Five years after the passing of two of China's most respected and beloved academicians, national media and netizens have released tributes and commemorative messages honoring their lasting contributions to the country.

On Chinese social media platforms including Sina Weibo and Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, topics related to Yuan Longping and Wu Mengchao drew widespread attention on Friday. Related topics on Sina Weibo alone had garnered more than 6 million views by Friday morning.

Under hashtags marking the fifth anniversary of their passing, major Chinese media outlets including the People's Daily, China Central Television (CCTV) and Xinhua News Agency released videos and articles paying tribute to the two scientists and their lifelong dedication to the nation and humanity.

Yuan Longping was known as the "father of hybrid rice," and Wu Mengchao was China's top hepatobiliary surgeon.

Yuan, a pioneer in hybrid rice research, was the first scientist in the world to successfully harness the heterosis of rice. He died of illness in Changsha, Hunan Province, on May 22, 2021, at the age of 91, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

As commemorations continued online and offline, videos circulating on the internet showed that Yuan's cemetery had already been filled with flowers. According to video footage released by China News Service, Yuan's wife Deng Ze visited the cemetery on Thursday.

The video prompted an outpouring of emotion from netizens. "Time flies so fast. Grandpa Yuan has already been gone for five years," one commenter wrote, while another posted, "May Grandpa Yuan rest in peace, and may his family stay safe and well."

Wu Mengchao, known as the "father of Chinese hepatobiliary surgery" and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also passed away on May 22, 2021, at the age of 99. He established a unique system of liver surgery in China and dedicated his life to saving patients, continuing to operate and treat patients well into his 90s.

Many people also left messages of remembrance and gratitude beneath tribute posts released by Chinese media. In a video posted Friday titled "Five years on, still deeply missed," the People's Daily honored the two scientists by referencing asteroid No. 8117 and asteroid No. 17606, which were named after Yuan and Wu respectively.

The comment section was quickly filled with messages from netizens expressing admiration and remembrance. "In memory, forever remembered! We will never forget them," one highly liked comment read.