尊敬的校董会成员、汤涛校长，亲爱的同学们：
非常荣幸受汤涛校长的邀请，来参加今天的毕业典礼，向同学们表示祝贺！
我本人是从事量子物理基础和量子信息方面的研究，尽管UIC可能并没有这一领域的专业，不过我对UIC却有着独特的关注。这是因为，我了解到UIC是中国内地首家博雅型大学，注重的是对学生心智的开启与扩展以及人格的培养和塑造，而非局限于传授某一特定专业领域的知识和技术。其实，这正是梅贻琦先生所倡导的“通识教育”，大学阶段要求学生对自然、社会与人文三方面都具有广泛的综合知识,而“不贵乎有专技之长”，也是我一直向往并呼吁的教育理念。我理解的通识教育，不仅强调学科知识的广度，更关注的是综合素质和人文精神的培养。即使是高度要求专业化的现代科学研究，同样也离不开人文精神，甚至科学本身也能带来人文精神的启示。借此机会，我愿意和同学们分享一下我在科研工作的历程中对人文精神的理解和感受，希望能够对同学们将来的人生道路有所帮助。
同学们已经成年，这几年在大学期间的学习也不一定一帆风顺，应当开始懂得世界和人生原本就不完美；大家毕业之后，有不少人将进入社会，就会面临一个更加不完美的世界。然而，不完美的世界恰恰是生命进化和人类进步的动力。人类之所以成为万物之灵，并不是因为个体的强大，人类的个体反而相当脆弱。但就是脆弱的人类，千百年来不屈不挠地在黑暗中摸索，才造就了今天发达的科学和灿烂的文明。不屈不挠地探索，对人类整体而言正是最伟大的精神；对于个人也一样，只要去做事就是成功的开端，不去做才是彻底的失败。面对种种不利，如果一味地忧虑，甚至怨天尤人、自暴自弃，实际上已经与我们作为人的特质背道而驰了。
反过来讲，正因为世界和人生并不完美，一个人究其一生能做的事毕竟有限，更难以尽善尽美。科学研究更是如此，面对的是未知的世界，只能去探索，探索就意味着不计其数的失败。我曾经到欧洲留学，接着又继续在欧洲开展合作研究。有一年春天，我在奥地利维也纳的实验做完了，本该尽快赶到德国海德堡去筹建自己的实验室，可我很留恋在多瑙河边采摘荠菜的那一份惬意，担心到海德堡就再也采不了荠菜了，于是就在维也纳多待了一段时间。结果，在海德堡的实验计划被延后了，后续的一个重要实验被别人先做了出来。当时，我感到有些懊恼，尤其是后来我发现在海德堡的内卡河边其实也有荠菜。但是，我很快就释然了：工作是做不完的，这个实验未能如愿，下个实验再努力就是了，没有必要给自己施加那么大压力，相对悠闲一点，回到实验室的效率反而会更高。我非常喜欢德国哲学家叔本华的一句话：人可以做他想做的，但不能要他想要的。科学研究其实正是如此，你费了大把力气，可能什么也发现不了；有的猜想可能一辈子都验证不了；也有可能像我刚刚讲的那样，努力了半天，结果被别人捷足先登了，但是探索和努力的过程本身，已经是科学带来的最大乐趣。
我愿意强调的是，努力的同时，从容不迫的心境是更加重要的。在欧洲，我可以明显感受到对科学和艺术的热爱是融入大众的血液之中的。阿尔卑斯山的农民经常在傍晚收工后会在村庄的露天音乐厅合奏乐曲。我也曾经在当地的乡村碰到一位80多岁、坐轮椅的老太太。她了解到我是从事量子隐形传态研究的时候，脱口而出说道：“我知道你的研究工作，我读过你们在《自然》上发表的论文，我尽力了，但是没看懂。”
我在德国医院看病时，一位护士向我请教量子物理方面的问题。这种从容的、理想主义的文化氛围正是滋生大师、滋生深层次发现的极好土壤。
尽力做事而不去强求，保持从容的心态和理想主义的情怀，这正是科学发展的历程所告诉我们的人生观。在今后的人生中，大家可能会遇到许多困难和挑战，但只要始终坚持不懈地去探索、去创新，你们一定会取得更加宝贵的收获。
最后，我想再次祝愿所有同学，在未来的道路上走得更加稳健、更加光明！期待着你们在各自的领域里取得更大的成就，成为更优秀的公民和更有价值的人。谢谢大家！
Distinguished President Tang Tao, dear graduates and family members, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning! It is my great honour to be invited by President Tang Tao to attend today’s graduation ceremony.
