THE MISSION OF MECHANICS: AN INTERPRETATION OF TWO OUTLINES FROM HSUE-SHEN TSIEN'S SPEECHES

During his tenure as director of the Institute of Mechanics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hsue-Shen Tsien prepared two seminal speech outlines. This paper examines Tsien's philosophy of mechanics through a close reading of these documents. His views on the mission of mechanics may be distilled into three fundamental principles: (1) mechanical research must adhere to the tenets of technological science; (2) mechanical studies should cultivate systematic and philosophical thinking; and (3) mechanics research must align with the national strategic priorities. By revisiting Hsue-Shen Tsien's vision for mechanics, this study aims to inspire contemporary mechanics researchers to advance the field in the new era.