Peking University, Apr. 16, 2014: It is an annual rite for people to sweep the tomb in memory of the departed on the Qingming Festival.

As members of PKU, we have some common predecessors to honor on this traditional day of mourning. Li Dazhao, Cai Yuanpei and the valiant alumni who sacrificed their lives for the national liberation of China and the interests of people are among them.

On the early morning of Apr. 5th, more than a hundred representatives of the students and teachers in PKU assembled on the lawn of the Jing Garden with reverence and memoriam towards these revolutionary ancestors.

Students and teachers paying tribute to PKU predecessors

The ceremony started at 9 am around the revolutionary martyr monument of PKU, which was established on May 4th, 1993 in honor of 95 alumni dedicated their lives for our country from the May 4th Movement to the end of the Korean War. After the silent tribute, two students recited a poem to eulogize the fearless and sublime spirits of our forefathers as well as to declare our resolution to follow their model.

The students and teachers bowed and presented bouquets to the sculptures of Li Dazhao and Cai Yuanpei. The great deeds of the two are not unfamiliar with us as Li Dazhao founded the Chinese Communist Party while Cai Yuanpei devoted himself to the reformation of PKU. Both will be forever memorized for their extraordinary contributions.

The Qingming Festival is not only a day of memory, but also a day full of hope and vigor. It stimulates young students of PKU to absorb nourishment from the tradition of "Patriotism, Advancement, Democracy and Science" and keep pace with the age in the new era.

Written by: Jin Panzhu
Edited by: Zhu Wenjia
Source: PKU Youth League Committee