Written by: Shang Yankai，Liu Xiu
Photographed by: Wen Lanrui, Deng Dekuan, Huang Cong
Translated by: Xu Hao
Edited by: William Mosteller
Date: September 14, 2018
In this golden autumn, the beautiful Harbin Institute of Technology campus received more than 3,900 undergraduate freshmen. On the morning of September 1, the 2018 undergraduate military training results show and opening ceremony was held at the Second Campus Stadium. Wang Shuquan, Secretary of the school Party Committee, attended the ceremony and presented books to the representatives of the freshmen. President Zhou Yu also attended the ceremony and delivered a speech.
In his speech, Zhou Yu expressed his congratulations and welcome to the teachers and students of the whole school for the arrival of the 2018 undergraduates, and paid tribute and gratitude to the parents who cultivated the students and entrusted them to the school.
Zhou Yu reviewed the brilliant achievements of the school in the past 100 years. Combining personal growth experience and insights, he put forward hopes and requirements on how to live a good life in the university. Zhou Yu pointed out that the core task of college students is to learn and become knowledgeable, to bear "ambition", "diligence", "endurance", "expertise", "skill" and "prudence" in your heart, and practice these values in your daily behavior. Firstly, as an outstanding representative and leader of the youth in the new era, we must have a high vision and a lofty goal. We must have the feelings of “the rise and fall of a nation rests with every one of its citizens” and have a better understanding of “why do you learn, and what’s your purpose of learning?” Secondly, we must be diligent. Diligence is the most valuable and reliable capital for every student in college. No scientist or successful person can easily succeed without his own intelligence and hard work. Thirdly, we must work hard and comprehend the truth that "April showers bring May flowers." Only by persisting in hard work can you achieve excellent results in your fields and professions. Fourthly, we must be dedicated. We can achieve excellence only through dedication. Liu Yongtan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, focused on one thing for 40 years. We must take a leaf out of Liu Yongtan’s book. Fifthly, we must learn the university's curriculum better with the teacher's guidance and help, while making full use of modern information technology to help our learning. Sixthly, we must adhere to the school motto of Harbin Institute of Technology—“strictest standards, greatest efforts”—not only adhering to strict standards but also pursuing excellence, strictly abiding by the school rules and regulations, and studying hard.
Zhou Yu also asked all the freshmen to handle the relationship between interest and responsibility, not only striving to do a job, but also to love a job, be an expert in a job, and specialize in a job. In order to transition from a mode of high school learning to university learning, students must learn to study actively, independently, and creatively. Zhou Yu said: “in the spring of 40 years ago, I was like all of you, stepping onto the HIT campus with my dream and vision. HIT is like a furnace that has distilled me from a piece of crude iron into strong, tough alloy steel. In the next four years or more, a considerable number of students will continue their studies at HIT, and will understand better the education they receive here. I hope that everyone at HIT can cherish hardship, study hard, be sensitive to knowledge, and achieve the comprehensive development of morality, intelligence, physique, and aesthetics. After graduation, they will display their talents for the motherland and the people, realizing their own life value.”
Vice Presidents Han Jiecai, Ren Nanqi, Guo Bin, An Shi, and Xu Dianguo, along with Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission Cai Jujin, Standing Committee Member of the School Party Committee and Minister of the Propaganda Department Wu Songquan, and Assistant to the President Peng Yuankui attended the ceremony. Vice President Ding Xuemei was the host of the ceremony.
After the solemn flag-raising ceremony, the military training results show kicked off. Under the command of the instructor of the training unit, the undergraduate freshmen who participated in the training showcased the results of two weeks of military training by successively demonstrating a ceremonial march, military boxing, boxing to capture an opponent, women’s dagger fighting, and a Xingyi knife show, as well as simulating a modern war scene to complete the comprehensive tactical drill. On behalf of the school, Han Jiecai read out the “Decision on Recognizing Advanced Individuals and Collectives in Military Training.”
Academician Shen Shizhen of the Chinese Academy of Engineering sent a message to all undergraduates on behalf of all the teachers: not only should you focus on deepening your own knowledge, but you should also pay attention to raising your ideological level, broadening your minds, cultivating your temperament, and linking your personal future with social responsibility. You should start with little things and achieve accomplishment through down-to-earth, honest, and meticulous work, all the while striving to be fighters in the new era.
Dr. Xiao Xiaotong, a Ph.D. student at the School of Computer Science, shared his personal growth and entrepreneurial experience as a student representative. He hopes that the younger school brothers and sisters will cherish their youthful years, remember the school motto of "strictest standards, greatest efforts", practice their skills, perfect their quality, study diligently, cultivate their moral character, and have sound discernment, thus striving to become the backbone of society and one who is at the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship.
At the end of the ceremony, all the freshmen took an oath and sang the song of HIT with all teachers.
Colonel Song Xianwei, Director of the Military Department of the Air Force Harbin Flight Academy, the instructor of the training unit, the heads of various functional departments, the heads of the colleges, and some parents of the students participated in the ceremony.
