Article source: Changjiang Daily

These are three stories about 'chasing dreams'.

79 year old Feng Yu vividly remembers how resolute he was when he made the decision to enter the database field more than 40 years ago in an office on the south floor of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (now Huazhong University of Science and Technology);

73 year old Xie Yuande often remembers the roar of machines when Shenglong Electric's new factory was put into operation in Donghu New Technology Development Zone in 1993;

At the age of 70, Wu Xincai has not forgotten the excitement he felt when he led a team to officially develop China's first practical "color map editing and publishing system" in 1992

Coming here to innovate, chasing dreams from here, and succeeding here are the stories of three post-70s entrepreneurs who grew up together with Optics Valley. Starting from laser and optical communication, 'Make something Chinese!' Along the way, countless dream chasers have gathered here to build and pursue their dreams, living up to their youth.

In order to not rely on others' breath for key technologies;   Write tens of thousands of lines of programs line by line on your own

On August 16, 2023, 79 year old Feng Yu vividly remembered how resolute he was when he decided to enter the database field more than 40 years ago in an office on the south first floor of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (now Huazhong University of Science and Technology).

In the central hall of the south first floor of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, a metal plaque stands out: Dameng Database and Multimedia Research Institute.

This is the predecessor of the well-known database enterprise Dameng, and also the place where Feng Yucai's dream set sail.

In 1976, the newly established Computer Department of Huazhong University of Technology issued a nationwide "Hero Post". By chance, Feng Yucai, who was teaching at the Mathematics Department of Changsha University of Technology (later renamed National University of Defense Technology), was moved and immediately volunteered. This year, the pioneer who later became a domestic database field came from Yuelu Mountain to Yujia Mountain and began an inseparable bond with computers.

I don't have a background in computer science, and my true determination to devote myself to database research was also a series of coincidences. "On August 16th, when asked by a reporter from Changjiang Daily, Feng Yu recalled the details of more than 40 years ago.

In 1978, Feng Yucai, who came to Wuhan, was sent to study advanced equipment and computer systems at Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation. During his studies, he learned that foreign technicians had destroyed nearly three trucks of technical documentation on site during the evacuation. "This incident deeply hurt us and made us realize that key core technologies cannot be relied upon and must be independently developed," he said.

Two years later, Feng Yu first came into contact with the concept of "database" from a foreign scholar. He started alone, relying on a small amount of English materials, learning English while translating, and secretly determined to develop his own database for Chinese people as soon as possible.

There's no trick to developing a database, we just did it ahead of others. "In 1988, Feng Yucai led his team to develop the first domestically produced database prototype system, which finally succeeded. After establishing a certain foundation, database research is on the right track and has received more attention and focus.

In those years, on the campus of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), another university in Wuhan, a young teacher named Wu Xincai devoted himself to scientific research, only to develop a color map editing and publishing system that belonged to the Chinese people.

Wuhan Zhongdi was established in 1998

In the 1980s, geological maps in China were entirely handmade, requiring dozens of processes and taking a year or even several years to obtain a color geological map. In order to change this situation, in 1986, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) organized an expert team to Japan to introduce technology for the popular super mini computers abroad. Wu Xincai, as a young research backbone at that time, studied with the team.

At that time, Japan's economy was unprecedentedly prosperous and its technology was leading the world. The scene before Wu Xincai deeply shocked him, and a seed was quietly planted in his heart: there must be Chinese people's own technology to make the motherland more prosperous.

The following year, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) introduced a small-scale machine for geological map production. Wu Xincai plunged into the laboratory, starting from scratch and embarking on a relentless research and development campaign. Many practitioners in the geographic information industry and teachers and students from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) are familiar with this story:

At the beginning, Wu Xincai had no assistants and had to write tens of thousands of lines of programs on his own. Sometimes, for important software testing, he simply moves into the computer room. The curtains of the machine room blocked the sun, and he ate two Mantou for a day, not knowing the day and night. The code comes earliest, leaves latest, and accompanies weekends and holidays.

With fearless pursuit along the way, in 1992, Wu Xincai led his research team to successfully develop China's first practical color map editing and publishing software. In 1996, this project won the second prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award.

Wuhan takes the lead in "activating scientific research institutions and technology personnel"

This is a hot era of unprecedented passion for innovation and entrepreneurship

In the 1990s, the "one machine dual screen" system in Wuhan featured one screen displaying maps and one screen displaying text.

What kind of dream does Da Meng want to achieve? When interviewed by Changjiang Daily, Feng Yucai smiled and asked the reporter, "Do you know what 'Da Meng' means?

The first letters D and M of Database Management are the abbreviations of the Chinese pinyin letters of Da Meng. Feng Yucai said, "Over the past 40 years, I have only focused on one thing, which is to build a database for the Chinese people themselves

In 1992, the Dream Database and Multimedia Research Institute of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (predecessor of Huazhong University of Science and Technology), led by Feng Yucai, was officially established. Feng Yucai realized that in order for the research institute to have the ability to generate blood and truly promote the popularization and universal use of its achievements, it must take the path of marketization. The following year, he left the first floor of Huagong South with a floppy disk containing scientific research achievements and news reports about himself, heading north alone to visit potential customers and expand early business.

