"Talents cultivated by the nation should, first and foremost, love their country, and secondly, be able to identify the needs of the nation," said Yang Shiye, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at Harbin Engineering University, during an interview with a reporter from Science and Technology Daily.
On March 19th, Yang Shiye passed away in Harbin at the age of 93. His life was dedicated to the development of Chinese acoustics technology and education, a life devoted to "listening to the sea" for the nation. For nearly 70 years, he rooted himself in the field of acoustics education, driving the development of Chinese acoustics from scratch, from weakness to strength, and from general to specialized. Yang Shiye's passing is a significant loss to the field of Chinese underwater acoustics engineering.
Guided by national needs in scientific research
Patriotism was the underlying theme of Yang Shiye's life. In 1950, when the Korean War broke out, Yang Shiye, then a physics student at Tsinghua University, responded to the nation's call and volunteered to join the military, teaching at the Dalian Naval Academy, dedicating himself to the construction of the People's Navy with fervent enthusiasm.
After teaching at the Dalian Naval Academy for two years, when China was fully committed to establishing the Military Engineering Institute of the People's Liberation Army, Yang Shiye received an assignment and boarded a train northward. "I do what the country needs," Yang Shiye said. As one of the first faculty members of the school, he participated in its establishment, learning and teaching simultaneously, covering courses from basic physics and astronomy to hydrographic surveying.
In 1957, Yang Shiye was sent to the Acoustics Research Institute of the Soviet Academy of Sciences for further studies. At that time, the field of underwater acoustics was virtually non-existent in China. While light waves, electromagnetic waves, and others struggled to propagate in water, sound waves could travel long distances underwater. Given China's vast coastline of over 32,000 kilometers and its status as a maritime power, activities such as marine mineral exploration, ship navigation, underwater operations, and maritime defense heavily relied on underwater acoustics.
Upon arriving at the Acoustics Research Institute of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, Yang Shiye discovered that two laboratories were off-limits to foreigners. "If you truly want access to cutting-edge knowledge and technology, you cannot rely on foreign sources; you have to develop them yourself. This is the backbone of a nation," he remarked. Consequently, Yang Shiye resolved to advance China's expertise in underwater acoustics: to enable China's "ears" to understand the voice of the ocean.
Through Yang Shiye's efforts, China's first interdisciplinary major in underwater acoustics was established at the Military Engineering Institute of the People's Liberation Army. Additionally, he initiated the writing of the earliest monograph focusing on underwater noise mechanisms, titled "Underwater Acoustics." Today, the program he established has grown into a renowned research base and the largest talent pool for underwater acoustics in China.
Playing a central role in major scientific projects
Decades of research experience further solidified Yang Shiye's belief in building a technologically strong and maritime power. He often told his students, "To truly stand tall, one must contribute to the country."
The South China Sea, China's deepest and largest sea area, serves as a vital maritime passage connecting China with the rest of the world. In April 1994, two research vessels bearing the five-starred red flag and carrying nearly a hundred researchers entered the South China Sea. Yang Shiye, serving as the team leader and chief scientist, was deeply moved. This marked China's first strategically significant comprehensive underwater acoustics survey, the first large-scale deep-sea acoustic survey independently commanded and implemented by Chinese scientists, and the first step of China's underwater acoustics research from shallow to deep waters.
As the ships ventured into the deep sea, the sun hung directly overhead near the equator, and the temperature on the deck soared close to 70 degrees Celsius. Despite the scorching heat, Yang Shiye, well into his senior years, and all the team members persevered in their research efforts. When freshwater supplies ran out, they resorted to boiling the ballast water on board for drinking. "Sometimes, conducting research feels like going to war; when the going gets tough, you just have to grit your teeth," he remarked.
Unlike younger individuals, Yang Shiye had no advantage in age or physical strength. Nevertheless, throughout the intense survey work, there was never a hint of fatigue from him.
Over the decades, Yang Shiye always led the way in China's underwater acoustics education and research. In the 1970s and 1980s, as the head of the acoustic measurement system, he led a team to develop the "impact point acoustic measurement system" for the Dongfeng V intercontinental missile, providing valuable experience for the development of national marine engineering technology. He also laid a solid foundation for China's independently designed and integrated "Jiaolong" manned submersible positioning system. As one of the pioneers in China's hydrodynamic noise research, he designed and built China's first "gravity-based low-noise water tunnel" for acoustic research. Yang Shiye played a central role in formulating China's underwater acoustics development plan, determining research directions in underwater acoustics, and guiding and promoting major underwater acoustics research and engineering projects in China.
"Though the sun sets behind the mountains, it still reflects the evening glow. Even though I'm retired, my contributions to the country cannot cease," said Yang Shiye when he was over 90 years old, actively participating in sea trials for related research projects.
Educating and mentoring to elevate the underwater acoustics industry
Yang Shiye maintained a lifelong commitment to learning. At the age of 70, he learned to type and typed his own research papers; at 85, he began learning computer programming to validate new algorithms. His creative thinking often left young students in awe.
"China's blue ocean requires everyone's care, protection, and guardianship." Throughout decades of teaching and talent cultivation, Yang Shiye consistently adhered to this belief and passed it on to his students. Every year, he insisted on teaching undergraduate and graduate students, filling multiple blackboards with course materials. His students often requested Yang to review and revise their papers, and within a day or two, they would receive clear feedback and suggestions.
Field experiments, academic conferences, consulting... Yang Shiye's schedule was often packed, yet he never missed a class due to his busy schedule. Upon returning to Harbin, his first priority was to make up for missed classes. When lecturing, he spoke calmly and clearly, never sitting down, earning him the reputation of "standing until the end." Dr. Li Qi, the first Ph.D. graduate of Professor Yang Shiyi and the secretary of the School of Underwater Acoustics at Harbin Engineering University, said, "Professor Yang is very indifferent to fame and fortune. When he served as the director of the Institute of Underwater Acoustics, he only accepted half of the position allowance and proposed to take only half of that. Every time bonuses and awards were discussed, he always pushed forward young teachers and comrades on the front line of teaching."
Professor Yang Shiyi often encouraged young scholars, saying, "Engaging in scientific research requires, first and foremost, a correct view of life. Only by integrating personal ideals into the dream of a strong nation can one find the right direction; and only by transforming patriotic aspirations into diligent work can one gain inexhaustible motivation." Inspired by Professor Yang Shiyi, generations of underwater acoustics practitioners have worked tirelessly to advance the cause of underwater acoustics to greater heights.
