Why is Southwest Associated University called "a miracle in the history of Chinese higher education"?

　　(The 100th Anniversary of the Communist Party of China) Why is Southwest Associated University called "a miracle in the history of Chinese higher education"?

　　China News Service, Kunming, February 28th, title: Why is Southwest Associated University called "a miracle in the history of Chinese higher education"?

　　Author Du Xiaoxiao

　　Speaking of higher education in China, Southwest Associated University is a topic that cannot be avoided.

This school, which lasted only 8 years, has not only cultivated many famous talents at home and abroad, but also nurtured the fire of the Chinese revolution.

　　On the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, reporters from China News Service visited the former site of Southwest Associated University to explore the source and motivation behind it as a "miracle in the history of Chinese higher education."

　　The former site of Southwest Associated University is located on the 12th campus of Yunnan Normal University.

The gate of "National Southwest Associated University" with white letters on a black background stands on the side of the campus.

Entering from this, a shining history of education more than 80 years ago unfolded slowly.

　　After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Nankai University were forced to move south to Changsha and form the National Changsha Provisional University.

The good times didn't last long, and Changsha was bombed by Japanese troops.

In February 1938, more than 1,000 teachers, students and soldiers marched to Kunming in three routes.

One of the most arduous roads, teachers and students walked more than 1,300 kilometers across the three provinces of Hunan, Guizhou and Yunnan, which lasted 68 days and completed a "long cultural march" in the history of Chinese education.

In April of the same year, Sanlu teachers and students met in Kunming and changed its name to "National Southwest Associated University".

　　"The conditions for running a school at that time were extremely poor." According to the staff of the Museum of Southwest Associated University, the school buildings were rented and scattered. There were original schools, houses, and ancestral halls in Kunming, as well as new self-built school buildings.

Today, there is still a low, simple school building in the old site.

Mottled yellow walls and tin roofs are lined with black tables and chairs neatly, and the UNU emblem and school song are hung on the walls.

　　This school building was created by Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin. Due to financial constraints, the Liang family left the most unscientific and unsightly house in their design career.

When it rained, the raindrops hit the tin roof, and the sound was as dense as a drum. The teacher had to write four words on the blackboard: Suspend classes and appreciate the rain.

　　Under such difficult conditions, the Southwest United University has cultivated more than 8,000 students, including 2 Nobel Prize winners, 8 "Two Bombs and One Star" merit medal winners, and more than 170 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Talented pillar.

　　Mei Yiqi, then president of Tsinghua University, said, “The so-called university is not a building, but a master.” “This is a true portrayal of Southwest Associated University.” President of the Institute of Modern Chinese History in Yunnan Province The famous historian Wu Baozhang said that the Southwest Associated University is based on meritocracy and rigorous academic research. It has gathered more than 300 Chinese most prestigious teachers, including Wen Yiduo, Zhu Ziqing, Chen Yinke, Qian Mu, and Hua Luogeng.

　　A large number of academic masterpieces appeared in the gunpowder.

Hua Luogeng completed the groundbreaking "Theory of Stacking Prime Numbers"; Zhou Peiyuan published "Solutions on Velocity Correlation and Turbulent Pulsation Equations" which laid the foundation of turbulence mode theory; Wu Dayu's "Vibrational Spectra and Structure of Polyatomic Molecules" was regarded as the Domain classics; Feng Youlan completed the philosophical masterpiece "New Confucianism"...

　　Wu Baozhang believes that another important reason for the success of Southwest Associated University is that it has inherited the spirit of the three excellent universities-democracy, science, and patriotism.

Patriotism is the spiritual background of Southwest Associated University's education.

In order to meet the needs of wartime, Southwest Associated University has offered military-related courses such as aviation, radio, and military engineering.

In the past eight years, more than 1,100 students from the Union University have contributed to the military, 15 teachers and students have given their lives for national independence and democracy, of which 10 are members of the Communist Party of China.

"The school has 83 party members at the most, accounting for one-third of the total number of party members in Yunnan Province at that time."

　　In 1945, in order to oppose the civil war and fight for democracy, the patriotic students with Southwest Associated University students as the main force launched the "One Two One" patriotic democracy movement in Kunming under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, which opened the second front during the War of Liberation. prelude.

　　Wu Baozhang introduced that on November 25, 1945, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, more than 6,000 people from universities, middle schools and all walks of life in Kunming gathered on the "Democracy Lawn" of Southwest Associated University.

"Four professors from different majors explained why they should oppose the civil war, because the rally was very effective. The rally on December 1 attracted reactionaries."

　　"Back then, everyone sat on the lawn of democracy and chanted'struggle for democracy and oppose civil war'!" Ding Jing, a student who had participated in the "One Two One" movement, is now 92 years old. She still has lingering fears when she recalls the thrilling scenes of the year. At that time, the bullets of the reactionaries flew over our heads." Four martyrs Yu Zai, Pan Yan, Li Lulian, and Zhang Huachang died in the movement.

　　The "One Two One" Movement is hailed as the third milestone in the history of China's youth movement after the May Fourth Movement and the January 29th Movement.

Wu Baozhang said, "The reason why it was launched in Kunming is inseparable from the democratic and progressive ideas brought by the masters and students of Southwest Union."

　　In order to carry forward the spirit of Southwest Associated University, the Museum of Southwest Associated University was officially opened in October 2018.

The collection has more than 12,000 physical objects, more than 5,000 historical pictures, more than 10,000 related books and archives, and receives more than 900,000 visitors from home and abroad each year.

　　This year, China has won a comprehensive victory in the fight against poverty.

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people are marching towards the realization of the second centenary goal.

　　"Zhongxingye needs outstanding people." Wu Baozhang said that today's education should inherit and carry forward the spirit of the Southwest Associated University, run socialist education with Chinese characteristics, and closely link the future and destiny of the individual with the future and destiny of the country and the nation, and cultivate a goal and body in mind. A promising young man with ability and responsibility on his shoulders.

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