Congratulations to the graduates!
I myself am involved in research in the fundamental fields of quantum physics and quantum information, and although UIC may not have a major in this field, I nevertheless have a unique interest in UIC. UIC is the first university in Chinese mainland to focus on liberal arts education that encourages students to explore a broad range of disciplines, rather than providing pre-professional training in a particular area. This is precisely the “general education” that famous educator Mr Mei Yiqi advocated, which I also aspire to and call for. In my understanding, a liberal arts education not only emphasizes a rich array of knowledge, but also pays more attention to the cultivation of a humanistic spirit. Even modern scientific research that requires high specialization cannot be separated from the humanistic spirit, and science itself can bring spiritual enlightenment. Here, I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you my understanding and experiences of humanism during my research work. I hope this will help you in your future life.
After the past few years at university, you have probably started to realize that the world is far from perfect. After graduation, many of you will enter society and face an even more imperfect world. However, an imperfect world is precisely the driving force behind the evolution of life and human progress. The reason why human beings become the spirit of all living things is not because individuals are strong, in fact, individually, human beings are quite fragile. However, it is fragile human beings that explored the darkness over the centuries and created today’s advanced science and splendid civilization. Perseverance is the greatest spirit of mankind as a whole. This also applies to individuals. As long as you do something, it is the beginning of success, while not taking action is bound to result in failure. In the face of all kinds of disadvantages, if we simply worry, complain about others, and give up on ourselves, we are actually going against our human nature.
Conversely, because the world and life are not perfect, there are limits to what one can do in one's lifetime. This is especially true for scientific research, which faces the unknown and can only experiment, and experimentation means countless failures. I once studied in Europe, and then continued collaborative research there. One spring, I finished my experiment in Vienna. I should have rushed to Heidelberg, Germany as soon as possible to set up my own laboratory, but I was very nostalgic for picking wild chives by the Danube River. I was worried that I would never be able to pick chives again in Heidelberg, so I stayed in Vienna for a while. As a result, the experimental plan in Heidelberg was delayed, and someone else completed an important subsequent experiment before me. At that time, I felt somewhat frustrated, especially after I found out that chives also grew by the Neckar River in Heidelberg, but soon I came to terms with myself. Work will never be finished, and if one experiment doesn’t go as planned, I still have the chance to try hard in the next. There is no need to put so much pressure on myself. If I remain relatively relaxed, my efficiency in the laboratory will be higher.
I like a sentence by Schopenhauer, a German philosopher: “A man can do what he wants, but he cannot want what he wants.” Scientific research, and by extension life, is just like this. You put in great efforts but see no success; some hypotheses may never be verified in a lifetime; or, as I just said, you worked hard for a long time and others beat you to the finish line by a hair. Nevertheless, the process of exploration and hard work itself is already the greatest pleasure brought by science.
I would like to emphasize that while working hard is important, a calm state of mind is more important. In Europe, I could clearly feel that the love for science and art was integrated into the blood of the general public. Alpine farmers often play music in their villages’ open-air concert halls after work in the evening. I once met an 80-year-old lady in a wheelchair in a local village. When she learned that I was engaged in research on quantum teleportation, she told me, “I know your research work. I read your paper published in Nature. I tried my best, but I didn’t understand it.” When I was in a German hospital, a nurse asked me about quantum physics. This calm and idealistic cultural atmosphere is an excellent soil for nurturing masters and deep discoveries.
Doing your best without demanding immediate success, keeping a calm mind and idealistic feelings is what the process of scientific development taught me about life. In your future, you may encounter many difficulties and challenges, but as long as you persist in exploring and innovating, you will certainly achieve more valuable accomplishments.
Finally, I would like to wish once again all of you a bright and wonderful future! I look forward to seeing all that you will achieve. Thank you all!
