Wu Quande: Developing the brain's right side

Originally published in 2008

"Do not miss good books."

-Wu Quande

Editor's Note: Wu Quande is an electronic physicist born in Huangyan, Zhejiang province, in December 1923. He graduated from the Electrical Engineering Department of Tsinghua University in 1947. He was a professor at Peking University and the director of its Nanoscience and Technology Research Center. In 1991 he was elected a member of  Chinese Academy of Sciences. He was long engaged in research into surface, film of electron, ion and ultrafine particle properties. He advanced a physical model of the Ag-O-C photocathode, and identified the density and quanta product equation of long-wave photocurrents. His calculation of the theoretical curve of long-wave spectral response is popularly known as "Wu's theory."

When we pushed open the door of his office, we were surprised to see a gray-haired old man and bits and ends all over the place. This ordinary-looking man was none other than Mr Wu. "This is our office but not our lab," he said. "Our lab is equipped with advanced equipment, and what we study is something as small as a matchbox, which can store all the books of the Zhejiang Library."

As well as being an expert on nanotechnology, Wu has also devoted himself to studying the relationship between science and art. He believes that science and art are the two wings of human culture. He said, "In the new millennium, we are looking forward to both a cultural renaissance and a scientific renaissance, leading to a new 'rise of China.' China will stand proudly in the world."

Connected to recent scientific discoveries, the left side of the brain is analytical, presiding over abstract thought, focusing on language and logical thought. The right side of the brain is intuitive, presiding over images. The right side is relevant to our spatial judgments, capable of differentiating music, pictures, overall impressions and geometrical space.

Wu believed that the current Chinese examination-oriented education focuses too much on developing the left side of the brain. This results in a lack of creative ideas and a flawed holistic perspective. Also, students tended to be over-concerned with the problem of failure and success. On the other hand, quality-oriented education stresses the overall development of ethics, intelligence, physical capacity and artistic appreciation.

He said, "It is commonly acknowledged that the right side of the brain can store more information than the left. Failure to develop the right side of the brain means we will waste part of our life and impair its quality."