In the Midst of Clouds and Water of the“Hutian”and “Yandi” Lakes

Address by President Xu Anlong 

at BUCM 2020 Commencement

Dear graduating students, parents, faculty members and friends of various circles who have supported BUCM both at home and abroad,

 

Good morning!

 

As the ancient poem says, “Green hills are covered by clouds and rain together, but a full moon can be seen simultaneously in two separate hometowns.”  Today we are delighted to have you join us for this special commencement ceremony of 2729 graduates from Class 2020, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.  

 

This commencement ceremony is the first to be held in our beautiful Liangxiang Campus, it is also the first to be broadcast live online.

 

 

Dear graduates, I know it is a regretful feeling in your heart that you are not being able to attend this event personally, but you are blessed to have all your teachers, family members, friends and distinguished guests here online to witness this moment and extend their best wishes to you. 

 

The commencement ceremony this year is my foremost concern. I hope that we can attend to every detail and make it a solemn ritual for you. I hope that this online celebration with our heartfelt love will be your lifelong cherished memory. 

 

From the winter holiday till the present, it has been 161 days since you had the last glimpse of the campus. First of all, on behalf of the whole teaching and administrative staffs of our university, I want to say to you “long time no see and welcome back home online!”

 

Within the 161 days, both medical and non-medical students in our university tried your best to engage in volunteering pandemic prevention and control by either working in free online clinic treatment teams, or in hospital emergency departments, and some did voluntary services for pandemic prevention and control in your hometowns. Besides, you conducted your studies and thesis defense online and successfully graduated after overcoming this long ordeal. 

 

After graduation, about 100 students will go to your posts in community healthcare centers in response to the “Caring Heart Plan” of our university. In view of this, I must say that your generation with the birthtime post 90s deserves my respect because you have the courage to shoulder great responsibility, you are willing to devote yourselves to the country and you have a kind heart towards our people. You deserve my praise. You are BUCM’s great graduates of this new era! You are capable of shouldering important tasks！

 

 

Dear graduates, as you can see in our University Moments, a lot of changes have taken place on our campus since you left. There are two new lakes in our beautiful Liangxiang Campus called Hutian and Yandi. I am sure many of you are curious about the names, now let me elaborate on their origins.

 

“Hutian” is originally from Post Han Dynasty Book, referring to the wonderland as well as Chinese medicine. Faced with the sudden unprecedented outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China gives top priority to the people and their life, neither leaving out any infected person nor giving up any patient. As a result, 1.4 billion Chinese people have jointly set up strong defense lines against the pandemic, and have achieved strategic results.

 

Chinese medicine has played a unique role in this battle. An integrated approach of Chinese and Western medicine has become a major feature in pandemic prevention and control. It is proven to be fruitful practice based on the inheritance and innovation of the essence of Chinese medicine in the course of fighting against this pandemic.

 

As a medical university with the mission of “safeguarding public health”, we named the lake in our Liangxiang east campus “Hutian” to honor those who have made their contributions to win great success in the battle against COVID-19 in Hubei Province, especially the capital city Wuhan. Meanwhile, it also means to commemorate the great cost, sacrifice paid by the Chinese people for the achievement, and to encourage BUCMers to practice medicine in order to help the people, and spare no efforts in taking far better care of human health. 

 

 

 

 

 

In the west campus, there is another lake named “Yandi Lake”. "Yandi" and “Hutian” keeps watch for each other from opposite sides of the campus. Why is it named “Yandi Lake”? It’s because each time when I set my foot on Liangxiang Campus, standing on the land of the former Yan and Ji (Yan, an ancient Chinese state during the Zhou Dynasty and Ji, its capital), and looking back at the five-thousand-year splendid history of the Chinese civilization, I can’t help feeling overwhelmed and inspired by the great wisdom of Chinese medicine, the key to the treasure house of Chinese civilization.

 

Chinese medicine is an important composing part and typical representation of the outstanding traditional Chinese culture.

