Yuan Longping is a Chinese agricultural scientist and educator. He is known for developing the first hybrid rice（杂交水稻）. He was born in Beijing in 1930. He loved playing the erhu, swimming and motorcycling. He graduated from the Southwest Agriculture College in 1953. Then he began teaching at an agriculture school in Anjiang, Hunan Province.
In 1960, a very serious food shortage happened in China. A large number of people died of hunger and illnesses. Yuan Longping could hardly fall asleep at night. He thought it was time for him to do something for his country and people. He decided to find a way to solve the problem. Since then, he had devoted himself to the research of a new kind of rice.
In 1964, Yuan found a natural hybrid rice plant by accident. It had more advantages than others. He worked very hard with other scientists on it for many years. In 1973, the first hybrid rice appeared. It yielded （出产）20% more than that of common rice. Chinese people solved the food problem by their own efforts.
But Yuan Longping didn't stop. He kept on his research. Now the "Super Rice" yields over 1, 100 kilograms each mu. Chinese people have enough rice to eat, and hybrid rice has also brought good news to the peoples of many other countries all over the world.
By the achievements, Yuan Longping is called "The Father of Hybrid Rice".
