成都大陆希望集团有限公司

Author: Ling Long, Founder of Hope Group News

Source: Zhenghedao (ID: zhengehdao)

In the author’s eyes, Liu Yongyan’s life is half like azure seawater — profound science, and half like blazing fire — burning poetic passion. These two seemingly disparate qualities coexist harmoniously within him, forming a marvelous "double‑helix structure".

"Half science, half poetic passion." Within this "double‑helix structure", science represents analyzable, replicable, and systematic methodology, while poetic passion embodies ineffable intuition, inspirational power, and humanistic sentiment.

Science and poetic passion are not opposing poles, but two sides of the same coin of human cognition, jointly illuminating our path toward exploring the unknown.

Science (rational, systematic, replicable) ensures an enterprise’s efficiency, scale and sustainability, serving as its solid cornerstone. Poetic passion (perceptual, intuitive, humanistic) defines the height of one’s life, the depth of one’s soul, and the capacity for disruptive innovation, marking the pivotal leap from excellence to greatness.

01 The Liu Yongyan I Know

This was the photo most frequently used of Liu Yongyan in the early days of his entrepreneurial journey

To help readers understand Liu Yongyan's unique character and personality, the author would like to begin with a few personal anecdotes. Perceptive readers will surely form an initial impression.

1. " That's Eldest Brother Liu!"

In 1992, I left a research institute in Shaanxi Province to join Hope Group (then known as Chengdu Hope Co., Ltd.), becoming one of the few non‑local employees in the enterprise.

One day, the computer at the Chengdu Office (located in the front building of Jingchuan Hotel along Chengdu’s Second Ring Road) broke down. Soon afterwards, a stern-faced middle-aged man arrived. Without uttering a superfluous word, he fixed his gaze on the computer, tinkered with it briefly, and soon had it working again.

Later, I overheard him say to Liu Yongxing: "Some people claim computers require a dedicated computer room, air‑conditioning, and even slippers for use. I don’t think so. That’s just mystifying computers. Are they not simply tools to boost efficiency?”

At a time when most people viewed computers with awe, his remark struck me as refreshingly pragmatic. The subsequent three decades of development in the computer industry have fully validated his perspective. After he left, I asked Zhang Qiang, my co‑founder of ‘Hope Feed News’. He whispered mysteriously: “That's Eldest Brother Liu!”

Ah, so that was him!

That was my first encounter with Liu Yongyan—unexpected, yet unforgettable.

2. "Mother, We Will Always Miss You!"

I recall the latter half of 1996, when Hope Group donated 1.7 million yuan to fund three Hope Primary Schools, one of which was where the Liu brothers’ mother had once taught. Of this sum, Liu Yongyan personally contributed 1 million yuan, designating it for Pinggang Primary School in Shunjiang Township, his mother’s former workplace.

Solicited by Xie Shijie, then Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee, the donation received significant attention. The ceremony was held at the Xinjin Hope Feed Factory. After Secretary Xie spoke, Liu Yongyan addressed the gathering on behalf of Hope Group. Frankly, he was unaccustomed to the complexities of social etiquette. His speech was direct, devoid of clichés, platitudes, or grandiloquence, surprising the officials and journalists present.

Our mother has suddenly passed away. As tears flow unceasingly, memories come flooding back. Our mother, Zheng Kangzhi, was born into a modest feudal family, the second of eight siblings. From the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, the notion that ‘a woman’s virtue lies in lacking talent’ stagnated the remote heart of the Sichuan Basin. Yet science and democracy, like a gentle March breeze, stirred glimmers of conscience among the people of Bashu. Assisting her parents, mother not only bore the burden of raising her younger siblings but also seized every spare moment to pursue knowledge and embrace new ideas. Through immense hardship, she ensured all her siblings graduated from university. When the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression broke out, mother, in the prime of her youth, wholeheartedly joined the national salvation movement and an anti‑Japanese rescue corps. She slept on makeshift mats, ate coarse rice, transported wounded soldiers, carried stretchers, and administered artificial respiration—working around the clock to save countless soldiers who had fought bravely on the battlefield. Nearing thirty, she broke free from feudal constraints, married our talented father Liu Dayong through free love, and raised five children. Guided by their moral principles, our parents named us Yan, Xing, Mei, Hao, Hua (Speech, Conduct, Beauty, Goodness, Transformation).

Recalling their childhood, he spoke candidly:

In the early 1950s, filled with passion for New China, our parents joined the nation’s builders. Under the supply system for non‑liberated area cadres, father could not support the whole family, so mother once again bore the burden. She taught at a rural primary school while doing laundry for money, yet even so, we struggled to afford basic necessities. My second brother was sent to a silk‑and‑cloth merchant, only to return after injuring his right leg. In tears, mother sent my third brother to neighbors, where he became known as Chen Yuxin. For an educated, ambitious woman, being driven to such despair was truly tragic. Through those difficult years, mother taught with unwavering enthusiasm. At night, she would take my hand and walk across fields and ditches, visiting students’ homes, persuading and supporting impoverished dropouts to return to school. She led work‑study programs, ran adult literacy night schools, served as a Young Pioneers counselor, and twice saved drowning children.

He said confidently:

Through our parents’ teachings by precept and example, and their strict guidance, we grew spiritually wealthy, despite material poverty.