It was also during that period that Wu Xincai founded Wuhan Zhongdi Information Engineering Co., Ltd. (predecessor of Zhongdi Digital). Besides them, in Wuhan, in 1995, Yi Dewei, who had worked at Central China Normal University for many years, went into business; Wang Heping resigned from Huangshi Industrial Automation Research Institute and founded Lingdian Electric Control; Ji Guangming, who worked at the Yangtze River Shipping Planning and Design Institute, also left the company to start a project and established Luther Environment

At that time, the country encouraged scientific and technological personnel to step out of the high walls and deep courtyards and carry out scientific and technological innovation. "Looking at an old photo of the first batch of staff members taking a group photo in the management office of Donghu New Technology Development Zone, an old comrade recalled it like this.

In 1983, Wuhan took the lead in promoting the reform of the scientific and technological system, and carried out the "dual release" reform with the main content of "releasing scientific research institutions and releasing scientific and technological personnel". Two years later, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made a decision on the reform of the scientific and technological system, proposing to accelerate the pace of transforming technological achievements into production capacity.

In 1987, the Donghu New Technology Development Zone, which was still in the preparation stage, submitted a request to the Wuhan Science and Technology Commission to establish the "Donghu New Technology Entrepreneur Center", proposing to give the "Entrepreneur Center" certain powers, so that private technology enterprises approved by the center could be recognized by the industry and commerce department and obtain a business license - this request was made to solve the problem of "black eyes" for scientific and technological personnel when they "went into the sea".

Later, the then leader of the National Science and Technology Commission evaluated that the "Wuhan Donghu New Technology Entrepreneur Center" was the first high-tech enterprise service center in China. Looking back, these pioneers in the technology industry who first responded to the call of the times to "go into the sea" not only represent the hardcore background of Wuhan's "daring to be the first", but also write a series of dream chasing stories that insist on innovation.

In 1996, the Dameng database gradually got on track, and the second generation "DM2" of the Dameng system was launched. In numerous national level competitions, Dameng has suffered defeats and defeats, but has never given up on independent research and development of new products for generations.

The GIS software of Zhongdi Digital, where Wu Xincai is located, is now widely used in various industries. A few years ago, they successfully developed the MapGIS geographic information system software, which was immediately recognized as reaching the international advanced level upon its release.

At the age of 79, I am still immersed in the frontline and striving for excellence

Chasing dreams all the way has no end

On August 16, 2023, standing on the third floor of Shenglong Electric Smart Factory,

73 year old Xie Yuande still often remembers，

In 1994, when Shenglong Electric's new factory was officially put into operation in Donghu New Technology Development Zone, the machines roared.

On August 16, in the smart factory next to Shenglong Building, Gaoxin Second Road, East Lake New Technology Development Zone, a brand new smart distribution cabinet was undergoing the final commissioning of engineers and will be sent to all parts of the country in the near future.

This scene may have been unimaginable for Xie Yuande, who officially established a factory in Wuhan in 1993. At that time, our biggest goal was simple: to survive, "Xie Yuande exclaimed as he recounted to reporters the history of Shenglong Electric's official entry into Wuhan.

Shenglong Electric's factory is located in Building 3-2 of Guanggu Kanto Science and Technology Industrial Park.

On May 13, 1994, the commissioning ceremony of the Wuhan factory was held,

This marks the official entry of Shenglong Electric Group into Wuhan.

That year, Xie Yuande was 43 years old. Shenglong Electric has left the villages and towns, bid farewell to the "joint venture" in the grass shed, and become an enterprise engaged in electrical equipment manufacturing. There is never a comfort zone, only through continuous technological and mechanism innovation can enterprises maintain long-term vitality. "For more than 40 years, Xie Yuande's dream has been simple and pure: to firmly pursue the path of innovation and provide opportunities for all employees to move forward.

Chasing my dreams for my country throughout my life. In 2000, Dameng completed its corporate restructuring. That year, Feng Yu was already 56 years old.

Some people are also asking why Feng Yucai, who is already 79 years old, insists on working on the front line of the enterprise when Dameng has gained widespread recognition in the market and has full stack database products and solutions?

The competition in the field of information is becoming increasingly fierce, not only between enterprises, but also between countries. Despite achieving remarkable results, we still need to continue to work hard and truly make domestic database technology unbreakable, without fear of any competitive pressure. 'Da Meng has not yet achieved its dream'.

One thing, for a lifetime. At the age of 70, Wu Xincai has never stopped. In the laboratory, one can often see him enthusiastically discussing and exchanging ideas with frontline researchers, guiding young people's growth. Teacher Wu refuses to give up and truly regards work as a career and research as life. His perseverance and determination in his bones are admirable, "said a person in charge of Zhongdi Digital.

Professor Wu Xincai received the commemorative medal for "Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China"‍

In Wu Xincai's heart, for the past 40 years, whether as a university professor or a business leader, revitalizing national software has always been his goal.

Now, downstairs from Shenglong Building, a thatched hut and a water pool surround half an acre of wheat fields, replicating the entrepreneurial scene of this enterprise back then. On one side are thatched cottages and farmlands, on the other are modern buildings, reminding everyone not to forget their way here and to always be dream chasers.

Inside the smart factory next to Shenglong Building on Gaoxin 2nd Road in Donghu New Technology Development Zone,

The engineers finally debugged a new intelligent distribution cabinet, which will be sent to all parts of the country in a few days.

Over the course of more than 30 years of vicissitudes and changes, generation after generation of technology workers and business operators have continued to strive in the East Lake New Technology Development Zone, stepping out of their comfort zones and bravely venturing into uninhabited areas, integrating their personal dreams of innovation and entrepreneurship into the Chinese Dream. This is a distinctive trait of the first generation of entrepreneurs in Optics Valley and has become a powerful gene of Wuhan, the city of innovation.