Internationally renowned mathematician Yang Le dies in China, aged 83
- Yang’s groundbreaking work was hailed as ‘the most noteworthy contribution of Chinese mathematics’ to the field of complex analysis
- His lifelong contribution to the development of maths in China was recognised by the International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians in 2022
Tributes have been flowing for one of China’s most influential mathematicians Yang Le, an expert in complex analysis, who died on October 22 at the age of 83.
Their results were hailed as “the most noteworthy contribution of Chinese mathematics” in complex analysis by a delegation of US mathematicians that visited China in 1976.
Yang, who went on to lead China’s mathematical community through the major institutional reforms of the 1990s, joined what would later become the Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science in 1966.
“At a time when China’s overall research level was lagging behind, Yang and his collaborators did first-rate work, which won international recognition and greatly inspired the self-confidence of Chinese people,” academy director Xi Nanhua wrote on a dedicated memorial webpage.
“He quickly rose to [become] an academic leader and public figure after China’s reform and opening up. His widespread influence in academia and society greatly benefited the development of mathematics in China,” Xi said.