Founded in 1994, Zhejiang University Advanced Honor Class of Engineering Education (ACEE) aims to cultivate high-level talents with abundant knowledge, outstanding abilities and qualities as well as leadership, innovation, international horizons and highly competent qualities, who will play a key role in the future significant technological fields. Since its establishment, ACEE have nourished lots of inter-disciplinary engineering pioneers equipped with global outlook and solid foundations of natural science and engineering theory, based on its core concept of‘Emphasis on Foundation, Designing and Innovation'.
During the summer vacation of 2022, 18 students from ACEE 2021 of Chu Kochen Honors College of Zhejiang University voluntarily organized a summer social practice themed ‘Westwards: A History ZJU & XJTU Shares', for which they went to Xi'an, Shaanxi Province for communication.This practice is intended to recollect the history of ZJU Westward Migration and dig out the similarities between ZJU & XJTU who share analogous Westward histories, from which students are able to deepen their understandings of the responsibilities of the intellectuals to the society.
The Visit to The History Museum
Once stepping into the museum, we felt the long-lasting brilliance of this profound history illuminating us, and the spirits of the older generation of intellectuals inspiring us. While touring The Museum of Education Westwards Migration, we met with lots of stories between ZJU and Meitan, which made us comprehend the spirits behind‘Learning in Meitan, Helping each other positively'. The older generation of ZJUers, who have such a spirit and will in a turbulent history, inspired us deeply and greatly.
Following President Xi's footprints in XJTU, we visited Museum of Education Westwards Migration of XJTU. Members of our practice team learned the history of‘Marching into science, developing Northwest China' and the spirits of‘Considering overall situation, dedicating selflessly, promoting traditional culture, carving new way'. We're moved deeply by the patriotism of intellectuals in 1950s.
The visit to the museum, not only let members of our practice team learn the history of Westward Migration of us two school more systematically, deeply, but also paved the way for following activities.
02
After an overall research on the history of two schools' westward migration,‘Westwards: A History ZJU & XJTU Shares', the discussion and study of two schools' westward migration story and seminar of study and life of the honored academy was held on the morning of 2nd August. It went on smoothly with the prop of Chu Kochen Honors College of Zhejiang University and Qian Xuesen Honors College, Xi'an Jiaotong University.
Lu Xin, the Vice Dean of Chu Kochen Honors College, Jing Yiping ,director of the party and government office of CKC, and Zhao Chaoya the teacher of Qian Xuesen Honors College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, attended this seminar. The seminar was focused on‘sharing the history of ZJU & XJTU 'as well as students’ study and communication.
‘We hope that during this seminar students can participate actively, speak up their mind and communicate sincerely.'‘Via this mutual communication between the two honored colleges of two university, it would guarantee us further understanding and promote the friendship between two colleges. With the wishes of the vice president of CKC, Lu Xin and the teacher of Qian Xuesen Honors College, Xi'an Jiaotong University Zhao Chaoya, the seminar formally started.
Zhou Wei from ACEE presented a speech titled‘Magnificent Westward Migration, birth of the spirit of truth-seeking'. Starting with the origin of the university, Zhou Wei reflected on the history when the students and teachers of Zhejiang University followed the old chancellor Chu Kochen to move the school westward.
During the Westward Migration, Zhejiang University bore the spirit of truth-seeking which meant‘righteousness is what count, interest is what beyond '. He expressed that a student of ZJU will memorize the time of the Westward Migration during the daily life and carry on the spirit of truth-seeking! The speech by Zhou Wei showed the history and spirit of ZJU Westward, which deeply attracted students in the seminar.
After the preliminary study of the history, the practice group student held the relevant discussion over the history of two schools with the XJTU.
At the end of the free discussion, Zheng Tianle from CKC presented the summary speech titled‘ZJU & XJTU coming across, Westward Migration Story passing down'.
Two Westward Migration stories were both based on profound patriotism, extended to‘The meaning of individual lies in the collective mission's ethnic story. Two Westward stories are cultural songs of standing together with the nation written by the intelligentsia of a period who shoulder their ethnic responsibilities; Two westward stories symbolize the book of striving crafted by the ancestors climbing up the hurdles, endeavoring during the thorny period; Two westward history made great contributions to the science and culture of Chinese people.' Zhen Tianle made such summary.
‘The significance of Spirit of Seeking Truth and Spirit of Westward Migration today lies in the encouragement and demand for us. 'He put that, in the new period, as students of our two universities, basing on‘Two Overall Situations' and concerning our nation, we should be the disseminators and continuators of Spirit of Seeking Truth and Spirit of Westward Migration. We should demand ourselves with this standard, shoulder the ethnic and historical responsibilities and stand with the nation and the people to combine themselves with collectivity and tell a good story of Westward Migration and China of our generation.
Besides, the practice team also visited Qian Xuesen Honors College of Xi'an Jiaotong University with the lead of Zhang Lili.