Speaking of his mother in the early days of entrepreneurship, he could barely contain his emotions:

In our early entrepreneurial years, mother worked from dawn till dusk, tirelessly striving for the business. For years, she single‑handedly managed the Qing Shi Qiao sales outlet, which lacked even basic living amenities. Her income there formed Hope Group’s precious initial capital. For ten full years, until shortly before her passing, mother never enjoyed a complete Spring Festival rest. Moved by her diligence, relatives and neighbors affectionately called her ‘China’s Oshin’. Every milestone of our enterprise bears the mark of her labor. Just as Hope’s future looked bright, illness struck suddenly, and our beloved mother left us forever.

As he spoke, tears streamed down his face. Choking back sobs, he concluded:

Mother, we will always miss you!

3. "His Eyes Are Pure and Untainted!"

The headquarters of West Hope Group and Continental Hope Group are both located in Meihao Garden, so our interactions were frequent. For a time, I dined at Continental Hope’s staff canteen, often crossing paths with him. Occasionally, after dinner, I would play table tennis with his wife, Lin Junru.

It was around 1998. For an important article, I accompanied an economist to meet Liu Yongyan, seeking “the Eldest Brother’s perspective on the Third Brother”. We agreed on a 30‑minute meeting, but the conversation unfolded naturally, extending for over an hour.

As he spoke of reciting Tang and Song poetry with his father in childhood, he recalled seeing snow‑capped Xiling Snow Mountain from their doorway, lamenting that modern environmental pollution had made such sights rare. He shared stories of secretly building a shortwave radio in middle school and raising quails with his third‑youngest brother, chatting like an old friend. The economist later told me: “His eyes are pure and untainted!”

During his tenure at a state‑owned enterprise, many of his inventions remained confined to his mind, unimplemented. Years later, accompanying journalists back to his former factory, he stroked the machinery he had once operated, then turned away, tears streaming down his face.

On another occasion, a journalist from a foreign media outlet visited. As he recalled staying in budget inns costing just a few yuan per night during early business trips, his eyes welled with tears. He excused himself to the restroom to regain his composure.

4. "I Despise People Without Integrity!"

Chen Yuxin once said proudly: “When I talk with Big Brother, I understand his unspoken meaning.” The following two stories were shared during a business trip.

During the 2002 National Day holiday, Liu Yongyan planned a trip to Hainan and pre‑booked a five‑star hotel room. Unexpectedly, heavy fog grounded flights in Chengdu, and he arrived in Haikou late the next day. At check‑in, he was told his reservation had been canceled due to his no‑show, and no rooms were available amid peak occupancy.

Strong‑willed and unreserved, Liu Yongyan was furious. He sternly rebuked the staff for breaching the contract. Instead of apologizing, the employee summoned a department head.

The department head refused to admit fault, reported the incident to his superior, and falsely claimed a guest was “deliberately causing trouble.” The superior arrived with several security guards, threatening physical confrontation—infuriating Liu Yongyan, who tolerated no injustice.

Seeing the situation escalate, a companion discreetly displayed his “Chairman of Hope Group” identity badge. The tables turned instantly. The superior apologized profusely, personally carried Liu’s luggage, and escorted him to a VIP room. Early the next morning, he returned to serve as a bellhop. Liu Yongyan walked past without acknowledging him. He later said: “His obsequious behavior was pitiful and repulsive. I despise people without integrity.”

On another occasion, traveling with Chen Yuxin, he shared a second story. At a five‑star hotel in Hong Kong, a staff member greeted him in English. Liu immediately corrected him loudly: “Speak Chinese! Hong Kong has returned to China. Why use English?” The staff member was left embarrassed and flustered.

5. A Discounted Suit for Over 600 Yuan

Remarkably, amid a materialistic era, he maintains a frugal lifestyle, rarely patronizing high‑end hotels. To this day, his finest suit is a discounted one he bought for just over 600 yuan to wear at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

Yet his spiritual values never falter. His staff describe him as deeply compassionate, unwaveringly honest, and a man of noble character who never lies.

His staff also noted that he sets meticulous standards for daily work: teacups must be cleaned thoroughly and placed upside down on trays to avoid dust contamination; serving chopsticks are mandatory when dining out, and leftovers must be packed; flies are forbidden in the kitchen—any that enter must be shooed away, never swatted dead indoors, as he explains "this causes secondary pollution".

This is Liu Yongyan—authentic and unpretentious!

Is it precisely his authenticity that makes him so profound?

Born in Chongqing in December 1945, he later moved with his father Liu Dayong, an underground CPC member, and his mother, a trainee of the Battlefield Nursing Class at the Whampoa Military Academy—to Xinjin County, Chengdu, his mother’s hometown.

Together with his three younger brothers born in succession, Liu Yongxing, Chen Yuxin (Liu Yongmei), and Liu Yonghao, they formed the legendary brotherly quartet in Chinese business history, known as " Yan‑Xing‑Mei‑Hao" (Speech, Conduct, Beauty, Goodness).

On his ninth birthday, his father Liu Dayong gifted him a set of ‘One Hundred Thousand Whys’. Fascinated, he developed a keen interest in radio and generator principles, and activated carbon production. This gift ignited his passion for science, with Thomas Edison becoming his lifelong role model.

Strong‑willed, thoughtful, and diligent, he was admired by peers. Children flocked to see his homemade microscope, which revealed ants feeding and barbs on caterpillar hairs. Once, when several children gathered around, he tuned a homemade crystal radio to Sichuan People’s Broadcasting Station, delighting his classmates.

Back then, rural western Sichuan had no electricity, only moonlight after dark. One day, through his own research and experimentation, he built a simple generator that lit up a small experimental bulb. His classmates were astounded.