 

In the course of Chinese history, many cultural exchanges, such as Envoy Zhang Qian’s trip to the Western Regions (in Western Han dynasty), Monk Jianzhen’s voyage to Japan and Monk Xuanzang’s pilgrimage to the west for Buddhist scriptures (both in the Tang dynasty), as well as navigator Zheng He’s expedition to the Western Seas (in the Ming dynasty), have promoted the spread of Chinese medicine to the world and exerted positive influence on the progress of the world civilization. These exchanges have fully demonstrated the broad vision of “seeking common ground while reserving differences”, “seeking harmony in diversity” and “doing good to society” by “practicing virtue and justice.”

Therefore, the name “Yandi” emphasizes carrying 

 

 

 

Dear graduates, the pandemic is bound to end eventually, yet the world will be no longer the same. What should we do in between the changes? Upon the impending parting, as the head of your alma mater, I’d like to share with you some of my insights on life here by the quiet lake.

 

I have long appreciated the virtue of water. “The highest good is like water. Water benefits everything by giving without taking or contending”. Its highest goodness is to provide moisture to everything and attain the greatest virtue, just like the cloud in the sky transforming into rain and falling down to the earth to fulfill its value.

 

I have often thought to myself that as a member of BUCM, our knowledge in Chinese medicine is just like the water, rooted in our vast land, to provide nutrition to the most needed life to alleviate the pains and sufferings of the people.

 

I have long admired the spirit of water. As the saying goes, “Water has no shape yet it can be in any shape. Water seems nothing on its own yet it can hold everything with its own.” It could be as little as a drop of water, a glass of water. This precious water could be from Hutian Lake, Yandi Lake, Poyang Lake, Dongting Lake; or the Yellow River, Yangtze River, Pearl River, Heilongjiang River or even the ocean.

 

The moon waxes and wanes, and the tide rises and falls. No matter what happens, water keeps as calm as usual detached and leisurely. But at some time it rolls leading all water into the sea. This truly reminds us of what we have to do in the midst of the changing world now.

 

I have long treasured the power of water. The ancient politician of Qin dynasty Li Si once said, “A river or sea makes its deepness for never refusing a small stream.” Just like our cause, there will be no rivers and seas without those trickles; there will be no great success without every baby-step of efforts.

 

Water is the source of life. It has not only nourished a myriad of lives, but also helped create the four ancient splendid civilizations, with which we are closely intertwined with the world. Chinese medicine, which has a long history, is a case in point. It serves as a link between Chinese civilization and other cultures. It is a human health treasure shared by world people, making our world full of variety and harmony. 

 

 

 

Dear graduates, we should all learn from the essence of water. In the days to come, I hope that you are as gentle as water but also get tough when necessary, as calm as water to make continuous efforts to achieve final success.

 

In communication with people, I hope you follow the advice: be modest, generous and open-minded, sympathetic and friendly, indifferent to fame and profit. Cherish the spirit of water for ever.

 

When making your choices, you have the whole world in view, cherish our motherland, observe social tide, do anything with relentless efforts, never seek petty profits but integrate your own interest into public interest. From the beginning to the end, you possess the spirit of water.

 

When facing difficulties, you can be fearless and never retreat. Remain sober-minded amidst troubled times and seek opportunities amidst peaceful times. You should counter numerous changes with the same unchanged stance, have the pliable and tough quality of water, remain true to your original aspiration and keep your mission firmly in mind. Cultivate yourself in difficulties; brace yourself from setbacks to create your own song of struggle in the new era.

 

Dear graduates, I would like to express my appreciation to you for spending the prime of your youth in BUCM! May you either sail on sea or fly over mountains with auspicious clouds to successfully reach your destination! Wish you a pleasant and successful journey of life! And on behalf of the university, I would like to make this commitment that you’re always welcome to come back and be present at the commencement ceremony in person anytime in the coming years.

 

Dear parents, dear friends, thank you for witnessing the commencement ceremonies of our students! Thank you again for your concerns and supports for BUCM. Best wishes to you all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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