基金榜题名时：The Rubik’s Cube Story*

* This project is founded by Vancouver Foundation

在蒲公英准备开花的季节，我在写我的申请书，打算向温哥华基金会（Vancouver Foundation）申请点儿经费，立个项目：边讲故事边玩魔方。这题目用英语说就是：The Rubik’s Cube Story。

靠基金玩（科学）的人，喜欢（也必须得）把东家标注在题目的下边。

所有这些套路，在申请和玩（中国）国家自然科学基金的时候，就已经学会了。小平同志说：要面向世界，面向未来，面向现代化。因此，玩魔方也要面向世界，面向未来，面向现代化。

好了，先看看我的申请书的立项依据（Please describe your project with as much detail as possible. In thissection tell us about your idea and vision）：

In this project, we design simple, unique methods of playing the Rubik’s Cube. We focus on soft skills. We make it intellectually stimulating for all cultures and ages to learn the Rubik’s Cube, rather than just teaching people to do it fast.

When the Rubik’s Cube is twisted by two turns, most people can return it to its original setting. However, when the Rubik’s Cube is twisted by three turns, most people find it difficult to return it. When the Rubik’s Cube is twisted by five turns, most people cannot return it. Finally,they lose the original pattern of the Rubik’s Cube, and cannot complete the Rubik’s Cube.

This is where The Rubik’s Cube Story project comes in. Weuse stories to teach people how to complete the Rubik’s Cube! For example, werestore the second layer by following the story of the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd, and it is not necessary to remember the formula. We have five basic formulae summarized from hundreds of formulas in the literature of the Rubik’s Cube. It is our new story in Marpole how to encode these formulas as stories.

The Rubik’s Cube Story is different from the Rubik’s Cube competitions as shown in YouTube. The Rubik’s Cube Story is a comprehensive activity. It includes Hungarian mathematical culture, American puzzle and Chinese puzzle culture. Many soft skills are learned by playing Rubik’s Cube,such as attention, intuitive ability, memory, spatial awareness, mental agility, hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills. Playing the Rubik’s Cube is the best way to intellectually stimulate the brain.

  1991年写《魔方及其应用》的时候，是黑白印刷。

  2002年写《魔方的科学和计算机表现》的时候，是黑白印刷。

  2015年写《魔方里的科学和文化》的时候，是二色印刷。

2017年，我为我的“边讲故事边玩魔方”（The Rubik’s Cube Story）准备了彩色的宣传资料，将来的小册子也是彩色的。当然了，魔方是彩色的，俺的关于魔方的梦也是彩色的。

我的关于魔方的灵感，来源于俺的家乡大毛忽洞：放眼广阔的田野：淡绿色的是麦子，墨绿色的是莜麦，银白色的是荞麦，金黄色的是油菜子，灰白色的是土豆，红色的是压青地（处于休息状态的土地）。环看四周，就像置身于一个天然的彩色方阵中。由于轮换耕种，第二年的颜色要发生置换，不同的观察点将反映出不同的置换周期，这就是家乡的数学。

蒲公英是春天的使者，其他野花开放的时候，蒲公英已经有了可飞翔的翅膀。