On this day, 53 years ago, on July 23, 1972 (June 13, 1972 in the lunar calendar), Zhou Enlai called for strengthening basic scientific research. On July 23, 1972, Zhou Enlai commented on Zhou Peiyuan's letter, calling for strengthening basic scientific research. On July 14, Zhou Enlai pointed out in his conversation with Zhou Peiyuan: We must do a good job in science in comprehensive universities, improve the level of basic theory, and emphasized that any obstacles must be removed. On July 20, Zhou Peiyuan wrote a letter to Zhou Enlai, which said: I think there are some reasons why my country's basic science is now so backward: 1. There was a lack of specific leadership in basic scientific research before the Cultural Revolution. The State Science and Technology Commission only grasped 32 "national priorities". After the Cultural Revolution, these 32 "national priorities" were largely collapsed. 2. The scientific research institutes of the Academy of Sciences should pay attention to basic scientific research. 3. Scientific research work in schools is very repetitive. The first impact of a sports exercise is basic theoretical research. Taking Peking University as an example, the general ideological situation among teachers in old and middle schools is that they are unwilling and afraid to engage in basic theoretical research. They are afraid that they will not achieve results in the short term and that they will be criticized for "separating theory from practice."