This success sparked a childhood dream: he wished his school had electricity at night, so his mother would not grade homework by dim soybean‑oil lamp, and he would avoid its acrid smoke.  This wish stayed with him, becoming his childhood dream and the source of motivation for his life.

His parents raised him with traditional, strict discipline, which shaped nearly his entire life. When his mother taught at Pinggang Primary School in Shunjiang Township, she often took him with her to study in the county seat during school holidays. While she attended her studies, he would immerse himself in the library, wandering freely in the ocean of knowledge, often losing track of time and forgetting hunger.

In 1958, during the Great Leap Forward, Chengdu No. 8 Middle School established a school-run factory — the Air Battery Factory. At the age of 13, he was elected its factory director. After several rounds of experiments, just as success was within sight, a new problem arose: a lack of activated charcoal. Not only could they not afford it, but it was simply unavailable to purchase at that time. What were they to do? Everyone gathered around their young director, utterly at a loss.

At that moment, Liu Yongyan had a sudden brainwave: “I’ve got it! Let’s gather walnut shells and burn them, they’ll turn into activated charcoal!” His classmates cheered at once. After much hard work, they finally lit an electric bulb with their homemade battery.

In 1961, he was admitted to Chengdu’s key high school, No. 9 High School, with the top score in his school. Amid those years of gnawing hunger, he immersed himself in the school library, seemingly oblivious to everything outside.

In fact, this was also his way of coping with hunger. Here he read extensively across a wide range of books. At a time when China was blindly copying the Soviet model, classroom teaching was purely "Soviet-style". The library, however, was different—it selflessly opened all its resources to every reader. He studied voraciously here, greatly enriching and refining his knowledge base, which benefited him for a lifetime.

At the age of 15 or 16, he rejected prevailing Michurinian genetics, delving into Mendelian genetics and Darwin’s evolution. Upon learning about a genetics debate, he went to great lengths to get an admission ticket, too excited to fall asleep. By his high‑school graduation, he had risen from an "unremarkable student" to a top‑performing student in his class. Unexpectedly, however, he failed the college entrance examination due to his parents’ “historical issues”.

In 1964, he was assigned to work as a grinder at Chengdu Electric Machinery Factory (Factory 906, Chengdu, hereinafter the same), officially entering the workforce. He packed all belongings into a 30‑cent cardboard box, beginning independent life.

Though fate had kept him from realizing his dream of going to university, he regarded the less‑than‑ideal conditions at Chengdu Electric Machinery Factory as a “social university” to temper himself. His passion for learning and self‑improvement never dimmed. He studied both grinding and electrical work, quickly mastering all the skills taught by his mentors, and even carried out a series of innovations on the machine tools.

He then shifted from passive learning to actively tackling technical challenges, focusing on a long‑standing unsolved problem in the electrical‑discharge machining workshop that plagued the entire factory: temperature regulation failure in high‑frequency furnace heating, which led to large quantities of defective and waste products. Through rigorous thinking and repeated experiments, he finally developed a temperature‑control material suitable for high‑frequency furnaces by applying the constant‑temperature principle of ferromagnetic materials. This invention created a stir across the whole factory.

In 1973, he enrolled in the Department of Computer Science at Chengdu Institute of Radio Engineering (now the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, hereinafter the same) as a worker‑peasant‑soldier student. He achieved a full score on the ad-hoc college entrance exam, making him the first among the four Hope brothers to receive a university education. For a young man with an insatiable desire for knowledge, how fortunate it is when talent, personal interest and opportunity come together.

His pursuit of scientific and technological knowledge was endless, and this was especially true during his university years. He often felt that the knowledge in the textbooks was too outdated and superficial — all of which was out of tune with the external environment at that time. When his classmates went to factories for internships, he was often mistaken for a teacher. His class also became somewhat renowned for its particularly strong learning atmosphere.

On one occasion, the university assigned him to an internship at Hunan Computer Factory. Back then, a single computer required an area of hundreds of square meters to house. Each machine contained tens of thousands of transistors. Prior to every use, all transistors had to be tested beforehand, a procedure that was time‑consuming, labor‑intensive, and incapable of absolute precision.

Observing this situation, he began to wonder: Could a testing instrument be designed to reduce errors and improve efficiency? The moment this thought flashed across his mind, he clung tightly to it. Soon after, he successfully developed the testing instrument. During testing, one only needed to insert the transistor into the instrument, and the required data would immediately appear on the fluorescent screen — making it clear at a glance whether the transistor was qualified or not. This testing technology caused a great sensation; computer manufacturers from all over the country successively adopted this technology, and both ‘Sichuan Daily’ and ‘People's Daily’ covered it prominently on their front pages.

After graduating from university, he returned to the Chengdu Electric Machinery Factory. By this time, he had already become a highly respected engineering and technical personnel throughout the factory. Around this period, the Changhong Color TV Factory, located in Mianyang, encountered a problem while producing TV antenna molds and turned to the Chengdu Electric Machinery Factory for assistance. The factory then assigned the task to him.

After conducting in‑depth research, he concluded that the technical difficulty lay in a non‑circular curve problem, and he soon found a solution. As word spread, more organizations came one after another to ask for help with similar technical challenges. Thanks to this, Chengdu Electric Machinery Factory achieved sound economic benefits. To handle such problems more efficiently, he went on to develop dedicated software.

Though brilliant and capable, he was reserved in speech and regarded as “stubborn and eccentric”. Fearing he might follow the so‑called “white‑expert path” (prioritizing technical expertise over political ideology), the factory leaders specially assigned Lin Junru, a probationary Party member, to "guide and assist" him. Unexpectedly, this politically reliable probationary member ended up falling in love with her assigned charge. They eventually became devoted husband and wife.

