work. This time, Mr. Yao told us three "immature things".

Later, Mr. Yao and "on the basis of the wordy and more say a few words" (Yao teacher's pet phrase), I hope all our research work in addition to comprehensively summarize the advantages, effects, advantages, we must add some content, that is, the limitations of the research project, where can not be used, need to avoid. In addition, in the process of technology introduction, we must take care of the advantages and disadvantages of technology, and ultimately play a key role in the country's entire textile industry.

Yao's research field is related to the structure, performance and testing technology of textile fibers, yarns, fabrics and composites from cotton spinning, cotton spinning mills to textile fibers, yarns, fabrics and composites. He is one of the pioneers and advocates in the field of human comfort research in China. It is the theme of his lifelong study to make people more comfortable. Although he has been studying textile materials, clothing has always been the simplest among the crowd. The gray blue coat and flat bottom cloth shoes are his standard; on a business trip, he has to choose the cheapest hotels, never ask for requests, do not speak his identity, or put on airs, which is his consistent style.

How to evaluate Yao teacher? I think the simplest evaluation may be: good teacher. Mr. Yao devoted all his enthusiasm and efforts to higher education, personnel training and scientific research in the textile field. It is the most pertinent description to Mr. Yao that he should be a teacher and a teacher. Yao's principles of life, rigorous scholarship, simple life, and the spirit of bearing and striving all affect everyone around him. Almost every graduate student guided by Mr. Yao can clearly see his shadow: simplicity, modesty, preciseness, toughness, feelings, trueness, and steadfast conduct.

What is the most appropriate analogy for Yao teacher? I think it should be the poplar trees in the northwest. Borrow Mao Dun's statement in the praise of white poplar: poplar tree is not an ordinary tree. It is very common in Northwest China. It is not similar to the northern peasants. It has strong vitality, can not be ground and oppressed, and is similar to the peasants in the north. I praise the white poplar because it not only symbolizes the peasants in the north, but also symbolizes the spirit of simplicity, strength and striving for progress in the struggle for national liberation today.

Mr. Yao is a "poplar tree" in China's textile discipline.