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May. 29, 2026
On May 28, early summer sunlight filtered through the leaves, shining on the weathered blue brick walls of Yunnan Normal University's 121st Street campus. At 2 p.m., as the last guest left his mark on the check-in book, a spiritual dialogue that transcended time and space quietly began.
jointly organized by Yunnan Tengchong Scientist Forum Center and Yunnan Baiyao Group, and hosted by Yunnan Normal University, the 2026 Tengke・Baiyao Reading Club series officially kicked off at the Southwest Associated University Museum. guests from the scientific, cultural, media, universities, enterprises, and alumni organizations gathered together to explore the enduring spiritual code at the birthplace of the flames of war and music.
origin: Deep in history, sensing the warmth of passing the torch
Stepping into the former site of the Southwest Associated University, time seems to flow backward. Led by the guides, the guests strolled through the area, quietly telling stories of the university's teachers and students through the turbulent years of war and their dedication to scholarship and serving the country. It was a period of continuous singing amid the flames of war, a group of scholars who wielded their pens as weapons and steadfastly served the country through scholarship. The warmth of history is now within reach; the four words "Fortitude and Integrity" are no longer just inscriptions on the school motto monument, but have become a soul-stirring shock and emotion.
afternoon, summer rain suddenly arrived," back then in the classroom, rain felt like thunder. A guest quietly exclaimed.
" But the talents of that time supported the backbone of China." The bystander replied.
At this moment, the grand narrative of history is reduced to concrete tactile sensations and temperature, It laid the heavy foundation for the upcoming feast of thought.
tribute: When the school song plays again, time and space converge here
The reading club officially began with the melodious violin melody of the "Southwest Associated University School Anthem." Participants included professors from Yunnan Normal University, vice presidents of the Yunnan Normal University Alumni Association, and honorary presidents of the Yunnan Province Modern Chinese History Research Association Wu Baozhang , the eldest grandson of Zheng Tianting, Director of General Affairs of Southwest Associated University, and former Xinhua News Agency reporterZheng Guang, Grandson of Zheng Zhenduo, alumnus of Southwest Associated University, Honorary Director of the Zheng Zhenduo Memorial Hall Zheng Yuan, tenured professor and doctoral supervisor in the Department of Foreign Languages at Tsinghua University, director of the Center for European and American Literature Studies, and founding executive vice dean and chair of the teaching committee at Tsinghua University Xinya College Cao Li, Vice Chairman and President of Yunnan Baiyao Group, Chairman of the Tengchong Scientist Forum Development Advisory Committee Dong Ming, former director of the Tsinghua University History Museum and member of the Tengchong Scientist Forum Development Advisory Committee Fan Baolong, Vice President of Yunnan Normal University, Changjiang Scholar Shangyi。 This event was organized by Professor at the School of Marxism, Yunnan Normal University Jiang XiaohanHost.
Before sharing the book, Deputy Director of the Office of the Tengchong Scientists' Forum Organizing Committee and Deputy Director of the Yunnan Academy of Science and Technology Ma Minxiang reviewed the origins and history of the Tengchong Scientist Forum and Tengke Baiyao Book Club, painting a beautiful vision of empowering innovation through culture and uniting strength through spirit.
sharing: Taking books as a boat, passing the torch forever
In the subsequent sharing session, participants used books as a medium to interpret the contemporary meaning of "resolute and resolute" from different dimensions.
Professor Wu Baozhang shared and recommended the "World-renowned Southwest Associated University," systematically explaining the university's contemporary value, It offers an in-depth analysis of the core reasons why Southwest Associated University is renowned worldwide, and also shares why the university anthem is called "China's Number One Historic School Anthem."
Mr. Zheng Guang, as the eldest grandson of Zheng Tianting, the General Affairs Director of Southwest Associated University "Zheng Tianting's Southwest Associated University Diary," centered on his grandfather's diary, shares Zheng Tianting's "pursuit of truth, innovation, and application." Recreating the true details of the university's operations, allowing listeners to experience the vivid history of the university.
Mr. Zheng Yuan, as the grandson of Mr. Zheng Zhenduo, an alumnus of Southwest Associated University, recommended "Zheng Zhenduo's Diary (1939)", which tells the story of his grandfather, during the War of Resistance, in the "isolated island" environment, He risked his life to rescue a large number of cultural classics, reconstructed key historical facts through his diary, and truthfully showcased the hardships and greatness of the cultural resistance.
Professor Cao Li shared on the academic heritage of the Foreign Languages Department at Southwest Associated University, recommending "The Never-ending Connection—Memorial Collection of Wang Zuoliang."Focusing on the Foreign Languages Department of Southwest Associated University, using his advisor Wang Zuoliang as an example, tracing his intersection with British scholar William Empson, the university's excellence lies in its tradition of "integrating Chinese and Western traditions and integrating arts and sciences."
Outlook: Between the lines, one can see the light of the future
Time flows, the fragrance of books endures. At the event, guests passionately recited and shared classic excerpts from books. The clear sound of reading echoes above the former site of the university, not only remembrance of the sages but also a power that pierces through the years and illuminates the future.
At the end of the event, Teacher Fan BaolongAs a member of the Tengchong Scientists Forum Development Advisory Committee, he introduced the origins of the forum. The forum was initiated by former presidents of Tsinghua, Peking University, and Nankai University, paying tribute to the spirit of Southwest Associated University. Since its inception, it has brought together numerous academicians and international scholars. Last year, we jointly established a reading club with Yunnan Baiyao Group, achieving a resonance between science and humanities. We look forward to the continued organization and expanded coverage of the reading club, allowing more young students to experience the spirit of the United University and ensuring the sustainable inheritance of "Perseverance and Determination."
dusk deepens, after taking group photos, people gather in small groups, reluctant to leave. Some are flipping through newly recommended books, while others are asking guests for advice.
As I stepped out of the museum gate, the setting sun was shining on the gate of Southwest Associated University, casting a heavy halo.
Yes, as long as people still read these books and tell these stories, the idealistic light from eighty-nine years ago, It will always be lit.