After they married and welcomed their daughter, five family members spanning three generations lived crammed into one single room. Hoping to conduct his research in peace, he planned to rent a private house to use as a laboratory, yet he hesitated when he thought about his meager income. Back then, his monthly salary was merely 38 yuan, with every penny already allocated for daily expenses. Upon learning this, his wife Lin Junru said thoughtfully, “Go ahead and rent it. We can endure hardships, just don’t let your career suffer!”

And so he moved alone into the rented private house. In summer, mosquitoes swarmed everywhere. Unable to afford a proper mosquito net, he made a simple gauze screen by himself. It was far too small, covering only his head and torso at night, leaving his hands and feet exposed to the mosquitoes’ bites.

In 1978, he successfully developed the BCD CNC programming software, which greatly boosted the working efficiency of machine tools. However, there remained a long and arduous road ahead to commercialize this software. Gritting his teeth, he slung his self‑developed equipment over his shoulder and set off.

What immense resolve it took for an intellectual to step into the role of a “salesman”! Back then, few people in China had even seen a computer, much less knew how to operate one or use its software. To commercialize such computer software and rapidly turn it into a market‑worthy product was virtually unthinkable.

New‑born innovations embody the forward‑moving trend of the times. Yet the more ahead‑of‑their‑time they are, the harder they are for people to embrace. This was the most daunting challenge among all he encountered, but he set off with unwavering determination.

He did not behave like an ordinary salesperson, however. Instead, he adopted an indirect approach. Upon visiting a potential customer, his opening remark was not pitching how his software could cut costs and save labor, but asking, “Are there any unsolved problems in your production process?”

By then, the common challenges encountered by general electric machinery factories were child’s play to him. It was through this approach that he managed to open the doors to many enterprises. To this day, many companies, including all the electric machinery factories in Chengdu, still use this technology of his, and the National Defense University has also incorporated it into its teaching materials.

This unforgettable experience embedded healthy cultural elements—customer‑centricity and problem‑solving orientation—into the early development of Hope’s business, a core factor that allowed Hope Group to outperform many peer enterprises of its era.

The success of this software brought tremendous social benefits and also marked his first substantial personal fortune in life. The first car of the Hope Group in its early entrepreneurial stage, as well as the funds for scientific research in the subsequent years, were largely contributed by this software. It not only relieved the capital hunger in the initial stage of entrepreneurship but also endowed the Hope enterprise with a unique technological gene right from the start—an era when entrepreneurship was in a rough and unregulated "wild growth" phase. This is also the reason why there is a saying in the Hope Group that it started with "two JIs" — quail referred to as "small ji" (xiao ji) and computers as "large ji" (da ji).

In 1982, the Hope brothers embarked on their entrepreneurial venture. He gradually stepped down from Chengdu Electric Machinery Factory to launch the business alongside his three younger brothers. What many people do not know is that Liu Yongyan was the first to introduce quail farming, which brought the Hope enterprise its first pot of gold.

At that time, the Hope business suffered a catastrophic setback after tens of thousands of newly‑hatched chicks were defrauded. Some even claimed they had only two desperate choices: “either jump into the Minjiang River or leave for Xinjiang.”

At this extremely desperate juncture, Liu Yongyan, who had enjoyed reading ‘Reference News’ since childhood, chanced upon a news item stating that a North Korean leader had presented China with a batch of breeding quails during a visit to Beijing. Research showed that quails were easy to raise and had a quick turnover rate, perfectly suiting their early‑stage entrepreneurial conditions.

He therefore managed to import 200 high‑quality breeding quails, of which 80 survived. It was from these 80 little fine‑bred quails that the Hope enterprise took root.

02 Azure Science

Entering the 1990s, the Hope enterprise thrived steadily. Yet amid the wealth and accolades, Liu Yongyan made an astonishing decision: he entrusted the increasingly mature feed sector to his three younger brothers. In 1995, he founded the Hope Electronics Research Institute, and in 1997, he established Continental Hope Group, which took high and new technologies and their industrialization as its development direction. He threw himself wholeheartedly into the then‑niche high‑tech field, staking his entire fortune on the R&D of Slanvert Inverters and DeepBlue Central Air Conditioning.

When questioned by puzzled onlookers, he replied candidly:

Amassing wealth was never my original intention. It would be a lifelong regret if my unique strengths were left untapped. In the past, unfavorable circumstances and a shortage of funds prevented me from conducting scientific research—those bitter struggles defy description. Now that everything is in place, I have no reason to abandon my lifelong pursuit. National rejuvenation through science and technology is my true calling and ultimate goal. I regard knowledge and wisdom as my greatest assets. If I can translate the knowledge I have accumulated over my lifetime into productive forces that drive social progress in the first half of the 21st century, I am prepared to give my all and endure any hardship. Even if I fail, I can start anew, for as long as I live, my wisdom endures.

This decision was no impulsive whim, but a homecoming to his original aspiration. Deep down, he always saw himself first and foremost as a scientist rather than a mere businessman. He chose to be a businessman solely to become a better scientist.

At that time, most domestic enterprises were daunted by technical hurdles and hesitated to step into this sector. Yet he identified the enormous potential of industrial energy‑saving and automation upgrading, regarding it as a technology‑intensive industry far better suited to his strengths than the feed business.

