Wei Dongyi, an assistant maths professor in Beijing helped a team of PhDs solve a problem in one night. Photo: SCMP composite
A Chinese mathematical genius nicknamed “God Wei” showcased his extraordinary talent when he solved a vexing problem in one night that had stumped a team of six PhD mathematicians for four months.
According to online screenshots posted on May 6, the doctorate mathematicians had been struggling to build a mathematics model for months and called Wei Dongyi, a 30-year-old assistant mathematics professor at Peking University in Beijing, for help.
The team adjusted their experiment according to the equations sent by Wei a few days later, and the pass rate of the new model was over 96 per cent, indicating that the model was successful.
Overjoyed, the team offered to pay Wei for his work to show their appreciation, but he rejected their offer, saying, “It’s unnecessary to pay me for such an easy problem”.
After some haggling, Wei allowed them to recharge his transport card as a gesture of gratitude.
This interview of a dishevelled looking Wei went viral in China in 2021. Photo: Weibo
According to Jiupai News, a Chinese news platform, Chen Dayue, the dean of Peking University’s School of Mathematical Sciences, said in response to people’s curiosity, “it is not rare or surprising to us that Wei can solve the puzzle that other people cannot because he is smart and is hyper-focused on maths problems”.
Wei’s maths-solving skills have been called the “Wei method” because of his ability to solve problems quickly.
Wei is moderately famous in China for his accomplishments in the field juxtaposed with the extreme simplicity of his lifestyle.
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During an interview in 2021, the first time Wei drew public attention, he was mistaken for a student because of his unkempt hair and style. Wei also held a sad-looking water bottle, prompting an online push to buy him new bottles.
“A friend sent me one, and some unknown people from out of town also sent some bottles,” Wei said. “But I’m worried about the gift-giving issue and how it affects my teaching ethics.”
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Wei won two consecutive gold medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad during his school years and was admitted to Peking University without taking the gaokao, mainland China’s one-size-fits-all college entrance exam, due to his exceptional mathematical talent.
According to Jiupai News, Wei also turned down an offer from Harvard to study as a PhD candidate, even though the school promised to waive his English competency test and provide him with an interpreter.
“The application process is complicated, and my English is not very good,” Wei explained.
