Peking University, July 1, 2020: Editor's Note: It's graduation season again and Peking University is incredibly proud of all our students who have worked hard and are finally graduating. As we all know, it's a special graduation season this year and the editorial team has interviewed several graduates and PKU alumni, with hopes that their stories can bring some inspiration to Pekingers who are about to embark on their next journey in the adventure we call life.
Lu Fangyuan (鹿方圆) was born in Tai 'an, Shandong, a city famous for being at the foot of Mount Tai. Mount Tai, as China's National Mountain, witnessed Fangyuan's growth, and nourished his integrity.
From the foot of Mount Tai to Peking University, Lu Fangyuan has maintained his diligence, enthusiasm and courage. He engages in economics and finance research under the instruction of his advisor, Professor Hai Wen, who is an economist and the founding dean of the PKU HSBC Business School (PHBS). Apart from his excellent academic performance, Lu Fangyuan serves in various student organizations such as the Youth League. He also won first prize in the FLTRP Cup National English Speech Contest, and other awards such as Outstanding Student Cadre of Peking University. In the eyes of his teachers and classmates, Lu Fangyuan is a well-rounded and versatile student.
Lu Fangyuan and his advisor Prof. Hai Wen at the PHBS annual banquet
When Lu Fangyuan was a child, his family discovered that he had a certain talent for music and trained him to play the violin. Thanks to this experience, Lu Fangyuan fell in love with classical music, and gradually learned to express the beauty of art. At present, Lu Fangyuan has a collection of around three hundred classical music CDs, most of which are works of Tchaikovsky and Bach. "Beautiful music is a soul-touching language that gives people strength", Fangyuan said. He also participates in campus activities and public speaking, which improve his capabilities in many aspects.
Lu Fangyuan in the FLTRP Cup National English Speaking Contest
On campus, Lu Fangyuan often takes a central role in whatever he involves himself. He once formed a team to take part in the 129 Recitation Contest, one of the most important annual events for PKUSZ. To this end, Lu Fangyuan wrote a poem called Youth of the New Era while also arranging regular team trainings and rehearsals. Fangyuan's team won first prize, and Fangyuan himself won the Best Performance Award. Each year, Fangyuan hosted the school's opening ceremony, commencement and many other events. Unlike many people's perceptions, a good host should not simply read the script, but convey his thoughts and emotion to the audience. A good host should be able to flexibly deal with unexpected circumstances on the stage. He admits that it's not easy to reach the hearts of the audience, but he always tries his best to polish the narration referring to music.
Lu Fangyuan leading his teammates on the stage of 129 Recitation Contest
Lu Fangyuan presenting Changsha Declaration in International Youth Forum
Lu Fangyuan attaches importance to a global vision and sense of responsibility. In 2017, he participated in the International Youth Forum: Creativity and Heritage along the Belt and Road. This is an influential forum held by UNESCO, to which President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter. During the forum, Lu Fangyuan and youth delegates from 65 countries along the Belt and Road gathered in Changsha and Quanzhou to express their opinions and offer their proposals for innovation, entrepreneurship and heritage protection. When communicating with delegates from other countries, Lu Fangyuan was impressed and touched by their life stories. Among them, some live in good conditions and have set up their own businesses or work as consultants in governments; while some have been accustomed to violence, riots and displacement. However, most of them have one thing in common, that is optimism. In the forum, Lu Fangyuan was chosen as spokesperson to read out the Changsha Declaration to the world, which holds the ideas of the younger generations, and their ideals and beliefs for building a better world. In 2018, Lu Fangyuan was invited again to participate in the forum. Through Lu Fangyuan's actions, we can see what younger generation can do for a brighter community.
Lu Fangyuan organizing PKU alumni meeting in Shenzhen
Lu Fangyuan in the UK as an exchange student
Lu Fangyuan's school, PHBS, is located in Shenzhen. The combination of PKU and Shenzhen benefits Lu Fangyuan and his classmates in many ways. As student cadre, Lu Fangyuan often encourages his classmates and friends to visit the Reform and Opening-up Exhibition in the Shenzhen Museum, and he once led his class to pay tribute to the statue of Deng Xiaoping at Lianhua Hill. As Fangyuan said, PKU students have the responsibility to pursue national development and social progress. As the younger generations, he and his friends will carry on the spirit of courage and perseverance on their way toward a brighter goal.
Source: Lu Fangyuan
Editor: Trevor
Producer: Amanda Hu
Designer: Pu Hairui