Industry insiders know that resistance in the stator and rotor windings of conventional asynchronous motors consumes energy during operation, resulting in rotational speed fluctuations under varying loads. Leading his team, he focused relentlessly on developing "Pseudo‑Superconducting Vector Control Technology".

This technology enables motors, water pumps and other equipment to behave like “resistance‑free superconducting coils” within control systems, sustaining high torque even at low speeds and solving the long‑standing industrial challenge of insufficient low‑frequency output. It single‑handedly overcomes the worldwide bottleneck of inadequate torque for inverters during low‑frequency startup and low‑speed operation, winning the 2008 “Major Technological Invention Award of the Information Industry” issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

DeepBlue Central Air Conditioning has also followed a distinctive development trajectory. Its core products include lithium bromide absorption chillers and water‑source/ground‑source heat pumps. Instead of relying purely on electric cooling, it extensively harnesses low‑grade energy such as industrial waste heat, geothermal energy and solar power. Its primary energy utilization rate hits 92%, far surpassing the domestic average of roughly 30%.

Slanvert Inverters emphasize “reducing consumption”, applying variable‑frequency technology to cut unnecessary power consumption and implement lean management on the power‑supply side. In contrast, DeepBlue Central Air Conditioning focuses on “energy expansion”, utilizing heat pumps and lithium bromide chillers to recover industrial waste heat and achieve energy substitution on the thermal side. One regulates “electricity”, the other harnesses “heat”, both working toward the shared goal of “carbon emission reduction”.

Liu Yongyan finds all his happiness and fulfillment immersed in scientific research, yet this passion comes at a high cost. Among accomplished scholars and professionals, fields like literature and mathematics are more accessible. For applied science, however, nothing can be achieved without sufficient funding.

For him, wealth is never an end in itself, but a necessary means to fulfill his lifelong aspirations. He takes little interest in worldly fads. Natural science is his profound, lifelong passion—pursued not for academic titles, bonuses, or career advancement. His core values dictate that Continental Hope Group shall focus exclusively on high‑tech industries.

When the Slanvert Inverters he led R&D on became the top domestic inverter brand, and DeepBlue Central Air Conditioning achieved energy savings of more than 50% compared to conventional air conditioners, people finally realized that the always low-key Liu Yongyan had completed his transformation from a "scientific industrialist" to an "industrial scientist" — he is an industrialist among scientists and a scientist among industrialists. These two identities support and complement each other, and it is the azure science that forms his deepest essence.

In fact, to employees of Continental Hope Group, he is regarded more as a “chief scientist” than a “boss”. When discussing technical issues, he grows as excited as a child. He delights in translating industrial bottlenecks into research topics, yet keeps a distance from interviews and social functions. In his words, “Many people in society can make money, but few are capable of innovation!”

Visit of the Director‑General of the National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) (center) to Continental Hope Group (Liu Yongyan is the first from the right; the author is the second from the left)

A scientist by nature, he always feels most at ease when interacting with fellow researchers. On one occasion, during a flight to the United States, he struck up a conversation with an elderly man seated beside him. Upon learning that the man was a physics professor, the two hit it off instantly and engaged in animated conversation throughout the trip. By the time they disembarked, they had become close friends, regretting only that they had not met sooner.

80‑year‑old Liu Yongyan (center) said he was in his “prime of scientific research”

On June 1, 2024, the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) held a forum, inviting more than a dozen distinguished alumni with remarkable scientific research accomplishments to discuss a comprehensive university‑governing framework spearheaded by information technology. Liu Yongyan was invited to deliver the opening speech.

He said, “I am nearly 80 years old, yet I am in my prime for scientific research and innovation. We stand at a critical juncture of global energy transition, where the development and application of clean energy will embrace unprecedented room for growth.”

He also elaborated on his interpretation of "Gas Hydrates", noting that under certain conditions, this natural gas hydrate can be sustainably extracted from lakes and abandoned mines. Boasting abundant reserves and wide distribution, they are hailed as the “energy treasure of the future”. He pointed out that unlike fossil fuels, “Gas Hydrates” releases virtually no carbon dioxide or other harmful emissions upon combustion, promising broad development prospects.

On August 8, 2024, the unveiling ceremony of the “Mr. Yongyan Studio” at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) was held at “Hope Cloud Business Park” in Tianfu New Area, Chengdu. President Hu Jun of UESTC highly commended Liu Yongyan for his devotion to scientific research and remarkable achievements in translating research outcomes into productive forces.

He stated, “Over decades, Chairman Liu has dedicated himself to scientific research. In sectors including energy, chemical engineering, power, electronics and machinery, he has secured nearly 1,000 invention patents, utility model patents and proprietary technologies. He has also successfully translated his research achievements into improvements in production technologies and process equipment, yielding sound economic and social benefits”.

Besides university and enterprise leaders, Liu Yongxing, the second‑youngest brother of Liu Yongyan, was also present at the event. They are blood brothers as well as bosom friends. Liu Yongyan leans toward scientific exploration, whereas Liu Yongxing focuses on applied technology, the two complementing each other remarkably well. On site, Liu Yongxing remarked, “My eldest brother is not only my senior kin but also my role model. He is fully worthy of the honorific title ‘Mister’.”

It is reported that UESTC has only two studios of this caliber, the other being the “Mr. Zhenning Yang Studio” (Chen‑Ning Yang).

