In 1948, when Mr. Wang returned to China, the old China had only small workshops and some capable craftsmen to repair or assemble the optical instruments on the guns. At that time, the only optical factory is in Kunming, Yunnan, named after the state-owned 298 factory, about 500to 600 people. They mainly serviced for weapon and guns, can make some simple military optical instruments, such as binoculars, artillery, mirror, etc.. At this moment, Mr. Gong, studied optical processing and design in foreign countries, had already returned to China and took charge of the work of the chief engineer of the factory. Mr. Qian, Mr. Yan, Mr. Ding were both concerned about the work of manufacturing optical instruments in China, especially the design and production of the optical lens. But generally speaking, optical manufacturing is poor and the foundation is weak. There is no research on optical industry or optical technology. The development of Chinese optical industry and optical technology began in new China.

There are three periods of Chinese optical development.

1.1949-1960, the initial stage of Chinese optics

In the early days of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Because of the needs of the national economy and national defense construction, Chinese optical engineering has been studied and constructed since liberation. Early 50s, combined with the national science development planning, the Chinese academy of sciences established the first optical research institutions - Chinese science academy Changchun optical precision machinery institution (including Shanghai optical instrument factory and Changchun materials testing factory,etc.). The institutions of higher learning, such as Beijing industrial institute and Zhejiang university also set optical instruments, began to develop optical talent and marks the new optical thus started. Changchun optical machine was mainly engaged in research of optical technology base, materials and components. And it also imitated some precision optical instruments which represented the level at that time. To the end of 50s, Chinese science academy, industrial sector institute and optical factory also gradually rose, mainly engaged in optical engineering research and manufacture of optical instruments. Soviet union had helped us to build the two optical factories, the state-owned 248 factory (military optical instrument) and the state-owned 208 factory (optical glass). All this has preliminarily established the optical technology foundation of China.

The result of this period in the field of optics is the “eight pieces” of high precision optical instrument developed by 1958 Changchun optical research institute, with 1s precision geodesy theodolite, 1 μm precision universal tool microscope, large quartz spectrograph, medium-sized electron microscope, neutron crystal spectrometer, topographic survey with dobby aerial projector, infrared night vision goggles (changing tube), etc., and the series of colored optical glass. In addition, there is also a large scale astronomical instrument of Beijing Technology Institute.

In the 1950s, Chinese education had begun to pay attention to the training of optical instruments, like Zhejiang University, Beijing Technology Institute, Changchun Optical Machine Academy, etc., the state-owned 298 factory, 248 factory, 208 factory and Shanghai optical instrument factory for China to cultivate a large number of engaged in optical engineering, vigorous young students and scientific and technological personnel. For the successor, Shanghai optical institute and Shanghai technical content and all over optical factories transported a large number of technical backbone. The cultivation of talents and achievements gained by the optics and instrument manufacturing industry of China has played a positive role in laying and promoting.

2.Construction Period

Since the 1960s, there has rapidly increased in the number of units and personnel studying optics, especially the emergence of laser, micro-light and infrared technology. In order to adapt to the needs of national defense construction, was established in the country, Shanghai optical institute (laser engineering), Xi’an optical institute (high-speed photography and transient optics), Chengdu photoelectric academy (photoelectric technology with adaptive optics), Anhui optical institute (atmospheric optics and remote sensing), Shanghai technical physics institute (infrared and aviation remote sensing), Xi’an applied optics institute (micro-light and photoelectric), Xi’nan technical physics institute (laser), Kunming technical physics institute (IR, thermal imaging), electronic department had 11 institutes for infrared and laser, 13 institutes for semiconductor, 44 institutes for CCDS, Department of Space had 8358 institutes for laser, photoelectric,IR. They each have own characteristics in the field of optical and photoelectric.

In 1961, the first ruby laser was born in the Changchun optical machine institute, which was only one year later than the ruby invented by Roman in the Hughes Laboratory. With the invention and development of laser, significant changes have been made in optical technology, China has achieved remarkable achievements in laser and other fields.

In the early 1960s, because of international situation and the needs of national defense construction, Chinese optical research institute mostly turned to defense optics technology and engineering research as the main attack direction. International proposed the task of development of large precision optical theodolite tracking film to Changchun optical machine institute, measuring the medium-range ballistic missile flight trajectory, evaluating the operating accuracy of the guidance system and obtaining imaging film records. Changchun optical machine institute, with all the brothers in the country cooperated vigorously and after 5years of unremitting efforts, finally developed the first large optical measurement equipment in China, The machine was more than original design index. Its creation created independently engaging in large precision optical equipment development and production in China.

During the culture revolution, many research work had a lot of inference, but since the 1960s, optical science and technology in China never stopped, especially in the service of “atomic” optical equipment and national defense optical engineering research and development. Such as development of laser technology, infrared technology, thermal imaging, low-light-level night vision, optical remote sensing and range optical instruments, test high-speed photography equipment and large astronomical optical instruments, etc., had made gratifying achievements. It is worth pointing out that the neutron in the field of strong laser technology was thought to be at the same level as they were in international (Canada).

