Speech by Chen Xiaohong, Party Secretary of HUTB and CAE Academician, at the Graduation Ceremony 2021

2021-06-24

Live Life to the Fullest and Pursue a Bright and Beautiful Future

- Speech at the graduation ceremony 2021

Chen Xiaohong, Party Secretary of HUTB and CAE Academician

(June 24, 2021)

Dear students, parents and teachers:

Today, 5,913 treasure boys and girls are about to leave for the future from HUTB, and my heart is filled with infinite joy and nostalgia. It seems that I have thousands of words to say. First of all, I wish the students high-spirited and vigorous moving towards the future in their prime!

In the past few days, you have said goodbye to the dormitory equipped with air conditioning and hot water, the elegant and quiet academy, the sweaty stadium, the canteen on the tip of your tongue, Laohuling, Chufeng Bridge and No.569 Tongzipo Road …

What can say goodbye to is the physical space, but what cannot say goodbye to is the spiritual home.

As for HUTB, I remember that you once showed off in a low-key way:

For example, I don't understand why there are so many canteens in HUTB, the cuisine spans from south to north, and even there are canteens with three floors.

For example: with so many big libraries and academies, there are still so many people and the libraries are so quiet, which makes me inexplicably nervous. Do everyone like the sound of turning over and writing so much?

For example, after visiting HUTB, the high school students all said that the environment of HUTB is better than that of park. I think it is not bad, that is, there are back mountains and lakes, there are many kinds of plants, and the flowers are quite beautiful. It is delightful, relaxed and happy to walk on campus...

So some students can't help but say: "There are thousands of universities in the world, but there is only one HUTB." Some students also said: "Love can't be forgotten. I want to love you thousands of times in my life!"

Everyone! "Mother worries about son", love is interlinked, we love you, HUTB loves you!

I know that you have also been confused, but fortunately, over the past few years, you have gradually understood that in the course of growing up, we shall always be rooted in the homeland, keep hope and pursue honor; shall be uplift, unity, and explore the unknown; we shall constantly pursue the truth, seek the transcendence and yearn for triumph; entertain the belief, be bravery and fulfill brilliancy. Looking back, you will find that HUTB consists of these English initials, and you have met a better self in HUTB!

Everyone! "Wisdom in hold, elegance in mold." I'm glad that over the past years, you have already grasped the elegance!

I have confirmed your eyes full of confidence and firmness, and we love!

At this moment, I clearly see the light of chasing dreams. In this light, we are clenching our teeth and forging ahead towards the bright and beautiful prospects; HUTB, as a big family, is going all out to achieve the leapfrog development to live up to the choice and trust of every student. The goals of "Three upgrades" have been achieved one by one, with the comprehensive strength jumped sharply, campus changed with each passing day, and the study and living conditions improved unprecedentedly... The dreams of several generations of HUTB people have become a reality!

With the efforts made by everyone, we have created the best HUTB in history!

Life has many encounters of which some may be forgotten, but there is an unforgettable encounter, that is, the encounter with my alma mater!

Meet your alma mater, which strives to be the best, and you will never forget it!

At this moment, I clearly see the light of quality. In this light, you are studying hard in warm academies, exploring the unknown persistently in modern laboratories, tempering yourself in various competitions and social practices, and sublimating yourself in poverty alleviation and difficulties tackling, voluntary service and public welfare activities. You consciously regard excellence, diligence and civilization as a habit, show the spirit of self-confidence, progress and struggle, and demonstrate the excellent qualities of "sincerity and faith, doing practical things and seeking innovation, being virtuous and knowledgeable, and striving for self-improvement"!

Yuan Xiao, one of you, published 4 high-level papers during the postgraduate studies, and preached the papers many times at international and domestic conferences. Now he is studying for a doctorate and will continue to climb the academic peak bravely; Jiang Shanshan won the first prize and the gold medal of "Progressive Innovation Works" in the "Challenge Cup" National Extracurricular Academic Works Competition of College Students, and won the national scholarship; Liu Wenjie won the national first prize in the 10th National Thsware Cup BIM Application Skills Competition, and will make unremitting progress on the road of promotion; Li Weigui, Guo Guanzong and other students actively responded to the national call for self-employment and founded their own companies based on their expertise. There are also many students such as Liu Jiwen and Xie Mingli who joined the army to serve the country, support the west, train themselves at the grassroots and shine in the front line...

