When a Physics graduate meets a Nobel Prize winning Physicist

I have never felt so glad to be a Physics graduate, until last Saturday.

Because of the nature of my job, I had not been able to make use of my Physics background ever since I graduated. That day, with a stroke of luck, it was finally put to good use.

I was sent on an assignment to interview 1957 Nobel Prize winning physicist, 84-year-old American-Chinese Professor Yang Chen Ning.

Professor Yang won the Nobel Prize in Physics together with Lee Tsung-dao "for their penetrating investigation of the so-called parity laws, which has led to important discoveries regarding the elementary particles."

Professor Yang created a storm in 2004 when his marriage with 30-year-old Wen Fang was made known. Wen Fang who holds a masters degree in translation at the Guangzhou University of Foreign Studies, was then 28, and he was 82, thus coining the term “82-28” marriage. It was the second marriage for both.

Prof Yang, accompanied by Wen Fang, arrived in Singapore on Friday for a series of talks.

Being a big name and with a fully packed schedule lined up, Prof Yang could hardly spare time for media interviews.

My newsroom made arrangements for an interview with him late Saturday morning. However, as Prof Yang gave an interview to another newspaper over breakfast the same morning, there was a last minute change of plans—our interview might be cancelled or shortened to a mere 10 minutes.

Just 10 minutes? That was simply too little time for me to raise the questions I have and get the responses I need before time's up.

Dark clouds loomed over me as I waited in the hotel lobby for his other interview to end.

And then I noticed a familiar character. Professor Oh. He was a Physics professor whom taught me back in university. What a coincidence! We were both equally surprised to see each other. It turned out that he was supposed to bring Prof Yang and his wife for sightseeing this morning and he even introduced me to Prof Yang as his Physics student. That kind of helped to break the ice for the interview.

Even though Prof Yang and his wife were whizzed out from the interview after 10 minutes, Prof Oh allowed me to sit in his car while he drove the couple around Chinatown and Little India later on.

Imagine that!

I sat beside Prof Yang at the back of the car, while Mrs Yang sat in front. Because of this exclusive privilege, I was able to chit chat with them, and view a rare side of them, as they went on their first sightseeing experience in Singapore, including a photography trip to the Merlion.

Prof Yang's extensive knowledge in the history of Singapore, matters concerning neighbouring countries, culture and current affairs truly amazed me. He first came to Singapore in the 60s, but the memories remained so clearly etched in his mind, it is hard to imagine him being an elder in his 80s.

Wen Fang struck me as a gentle and intelligent lady with a soothing voice. Sometimes she listened silently as her husband spoke, and at other times she chipped in her ideas.

During our car trip, they chatted comfortably like any other normal married couple. They addressed each other as "darling" at ease, and held hands while they walked. Had it not been for their appearance, I would not have known they were miles apart in their ages. At one point in time during the interview, they even lovingly recited a poem they wrote together.

When I asked Prof Yang if Physics is the greatest love of his life, he said no, because there are a lot of other things in life. I asked, is his wife the greatest love of his life then? Prof Yang again answered no, although he stressed that his wife is the person he cared for most right now.

It appears that their love has transcended age boundaries. Although some people were and still are against their marriage due to their age gap, whether or not that is in itself a problem is really not up to outsiders to judge.

It seemed to me that in recent years, Prof Yang's love life has overshadowed his achievements in Physics, and I found that a real pity. Although his accomplishments would not, and should not be compromised by his union with a lady with a difference in age of 54 years, I cannot help but feel sorry for this wrong turn of media spotlight.

Surely there is a difference between being described as "the great man who won a Nobel prize" and "the Nobel Prize winner who married a young wife".

I wonder how he feels about this. That is a question which remains to be answered.