3.Growth Period

Since the third plenary session of the eleventh, under the guidance of scientific theory of Deng Xiaoping “science and technology is the first productive force”, reform and opening up and the implementation of intellectual policy, greatly mobilized and inspired the enthusiasm and creativity of the Chinese optical science and technology personnel. Optics, like other disciplines, has been duly developed and entered a new phase. Since the 1980s, due to the needs of the development of high technology, the rapid development of modern optics and photonics, laser, shimmer, infrared, holographic, optical fiber communication, optical storage, optical display, promoted the development of the contemporary science and technology, national defense, economy and the improvement of people’s material level. The establishment of the national natural science foundation and the implementation of the “863 plan” had greatly improved the scientific research and experimental conditions of applied optics and optical engineering. According to incomplete statistics, the state key laboratory about optics had been built or open, ultrafast laser spectroscopy laboratory (Zhongshan university), optical instrument laboratory (Zhejiang university), crystal materials laboratory (Shandong university), laser technology laboratory (Huazhong science and technology university), applied optics laboratory (China science academy Changchun optical precision machinery and physics institute), integrated optoelectronics laboratory (Qinghua university, Jilin university, Chinese science academy semiconductor institute), infrared physics laboratory (Chinese science academy Shanghai technical physics institute), photo-voltaic technology and system laboratory (Chongqing university), quantum optics laboratory (Shanxi university), etc.. In addition, the openness sciences research LABS of the Chinese academy are visual information processing laboratory (biophysics institute), laser spectroscopy laboratory (Anhui optical machine institute), high power laser physics laboratory (Shanghai optical machine institute), quantum optics laboratory (Shanghai optical machine institute), the transient optical technology laboratory (Xi 'an light machine), optical and precision machinery new technology laboratory (Chengdu photo-voltaic technology research institute), etc.. Universities and ministries also have several open laboratories and professional laboratories for optics and optoelectronics.All of these are both to strengthen basic research and applied basic research of optics and photonics, adapt to the new era of science and technology development trend, cultivate innovative talents, promote the development of optical engineering, create good conditions for academic exchange and cooperation study.

At present, the research of optics and photonics in China has a very strong team and has a good foundation. According to incomplete statistics, China is engaged in the applied optics and optical engineering units with large and medium sized institutes and nearly 300 enterprises, employees about 150,000 people, mainly distributed in the Chinese science academy, state education commission, machinery, electronics, weapons, aerospace and other departments.

It can be said, the end of 20 years of 20th century was the era of the great development of modern optics and photonics, and it was also the 20 years of Chinese optics great leap. We can see the changes in our optics as follow:

The transition from traditional optics to modern optics had been completed.

Optics breaks through the traditional constraints and broadens the concept of visible light, from ultraviolet, visible, low light and infrared to the various bands of laser and optical fiber communication. Modern optoelectronic devices and equipment have broken through the traditional structure of the optical machine, and have the characteristics of opto-mechatronics integration. Optoelectronic devices move towards automatic sensing, microcomputer control, CCD camera monitoring, intelligent operation, image processing, etc.. Chinese optics has transformed from traditional optics to modern optics.

Microelectronic technology and computer technology are widely applied in optics.

The development and application of microelectronics technology, computer technology, to infiltrate the optical fields, become an inseparable part of modern optical instruments, thus promote the optical instruments opto-mechatronics integration and intelligent.

Energetically develop optoelectronics and optoelectronic technology.

The combination and penetration of electronics, semiconductor technology and optics has produced optoelectronics, including the transformation of light into electricity and the conversion of electricity into light, is a far-reaching interdisciplinary branch. One of the important applications of optoelectronic technology is that optical fiber communication and optoelectronics have entered the information field and become one of the main characters in the information industry. Chinese enterprises have also preempt the photo-electron highlands, successively established a high-tech park with regional features, such as Changchun "photoelectric base", Wuhan "optical valley", Chongqing "photoelectric", Guangzhou "optical valley", Shenzhen "photonic industry" and so on.

In the field of optics, has been formed a series of new discipline branches and penetrated into other disciplines.

Optical development in China has formed many new branches, the nonlinear optics, optical fiber optics, strong light, the holographic optical, adaptive optics, X-ray optics, astronomy and large optical engineering, laser spectroscopy, transient optical, infrared optics, optical remote sensing technology, acousto-optic and information and so on. Moreover, photonics combined with physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, generated as laser physics, quantum optics, laser dynamics and so on, plasma physics, laser micro photochemical, laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy, laser biology, physical optics, laser medicine, etc.. Modern optical and optical engineering has developed to be primarily optical. It is closely intersected and interpenetrated with disciplines, information science, energy science, materials science, life science, space science, precision machinery and manufacturing, computer science and microelectronics technology and so on.

Experience of China’s optical development process.

Reviewing the development of Chinese optics, from scratch, and independent development, and obtained some achievements, can have a place in the world of optics, with all aspects of the party's correct leadership and support inseparable, is work together with China youth sockets inseparable.

(To be continued, please read The Development of Chinese Optics(Ⅱ))