Not long ago, when the author accompanied Liu Yongxing on an inspection visit to East Hope Group’s Fengdu Cement Plant, he specifically beckoned me over, pointed proudly to the "negative energy consumption" belt conveyor route designed by his elder brother Liu Yongyan, and said:

Our cement project is located in mountainous terrain. To produce 10 million tons of cement, we faced extremely high transportation costs. To address this issue, we decided to tunnel through the mountain and deliver ore to the plant via a belt conveyor. This eliminates the need for trucks and is highly eco‑friendly. In addition, thanks to a 600‑meter elevation drop, potential energy is converted into kinetic energy during transportation.

I turned to my elder brother Liu Yongyan for help to explore whether we could generate electricity via the belt conveyor—and we succeeded. Consequently, transporting ore to the plant consumes zero power; what’s more, each ton of raw material produces 0.52 kWh of electricity. This gives us the world’s lowest ore‑handling cost, and this is where our innovation lies.

It is reported that there are more than 50 cement plants in Chongqing. Amid the downturn in the real estate sector, some enterprises have incurred losses. East Hope Group stands among the few remaining profitable ones. Precisely by virtue of its strong technological edge, it has bloomed like a "winter‑resilient plum blossom amid the market chill".

Verification shows that Liu Yongyan’s "nearly 1,000 patents" are mainly concentrated in fields including green circular economy, energy conservation and drive control, waste‑heat recovery and reuse, and digital factories for intelligent manufacturing, all of which embody national core hard power. Here, Continental Hope Group’s corporate ethos of “serving the nation through industry, pursuing excellence relentlessly” is rendered tangible and concrete.

Now at 80 years of age, he is utterly engrossed in research on "Gas Hydrates". Perhaps one day, he will once again work another miracle for the world.

Now well past his eightieth birthday, Liu Yongyan has long entrusted the operational management of his enterprises to his promising younger‑generation successors, yet he still maintains a sharp insight into cutting‑edge technologies.

From hydrogen energy to heat pumps, from intelligent manufacturing to the green circular economy, he continues to develop new invention patents, striving to leverage science and technology to make greater contributions to the growth of employees, the development of enterprises, the rejuvenation of the nation, and the progress of society.

The Blazing Fire of Poetic Passion

This is the only photo we have together, yet the quality is poor.

On National Day 2001, West Hope Group and Continental Hope Group co‑hosted a celebration gala. At the event, Liu Yongyan passionately recited Ai Qing’s poem Dayanhe — My Wet‑Nurse. After finishing his recitation, for some unknown reason, he did not return to his seat but inexplicably sat beside me.

Watching him still brimming with lingering emotion, I said, “People usually see you as a very serious man, yet I never expected your poetry recitation today to be so impassioned.” He immediately replied that he could recite all of Mao Zedong’s poems by heart (something Liu Yongxing had also told me before).

After that, he went on to talk about Ba Jin and Shelley, and as he spoke, he chanted their verses softly. Seeing that I could keep up with his conversation about poetry, he left the others behind and asked me to his office for a long chat, even though the show was still going on.

His office was spacious, with sofas and bookcases near the entrance and a large desk further inside, lending the room a somewhat empty feel. He pulled out poems and prose he had written in his early years from a cabinet, and the moment he sat down, he began reciting them with rich feeling and expression, much to my surprise.

I found him to be a man of reserved exterior yet passionate inner self. Deep down, he seemed to deliberately preserve a pure haven of his own, refusing to conform to worldly ways. Looking at this somewhat enigmatic figure in the eyes of others, I suddenly gained a deeper understanding and respect for him.

When talking about environmental pollution, green energy and energy‑saving patents, his eyes shone with sincerity and depth. He seemed to contemplate humanity’s relationship with nature on behalf of all mankind, regarding his accumulated wealth as a ladder for reaching the realm of freedom through science and technology.

I took careful notes and suggested that he find a suitable person to document and organize his core viewpoints, which would constitute an extremely valuable asset for both the enterprise and society. He wholeheartedly agreed and hoped I could help him find such a person. To be honest, if I had not been working for his third-youngest brother, I would have accepted right away. I believed undertaking such work would be profoundly meaningful.

We were enjoying a delightful conversation. His wife Lin Junru urged him several times, saying, “Let’s continue this tomorrow, tomorrow.” But he kept replying, “No hurry, no hurry.” It was well past midnight before he finally got up to head home after repeated reminders. By then the gala had long ended. Stepping out of the compound and looking up, I saw brilliant stars shimmering against the deep‑blue night sky — a perfect reflection of my mood at that moment.

Liu Yongyan has a near‑obsessive habit: writing poetry. Beyond his identity as a scientist, his most defining trait is that of a poet. In his own words, “Poetry expresses aspirations; songs perpetuate one’s words.” I treasure two editions of his poetry collections. Reading them in my spare time, I feel these verses should not be kept to myself alone, so I have selected several to share with readers.

‘Song of Thunderstorm’, a prose poem written on September 9, 1975, is arguably his earliest work. From it, one can perceive not only his sincere and intense poetic sentiment but also his reverence for nature——

一道金色的闪电，划破南国沉闷的夜空。临空爆炸的惊雷不及掩耳，以排山倒海之势摧枯拉朽，回荡于天地之间。遍及原野的秋虫大合唱，顷刻间消失无踪。狂风携带着密集的暴雨，铺天盖地而来，一瞬间淹没了田园里的鼠洞蛇穴，荡涤着道路上的泥尘垃圾。

Beneath the title, he specially wrote: “At dusk, fierce winds rose and thunderstorms raged. On the long‑sweltering Western Sichuan Plain, farmers and children leaped for joy — the lingering late‑summer heat had finally come to an end.” His personality leaps vividly off the page.

