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Peking University, Mar. 31, 2011: The Yuanpei College at PKU called on students to visit late President Cai Yuanpei's statue on campus during the annual Qingming Festival.

"We are not able to hear your voice or see your countenance; Only can we, with a chrysanthemum, grieve over the passing of you and humbly examine ourselves," according to a notice released by the Department of Cultural Life, Yuanpei College's student union.

The college of "Yuanpei"  is named after Cai Yuanpei, a renowned revolutionary educator and late president of Peking University.

Yuanpei teachers and students visited Cai Yuanpei's statue on April 5, 2010 (Yuanpei College)

President Cai is regarded as the most significant reformer in the history of PKU because of his principle: freedom of thoughts, and an all-embracing attitude (Sixiang ziyou, jianrong bingbao), now core values of Peking University along with patriotism, progress, democracy, and science.

Cai left the position of the country's education minister because of then President Yuan Shikai's despotism, and declared resignation for four times when holding his PKU presidency as his ideals conflicted with the government's stance and the political institution, read the notice. "His Declaration Not to Continue the PKU Presidency was radically critical and packed a powerful punch."

The event is due on the morning of April 5, from 9:00 to 10:30.

President Cai Yuanpei's statue at lakefront

The event coincides with the annual Yuanpei Cultural Festival, which lasts until May. The coming September also marks the 10th anniversary of the Yuanpei Program at PKU, a pilot project “strengthening fundamental studies, weakening inter-major exclusivity, instructing according to talent, and differentiating in line with academic fields.”

The Qingming (Pure Brightness) Festival is one of the 24 seasonal division points in China, falling on April 4 to 6 each year. After the festival, the temperature will rise up and rainfall increases. It is the high time for spring plowing and sowing. The festival is not only a seasonal point to guide farming; it is more a festival of commemoration, known as the Tomb-sweeping Festival.

Edited by: Jacques

Source: Agencies