Loo-Keng Hua

During the Japanese occupation of China, Loo-Keng Hua began corresponding with Professor Hermann Weyl about mathematics and its role in China’s future. “Science is extremely needed,” Hua wrote. “Thus any help to the young scientists would mean a great help of the reconstruction of the country; and any influence to the young scientists would mean an influence to the history of science in China.” Weyl invited Hua to become a Member for the 1943–44 academic year, but Hua was unable to come to the Institute until 1946. Travel from China was very difficult, and a number of administrators at the Institute worked with Chinese authorities to make the visit possible. Eventually, Hua was assigned the rank of general in his passport so that he could travel more easily. Hua went on to serve as the first Director of the Institute of Mathematics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.