For a scientist and technical expert, beyond excelling at one’s core work, the most valuable quality is integrating research with the market. Back in 1978, he embarked on such an exploration: marketing his own software. Reflections on ‘Selling Software Across Dongting Lake’, written by him in the autumn of 1985, captures exactly his state of mind at that time——

洞庭远航白云舟，浩渺烟波天际流。日落雁归望秋水，浪迹潇湘逐沙鸥。洞庭屈子吟九州，路漫何须天涯愁。月明星稀霞波尽，梦凌彩云信天游。

Every one of his poems springs from his innermost feelings. To read them is to see the man himself: sincere, kind and far‑reaching, yet also traditional, simple‑aged and ethereal.

He said —

Poetry is the song of the soul; poetry is the script of passion.

Poetry is the scroll of life; poetry is the record of science.

The most “reserved” people are often the most “passionate”. As both a scientist and entrepreneur, Liu Yongyan is frequently mistaken for a “cold‑faced” man. True, he is serious most of the time, yet deep down he is intensely “warm‑hearted” — abhorring evil fiercely and brimming with passion.

In his eyes —

Poetry is history; poetry is emotion.

Poetry is a magnetic field; poetry is a volcano.

Poetry is armor and steeds; poetry is desert smoke and flames.

Poetry is the arduous journey of science to the ends of the earth; poetry is the raging tide of invention at the remotest shores.

Poetry is the sublimation of life and wisdom; poetry is the ode to inspiration and creation.

One Spring Festival, while sailing through the Strait of Malacca on a cruise ship, he composed a poem titled ‘The Blue Earth Village’. I quote an excerpt from it, from which one may sense the unique perspective of a scientist viewing the world —

蓝色的地球村，我们共同的家园，像一叶孤舟，在银河中漂泊、盘旋。数十亿年的板块运动，火山、地震和洪荒，形成了瀚海和高山，湖泊和平原。阳光湖水、风雨雷电，孕育了原始的生命，生命的循环。寒武纪生命大爆发，带来物种的繁盛，生命的繁衍。历尽优胜劣汰的洗礼，生物圈已是沧海桑田。地球骄子——人类的诞生，是物质和时空的升华，是运动和生命的礼赞！

This 80‑plus‑line poem was first published in ‘Hope Group News’ (Chinese Mainland Edition). Later, when I hosted an inspection delegation from the Sichuan Provincial Writers’ Association, I recommended it to the deputy editor‑in‑chief of ‘Star Poetry Journal’, who published the poem in the August issue of that year. Liu Yongyan was quite delighted to see his work in print. He then instructed his secretary to give me a freshly printed collection of his poems, which he had solemnly signed — my first treasured copy of ‘Yongyan’s Heartfelt Melodies’.

To be honest, from his eyes that could barely hide his true feelings, I sensed he thought highly of me. Later, I often received his new poems faxed to me by his secretary.

This poem best embodies his identity as a scientist —

能量是物质的伴侣，物质是时空的存在，时空是运动的轨迹，运动是生命的表征，生命是智慧的摇篮，智慧是灵感的根基，灵感是创造的源泉，创造是人类的灵魂，人类是灵魂的伊甸。

The following poem ‘The Wise Man’ is another such example——

风花雪月诠释诗歌之美，质能时空演绎天体之云。航空电子彰显科技之伟，运动生命表征地球之灵。星河宇宙孕育智慧之人，人以智慧探索天演之谜。

On December 20, 2004, Liu Yongyan warmly received the newly‑married couple Yang Chen‑Ning and Weng Fan at his Chengdu Homeland Hotel. The poem ‘Rhythm of Autumn’ was a congratulatory verse he composed for this distinguished scientist.

Personal Friendship with Yang Chen‑Ning Best Reflects Liu Yongyan’s Values

自信人生百余年，雄关漫道，卧薪尝胆，驰骋质能时空，渐入金秋纪元。佳音四海频传，秋硕春芳心相印扬帆宁静港湾，驶往梦中伊甸园。惊喜之余，由衷赞叹，上帝也为之动颜：祝福你们，幸福之恋忘年。

This poem 'Self-Admiration' is his reflection on life as he looks back —

巴蜀布衣族，运交华盖头，长隐闹市修禅功，醉吟诗圣愁。花甲更奋蹄，成败论英雄，满腹经纶天知晓，孤芳亦融融。

04 The Marvelous “Double Helix Structure”

In 1953, scientists James Watson and Francis Crick, having analyzed X‑ray diffraction data collected by Rosalind Franklin and other researchers, formally proposed the “DNA double‑helix structural model”. One of the most important breakthroughs in 20th‑century natural science, this discovery revealed how genetic information is stored, explained the mechanism of its replication, ushered in the era of molecular biology, and greatly advanced the development of life sciences.

This marvelous "double helix structure" — shaped like a three‑dimensional rotating ladder, inevitably reminds the author of Liu Yongyan’s own “double‑helix” life journey.

From childhood to adulthood, he has maintained an unending passion for exploring the laws of nature. The courage of an entrepreneur, the precision of an engineer, the purity of a scientist, coupled with the romance of a poet, together shape his extraordinary life. His life is a long‑distance marathon starting with science and culminating in poetic sentiment. In this way, he has shown the world another dimension of Chinese entrepreneurs: they are not only skilled at identifying market opportunities but also bold enough to shape the future.

In his office, the most striking feature is a huge globe. His fascination with natural science is his most defining trait. His sole motivation for earning money is “to create conditions for scientific research”. His speech consists of weighty phrases, which align with his agile, leaping mind as well as his preference for expressing emotions through poetry.

