In addition to his remarkable academic achievements, Yang Zhenning’s romantic life has also drawn much public attention, particularly his 2004 marriage to Weng Fan, who was 54 years his junior.
Yang Zhenning’s first wife was Du Zhili, daughter of the Republic of China Army Lieutenant General Du Yuming. In 1950, the 28-year-old Yang Zhenning married 21-year-old Du Zhili in Princeton, USA. The couple had two sons and one daughter. In October 2003, Du Zhili passed away after a long illness. Then, on December 24, 2004, 82-year-old Yang Zhenning entered into matrimony with 28-year-old Weng Fan, a “May-December” marriage that caught widespread public attention.
The two first met in 1995 at an international conference at Shantou University in Guangdong, where Weng Fan was responsible for receiving Yang Zhenning and his wife. After graduating from university, Weng Fan had a brief marriage that lasted less than two years. In February 2004, Weng Fan wrote again to Yang Zhenning, and the two began frequent contact, sparking this later-in-life romance, which led to their union at the end of the same year.
Since getting married, the couple has remained loving and sweet, frequently appearing together at public events. A widely circulated video reportedly filmed in Japan in 2021 shows a smiling Yang Zhenning at an event, bent over and writing with a calligraphy brush as about ten male and female guests, most of them using their phones, film the process.
After energetically finishing his calligraphy, Yang Zhenning immediately turned and called out loudly to his wife Weng Fan with “Darling”, inviting her to write a message as well. Weng Fan, smiling and politely declining at first by saying she was not skilled with a brush pen, eventually complied with Yang Zhenning’s wish and approached the table to leave a message in calligraphy.
● No Objection to Weng Fan Remarrying
In a 2011 interview with Phoenix Weekly, Yang Zhenning shared insights into his relationship with Weng Fan. He candidly admitted that the main reason they decided not to have children was his age, reasoning that if he passed away, it would be very difficult for Weng Fan to raise a child or children alone. He also expressed that he would not object if Weng Fan chose to remarry after his passing.
Yang Zhenning stated that in their seven years of marriage, they rarely quarreled and, instead, shared many common topics. Despite the age gap, they were able to broaden each other's knowledge of different eras. He added that they often visited art exhibitions and each picked their favorite pieces, then compared their choices to see if they matched. “That’s one of the little games between us.”
On the subject of children, Yang Zhenning said directly, “It’s not suitable for us to have children. If I am gone, and Weng Fan is left alone with one or two children, that would be a very difficult situation.”
Yang Zhenning said he would not object if, after his death, Weng Fan chose to remarry. Weng Fan was somewhat displeased by this idea at first, but he explained, “If you consider it rationally, there is no need to be upset.”
The two first met in 1995 at an international conference at Shantou University in Guangdong, where Weng Fan was responsible for receiving Yang Zhenning and his wife. After graduating from university, Weng Fan had a brief marriage that lasted less than two years. In February 2004, Weng Fan wrote again to Yang Zhenning, and the two began frequent contact, sparking this later-in-life romance, which led to their union at the end of the same year.
Since getting married, the couple has remained loving and sweet, frequently appearing together at public events. A widely circulated video reportedly filmed in Japan in 2021 shows a smiling Yang Zhenning at an event, bent over and writing with a calligraphy brush as about ten male and female guests, most of them using their phones, film the process.
After energetically finishing his calligraphy, Yang Zhenning immediately turned and called out loudly to his wife Weng Fan with “Darling”, inviting her to write a message as well. Weng Fan, smiling and politely declining at first by saying she was not skilled with a brush pen, eventually complied with Yang Zhenning’s wish and approached the table to leave a message in calligraphy.
● No Objection to Weng Fan Remarrying
In a 2011 interview with Phoenix Weekly, Yang Zhenning shared insights into his relationship with Weng Fan. He candidly admitted that the main reason they decided not to have children was his age, reasoning that if he passed away, it would be very difficult for Weng Fan to raise a child or children alone. He also expressed that he would not object if Weng Fan chose to remarry after his passing.
Yang Zhenning stated that in their seven years of marriage, they rarely quarreled and, instead, shared many common topics. Despite the age gap, they were able to broaden each other's knowledge of different eras. He added that they often visited art exhibitions and each picked their favorite pieces, then compared their choices to see if they matched. “That’s one of the little games between us.”
On the subject of children, Yang Zhenning said directly, “It’s not suitable for us to have children. If I am gone, and Weng Fan is left alone with one or two children, that would be a very difficult situation.”
Yang Zhenning said he would not object if, after his death, Weng Fan chose to remarry. Weng Fan was somewhat displeased by this idea at first, but he explained, “If you consider it rationally, there is no need to be upset.”