I want to say: HUTB students in the new era are good. You are ambitious, capable and worthy of great responsibilities. I praise you!

At this moment, I clearly see the light of spirit. In the course of development for more than 70 years, HUTB people have developed at the same frequency as the country and resonated with the national rejuvenation. They have condensed the feelings of helping the people through the world, the idea of seeking truth and innovation, the spirit of self-improvement and the ideal of pursuing excellence, and wrote an epic of serving the motherland and people and building their homeland. These precious spirits and cultures flow in our bodies like blood, which gives us a steady stream of majestic power!

I am delighted that a group of outstanding scientists like Academician Yuan Longping and Academician Zhong Nanshan, and the enthusiasts, dreadnoughts, seekers, innovators, in-charge persons and devotees, have become the stars you chase! I am even more delighted that you are trying to become such stars!

Everyone! Standing at the historical intersection of "two hundred years", young people are heading for the future while they shall think about the future development direction and explore the realization of life value especially in the coordinate system of the times. Last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a message to the majority of young people to live up to their youth and times, and contribute their intelligence and wisdom to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation while visiting Yuelu Academy; this year, he also encouraged the young people to set great ambitions, understand great virtues, become great talents and shoulder great responsibilities, and strive to become new people of the times who can shoulder the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation. This is your life course, value coordinates and action guide!

Everyone! On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, you are about to go to the future. In the prime of life, I feel that the past, present and future are interwoven into images of pursuit. Zhan Tianyou once declaimed that if everyone provides their knowledges and skills, our country will get rich and strong without foreign aggression, and stand proudly on the earth. Fang Zhimin once said with great firmness that the enemy can only cut off our heads and never shake our faith! China must have a bright future to praise. Looking back at history, generations have gone on and on for a bright future. With the establishment of the Communist Party of China, we created a new world; with the founding of New China, we changed the land; with the implementation of reform and opening up, we shook the world; with the achievement of great rejuvenation, we are shattering the earth!

In this image, whether it is the stormy revolutionary years, the construction period in full swing, the magnificent reform era, or the new era of leading and forging ahead, there is an unquenchable fire in the hearts of Chinese people, and there is an irresistible light in everyone's eyes. Nothing can stop us from pursuing the bright and beautiful future!

Now, the clarion call for departure has sounded and let’s pursue the bright and beautiful future!

Pursue a bright and beautiful future, and be sure to cherish the true love to the end

We all have a common belief, called patriotism! We all have the most affectionate song in our hearts, singing "My motherland and I can't be separated for a moment"; we all have the simplest and sincere expression, saying "clear love, only for China"!

When we closely link our ideals with the future of motherland, closely link our own growth with the destiny of nation, integrate our personal pursuit of happiness into the great practice of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and the rejuvenation for Chinese nation, and always walk with the motherland in the same direction, we can live the great value, wonderful life and beyond the length of life!

Everyone! the patriotism is not complicated. Patriotism means understanding history, knowing where we come from and where we are going! Patriotism means loving peace like loving the air and sunshine, but we will never endure the bullying from other countries. We shall strive for self-improvement! Patriotism means that if you become a businessman, you will never sell fake and shoddy goods, and manage the world with integrity! Patriotism means protecting the ecological environment like protecting eyes and always acting as the guardian of beautiful China! ...

Patriotism starts from the minor matters. How long a person lives, how long the torch of patriotism will be lifted!

It is in love, in the love for motherland, life, relatives and ourselves that we will be as gentle and powerful as pure children!

Pursue a bright and beautiful future, and be sure to run to the end

I know, the word "lie flat" is very popular recently. Some students may have put it in their backpacks, but I still suggest taking it out. Because lying flat can't make a bright future, and can't make a glorious life!

It is said in The Commentary of Zuo that people shall establish the virtue, merit and theory, and such a life will be immortal; Zhang Zai said that it is the ambition and responsibility of intellectuals to establish the cultural values for the world, ensure a happy life for the people, inherit the achievements created by civilization, and open up a social vision of permanent peace. I also hoped that the students would be "noble and diligent", walk with light and live up to their lives.

"Standing" is such a moving pursuit and attitude, in which thousands of beautiful things emerge one after another, and life becomes great and lofty in this "standing"!

