"I like studying maths, and I want to know how to learn it better," she said to Wang Yuan, 70, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The 60-year generation gap was bridged at the Forum of Young Mathematicians in Beijing Friday, where more than 1,000 youngster shad the chance to talk directly with some of China's most eminent mathematicians.

The young maths lovers raised questions spanning every aspect of the maths world from "What's the best way to learn maths?" to "When will a Chinese mathematician win the Fields Medal Prize (the world's highest accolade for mathematicians)?"

"I have found the future hope of China's mathematics study in them," said Wang Yuan. "They have much better conditions and opportunities to study mathematics than my generation, and they surely will push forward the international standing of China's mathematics."

The forum is the first of its kind organized by the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) which convened in Beijing this week.

"Maths is wonderful," Shiing-shen Chern, a 92-year-old Chinese-American mathematician, told the young maths lovers.

Academician Ma Zhiming told the youngsters, "Mathematicians pursue truth and beauty in studying maths, and it is a joy to do such work every day."

Liu Xingchen said she had been inspired by the older generation to work hard to become a mathematician.

"I have found a new interest in maths with the professors' words, and they have taught us many ways to understand maths," Zhang Jing, a female pupil at Beijing No. 12 Middle School.

Quite a few youngsters are taking a greater interest in maths, especially with the rising number of Chinese middle school successes in the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO).

Many winners of the IMO have entered top universities at home and abroad without a test, and as a result, more Chinese parents are sending their kids to training classes for the event.

"It should be a leisure activity to do maths problems related to the IMO, but now it has become a burden for many middle school students," Wang and other academicians said.

"No matter what medal you win one day, the gold medal of the IMO or the Fields Medal, you should of course treasure it, but you mustn?t hug yourself for joy at it," Wang told the youngsters.

"After all, doing maths is something like running a marathon," said CAS academician Yang Le. "You have to spend a long time and overcome numerous difficulties."

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2002)