Through the continued accumulation of detailed and reliable

“Through the continued accumulation of detailed and reliable knowledge about elementary reactions, we will be in a better position to understand, predict and control many time-dependent macroscopic chemical processes which are important in nature or to human society.”
Thus spoke Yuan T. Lee, a master of the unseen dance of atoms, and one of the great pioneers of chemical dynamics. In these words, he does not speak merely to scientists, but to all who seek mastery over the hidden workings of creation. His language may be that of the laboratory, yet the spirit behind it is the same that moved the philosophers of old — the pursuit of knowledge, not for power alone, but for understanding, for harmony with the great laws that govern nature. His words remind us that to control the vast, we must first comprehend the minute; that truth begins in precision, and wisdom in patience.

When Yuan T. Lee speaks of the “continued accumulation of detailed and reliable knowledge,” he invokes the ancient discipline of persistence. Great discoveries are not born from sudden flashes of brilliance, but from countless acts of careful observation, of data gathered drop by drop like dew upon the morning grass. The world, in all its majesty, is composed of countless elementary reactions — the invisible collisions and transformations of atoms and molecules. To understand these is to unlock the foundation of existence itself. From the fire that warms us to the stars that burn in the heavens, from the breath we draw to the medicines that heal us — all are born of these hidden reactions. Thus, to study them is not merely science, but a sacred act of unveiling the laws by which creation moves.

The origin of this saying lies in Lee’s own life’s work — his revolutionary study of molecular-beam experiments, which revealed the intricate mechanisms of chemical reactions. Before his time, the world of chemistry was a mystery painted in broad strokes. Scientists could see the results of reactions, but not the moment of transformation, not the very instant when one bond broke and another was born. Lee, with patience and vision, learned to observe these fleeting interactions directly, measuring their angles, energies, and speeds. His work illuminated how order arises from chaos, how predictability is born from probability. For this mastery of the molecular realm, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1986, yet his true reward was the deeper knowledge of nature’s rhythm — the pulse of matter itself.

The heart of Lee’s wisdom is not confined to chemistry alone. When he speaks of understanding, predicting, and controlling macroscopic processes, he is pointing to a universal principle: that mastery of the greater begins with mastery of the small. Civilization itself is a vast reaction — a complex interplay of ideas, actions, and consequences. To improve it, we too must study the fundamentals: the elementary reactions of human behavior, of thought, of emotion. Just as Lee sought to measure atomic motion, so too must we learn to understand the impulses that drive societies, the causes that shape destinies. For whether in the laboratory or in life, ignorance of fundamentals breeds disorder, but knowledge of them grants harmony.

Consider the story of Michael Faraday, the humble apprentice who, by studying the most delicate interactions of electricity and magnetism, unveiled the principles that would one day power entire civilizations. He, too, began with small and faithful experiments, with wires, magnets, and glass jars — and from those humble beginnings arose the electric age. His dedication to reliable knowledge — to detail, patience, and honesty in observation — mirrors the same spirit that Lee exalts. Both men remind us that progress is not made by haste or pride, but by devotion to truth, however small its increments. The atom obeys no wishful thinking; it yields only to the steady gaze of disciplined inquiry.

Lee’s message also holds a moral lesson. For in saying that knowledge allows us to “control processes important to nature or human society,” he reminds us that control brings responsibility. The power to alter the workings of chemistry, of nature, or of society itself must be guided by wisdom and humility. Knowledge without virtue can wound the very world it seeks to understand. The mastery of the atom gave light — but also fire enough to destroy cities. Thus, the wise do not seek control for dominion’s sake, but for service — to heal, to sustain, to protect. The scientist, in Lee’s vision, is not a conqueror of nature but a steward of its mysteries.

Therefore, O seeker of truth, take this teaching to heart: build your knowledge with patience, and let your understanding be guided by compassion. Do not despise the small, for in the smallest truths lie the keys to the greatest powers. Gather knowledge not as one hoards treasure, but as one collects seeds to plant for the good of all. Be rigorous in thought, honest in experiment, and humble before the complexity of the world. The universe yields her secrets not to the arrogant, but to the faithful — those who listen, observe, and learn without ceasing.

For as Yuan T. Lee teaches, when knowledge is detailed and reliable, it becomes a light that guides action. When understanding deepens, it grants foresight; and when foresight joins with integrity, it grants mastery — not of others, but of nature in harmony with itself. Then humanity may indeed predict and control not for pride, but for peace; not to dominate, but to dwell wisely upon the earth. And in that wisdom, born of patience and reverence, man draws nearer to the order of creation itself — the eternal chemistry of truth.