Everyone! “Nothing is too difficult if you put your heart into it”. It is better to get up than to lie down. Life is to stand and run, and life shall bloom hard. Try your best to run when you can, even if you lie flat occasionally, it is to see a truer, better and more beautiful life!

Let "standing" become a hot belief in your hearts and the torrent rush, and stand yourself as the mainstay; with time eroding, run into that warm and moving light!

Pursue a bright and beautiful future, and be sure to innovate to the end

"Innovation doesn't ask about origin", "Only innovators advance, get strong, and win"! Life never cares for those who follow the old ways and satisfy the status quo, and never waits for those who do not make progress and enjoy their success. Opportunities are always reserved for those who are good at and brave in innovation.

Students are full of vitality and creativity, have been blessed and empowered by the spirit of the motto of "Sincerity, Faith, Reality and Innovation", and have the ability to ride the wind and waves in the digital economy era. The bright future is in need of more innovative forces. The miracle will continue to emerge in innovation and creation one after another!

Let's carry forward the enterprising spirit of enduring great hardships in pioneer work and daring to be first in the world, be brave in emancipating the mind and breaking through borders, dare to explore the unknown, keep pace with the times, always maintain a scientific attitude, keep the enthusiasm for creation, be willing to innovate, be good at innovation and lead the innovation, constantly proceed with the discovering, invention and creation, write papers on the land of motherland, apply the innovative achievements to the land of motherland, and continuously contribute the wisdom and strength to achieve high-level scientific and technological self-reliance for the country and realize the dream of the great rejuvenation of Chinese nation!

Let's open up a new world in innovation and creation!

Five years, ten years and twenty years later, we will tell the story of innovation and creation together, and it will be beautiful at that time! Because of innovation, we will always be young!

Pursue a bright and beautiful future, and be sure to perform the self-cultivation to the end

A person's life is a process of continuous self-cultivation and perfection. The cultivation may make the knowledge more profound, the personality more vivid and beautiful, the soul more peaceful and beautiful, the temperament more extraordinary and refined and the soul more sublime and holy.

If you are more conscious of understanding the duties, increasing the trust, respecting the morality and practicing diligently, our country will be more powerful and our nation will have more hope!

Of course, I also hope everyone can have good luck and success, but suffering and setbacks will always be inevitable. Brother, my heart is broken; baby, my heart is bitter, it doesn't matter. After one night, it is another day full of vitality. Don't forget that you still have endless power!

Tagore said that the hardships you face, the losses you suffer, the responsibilities you bear, the sins you shoulder and the pains you endure will turn into light in the end, illuminating your way. Let us tolerate frustration, pain, different civilizations and ideas, value not only one’s own culture but also the cultures of others and learn to be broad-minded.

I hope everyone can stay away from complacency, arrogance and selfishness, embrace the self-confidence, self-reliance, self-love and self-improvement, and can live the life free of worry, perplexity and fear, and there is no regret in youth, no grievance in middle age and no pity in old age"!

Everyone! A generation has its own historical opportunity and own mission. The times call you and create you; the future belongs to you, and the future needs you more. The stage for you to make contributions is unprecedentedly broad, and the prospect for you to realize the dreams is unprecedentedly bright.

With responsibility on your shoulders, sunshine in your heart, strength under your feet, love, pursue dreams, innovate and struggle! Our journey is the sea of stars!

Be a pioneer, settler and devotee in the forefront, set an example of applying what you have learned, seeking truth and being pragmatic, set an example of striving for success and being the first, and set an example of hard work and innovation and entrepreneurship. In the great journey of realizing the Chinese dream, write a magnificent chapter live up to the motherland, the times and youth!

Please remember that the powerful motherland has always been behind you, and the first-class HUTB has always been behind you!

The brightness of galaxy becomes eternal because of love, and the glory of your alma mater is evident because of you. May you, us and everyone, with light, gallop and live endlessly!

Even if it is far away from mountains and seas, your light, my light and the light of HUTB people are our mutual concern and greetings, and our mutual agreement and commitment!

I wish you all the more you grow up and more light you have. Let's pursue the bright and beautiful future to the end!

Let's watch each other in the warmth, strength and emotion of light and look forward to meeting again!

Thank you all!