Not only is the‘Westwards: A History ZJU & XJTU Shares' seminar a learning lesson for westward history, but also a bridge for communication among the students, and a brand new start for students to welcome the future. I hold the strong belief that after learning the ancestors' Westward Spirit together, the practice group will carry forward the Spirit of Seeking Truth and Westward Spirit, strive for greatness, and become the promising youth of the new era.
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Interview with an elder professor in the Westward Migration of XJTU
The social practice team were honored to have Professor Zhu Jizhou, one of the 15 respectable elderly professors writing to General Secretary Xi on Nov 30th, 2017, who engaged in the Westward Migration of XJTU. We took the interview on the morning of Aug 23th, 2022.
What a pure heart! How inspiring the sentiment of Westward Migration is! Sixty years ago, the State Council decided to move XJTU inward to Xi'an. Professor Zhu came to Xi'an from Shanghai, committing into the construction of higher education in the west of China, actively responding to the call‘March towards science and build the Great Northwest'.
‘Did you have any trouble during the migration process?'
In response to the question that students put forward, Professor Zhu told the XJTUers' story of‘Using wisdom to resolve difficulties when coming up against hardship' when introducing how they crossed the Yangtzse River by train in Westward Migration.
When referring to the elder who led the whole university braving all kinds of difficulties, Professor Zhu took us to learn the heart-warming deeds and achievements of Professor Zhong Zhaolin, Chen Daxie, Gu Chongxian, Academician Zhou Huijiu and Chen Xuejun. Besides, Professor Zhu specifically mentioned the florist Master Hu Quangui, who moved west with the school.
‘Boasting strong will to save the country by science and education, following the Party's command, they sacrificed individual interests for public benefits', professor Zhu summarized, 'This is the spirits the respected shared'. What's more, Zhu compiled the article 'The Sages of Westward Migration' to memorize the great deeds of them.
During the communication, Professor Zhu recalled that the significant impacts the university exerted not only came from the teaching methods that combined personal example and verbal instruction, but originated from rich cultural heritage of a university. The college time could have an important influence on many aspects, such as personal aspiration and ability.‘Young students should well grasp the learning resources, while they ought to obey the Party's command, follow the Party's path and share a common fate with the Party, the people and the nation.' Professor Zhu emphasized.
Professor Zhu also put forward several expectations to the college students. Instead of only having a nose in books, college students are supposed to have attachment to the country, care for the national production capacity, and be well informed with the frontier development of national technology and the country's major needs.
‘I wish college students would spend more time in the library having access to various of information rather than playing games. we should both cast knowledge on the national progress and have the necessity to understand the gap between countries. Neither should we undervalue ourselves, nor could we become arrogant because of short term achievements.’
Professor Zhu sent words to students of ACEE that they are expected to use the strengths of their profession to solve new problems in their field, foster the spirit of innovation under the instruction of teachers and the cultivation of CKC, and strive for the progress in national major strategic needs through your hard work.
After learning the contents of the westwards migration of XJTU and connecting them with the‘Literal Army' long march of the ZJU, we found that it was the deep patriotism of Chinese intellectuals that was behind the story, which was reflected as the spirit of sacrificing for the whole picture, the character of dedication without expecting fame, the spirit of struggle not afraid of the difficulties, and the strength of spirit in braving to scale new heights!
Apart from the three main activities mentioned above, the social practice activities also included: interviewing Zhejiang University students, investigating the Westward Migration of Xi'an Jiaotong University, visiting the Qian Xuesen Honors College of Xi'an Jiaotong University and Xi'an Jiaotong University.
In this social practice, with the combination of online and offline, we relearned the history of the Westward Migration of Zhejiang University and Xi'an Jiaotong University from different perspectives and felt the social responsibility and family-nation sentiment borne by the intellectuals of the Chinese nation.
Since its inception, ACEE has had a tradition of pursuing excellence, undertaking missions and realizing ideals. After this social practice, we will also follow the footsteps of our predecessors and pass on the spirit, continuously exploring the future major engineering science and technology fields and striving to become high-level key talents. Under the sound of cannon fire, the spirit of self-improvement of Zhejiang University was carried forward; under the call of Western Development, a generation of intellectuals dedicated themselves to the country and marched towards science; in the era of peace, it's our duty to carry forward the spirit of the Westward Migration of ZJU, inherit the Spirit of Seeking Truth of ZJU and the pioneering spirit of ACEEers, and heading for our‘Westward' way well!
Team Name | 'Westwards: A History ZJU & XJTU Shares' Summer Social Practice Team
Editor | Liu Shunhua
Photographer | Yang Shuai
Executive Editor | Jin Yiping, Li Lin
Translator | Li Jiayu, Li Hanxuan, Sun yu, Lin Yuze
The following is a translation of the subtitles of the video:
I believe that
This time your summer social practice team
Here in XJTU is very successful
And you are warmly welcomed
We also hope and believe that
You students
Will definitely become backbones of the nation
With innovative and entrepreneurial talents
Under the cultivation of CKC College of ZJU
