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PKU Today in History - a daily column featuring historic events regarding PKU and PKUers.

Yan Fu, a translator, writer, and reformist, was appointed general supervisor of then Jingshi Daxuetang, or the Imperial University of Peking, on February 25, 1912.

Yan Fu (1854-1921)

Yuan Shikai (1859-1916), the prime minister who forced his Qing court to abdicate, made the appointment 10 days after he was elected provisional president of the Republic of China (ROC).

On May 4, 1912, the ROC government announced that Yan Fu became the president of the university - renamed as the Government University of Peking ("Beijing Daxuexiao," literally "Peking University").

Today, the anniversary celebration of Peking University falls on May 4 each year.

Edited by: Jacques

Source: PKU News (Chinese)