He holds nearly “a thousand patents” covering diverse fields such as electronics, energy and chemical engineering. He has also published several dignified, exquisitely produced editions of ‘Yongyan’s Heartfelt Melodies’, compiling his poems from different periods of his life. The author has collected all editions of his poetry collections as precious keepsakes.

A colleague from Continental Hope Group told me that at times he would sit motionless for hours before a blank sheet of paper, scribbling and sketching now and then, leaving others with no clue what he was pondering. Perhaps his mind was wandering across outer space, or swirling alongside atoms and electrons. It was in such moments that his inventions and poems were likely conceived.

In any case, he is truly a genuine scientist, backed by practical verification and industrial enterprise. Meanwhile, he is also a poet imbued with humanistic care. Respect for humanity lies at both the starting point and the ultimate goal of his scientific research and business undertakings —

What underpins an enterprise’s competitiveness? Market share? Technology? Products? Ultimately, it all comes down to talent. For an enterprise’s growth, people are the first priority, the second priority, and the third priority too. Our five‑star Chengdu Homeland Hotel was once widely seen as a cautionary tale. Yet thanks to our outstanding talent, it turned profitable right after opening. This vividly demonstrates that people are the cornerstone of an enterprise’s development!

He said —

The Hope Group has enjoyed sound growth precisely because we refuse to follow fads or trends, choosing instead to run our business in a down‑to‑earth manner. The four brothers all live frugally and dress simply. None of us smoke or drink alcohol, much less indulge in singing and dancing. On unavoidable social occasions, we merely touch our lips to a wine glass if drinking is required.

As a scientist‑entrepreneur, Liu Yongyan boasts an extraordinary mindset. For instance, he designed the perimeter of his factory in the Western Chengdu High‑Tech Zone as an artificial lake. Functioning both as a moat (deterring unauthorized access and serving as a boundary wall), and as public green space, it costs far less to build and maintain than conventional boundary walls. Here, scientific practicality and a poet’s aesthetic sensibility are perfectly integrated.

For Liu Yongyan, wealth has never been an end in itself, but a ladder enabling him to serve the country through science and technology. To know Liu Yongyan is to witness not only the far‑sighted vision of a scientist‑entrepreneur, but also the spiritual landscape of an idealist who resists vanity through industry and embodies his original aspiration with technological innovation.

Getting to know Liu Yongyan is to encounter a marvelous "double helix structure": on one strand lies the "azure science", granting him profound vision to perceive the laws of nature and a solid backbone to serve his country through industry; on the other side is "the blazing fire of poetic passion", infusing him with fervent empathy for humanity and a romantic soul devoted to life. All his life, he has employed the rigor of a scientist to pursue the ultimate concerns of a poet.

Over eight decades of life, he has journeyed from a thatched cottage in Xinjin to the future energy landscape of "Gas Hydrates". Through "nearly a thousand patents" and countless poetic verses, he has constructed the most complete life testimony of a scientist-entrepreneur: genuine "Hope" always lies in creating value with rationality and warming the world with poetry.

The author has spent 34 years in cultural and promotional work within the Hope Group. I previously served as chief editor of corporate newsletters and head of cultural promotion at the Hope Group’s Xinjin Base, New Hope Group (under President Liu Yonghao), East Hope Group (under Chairman Liu Yongxing), and West Hope Group (under General Manager Chen Yuxin). The only affiliate I have never worked for is Continental Hope Group, led by Chairman Liu Yongyan.

But given the long span of time, I have still had occasional interactions. When media outlets repeatedly solicited contributions from me, I compiled materials accumulated over the years, supplemented them with some reliable references, and after more than two years of intermittent effort, finally finished this article — thus fulfilling a long‑cherished wish of mine.

At this point, I would like to conclude this article with the evaluations of the three younger brothers about their eldest brother. From this perspective, these words are filled with fraternal affection and sound genuine and heartfelt —

Liu Yongxing (Chairman of East Hope Group): Our eldest brother is a scientist. His mind is profound yet pure, and at times he comes across like an innocent child. None of us can match him in the depth of his understanding of natural science. I am the one closest to him in this respect. If he is a scientist, I am merely an engineer.

Chen Yuxin (Chairman of West Hope Group): Our eldest brother never speaks insincerely. What he endorses is seldom wrong.

Liu Yonghao (Chairman of New Hope Group): Our eldest brother is a scientist who loves inventing and innovating. He is avid for learning yet indifferent to social engagements. I have a fairly large head, but his is even bigger — meaning he has greater brain capacity, seemingly brimming with wisdom from all over the world. He studied extremely hard in his younger days, earning top marks in mathematics, physics and chemistry. He was a born scholar. Even poems he memorized in his youth, he can still recite offhand, much like a living encyclopedia. Whenever any of us brothers have technical or scientific questions, we turn to him, and he always gives spot‑on answers.

April 15, 2026

At the Fan'er Book Workshop

 

Note: The author once served as Assistant to the Director of the Publicity Department of New Hope Group, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of East Hope Group, and Director of the Publicity Department of West Hope Group. His publications include ‘The Greatest Truth Is Simplicity’, ‘Words of Liu Yongxing’, ‘Chinese-Style Lean Management’, ‘Contrast Management’, and ‘Fan'er: Decoding the Liu Yongxing Brothers’. This article is written based on the author's personal experiences and firsthand materials in his possession. It has not been reviewed by Chairman Liu Yongyan himself. Should there be any deviations or omissions due to lapses in memory or judgment, readers are most welcome to point them out for timely revision.