How C9 Universities Celebrate Their History and Traditions
C9 Universities honor their history and traditions through a rich tapestry of formal ceremonies, student-led events, academic rituals, and digital archiving, creating a powerful sense of identity and continuity. These celebrations are not mere formalities; they are deeply embedded in campus life, serving to unite generations of students, faculty, and alumni. The methods range from grand, century-old convocations to intimate, student-run festivals, all meticulously designed to pass on institutional values and pride. For prospective international students, understanding these traditions offers a crucial window into the unique culture of China’s most elite academic alliance, the c9 universities. This deep-seated respect for heritage is a cornerstone of the student experience at these prestigious institutions.
Foundational Ceremonies and Rituals
The most visible celebrations are the formal ceremonies that mark the academic journey. These events are steeped in symbolism and often date back to the founding of the universities. The freshman matriculation ceremony at Peking University, for instance, is a massive spectacle held at the Wu-si Stadium. Thousands of new students, dressed uniformly, take an oath to uphold the university’s spirit of “Patriotism, Advancement, Democracy, and Science.” The president and senior faculty members, adorned in full academic regalia, deliver addresses in Mandarin that are simultaneously broadcast with multilingual subtitles, ensuring all students, including a growing international cohort, can participate fully. Similarly, Tsinghua University’s graduation ceremony is renowned for its “Tsinghua Rose” tradition, where each graduate receives a rose symbolizing the beauty and thorny challenges of their academic pursuit. The precise order of procession, the specific musical pieces performed by the university orchestra, and the recitation of the university anthem are all rituals observed with solemnity.
Fudan University in Shanghai celebrates its founding date, May 27th, with “Fudan Week,” a series of events that blend the old and the new. A key event is the “Fudan Spirit” lecture series, where distinguished alumni from fields like science, politics, and the arts return to share how their time at Fudan shaped their careers. These stories are not just inspirational; they are a living archive of the university’s impact on the world. The week culminates in a campus-wide festival featuring traditional Chinese performances and modern student art installations, physically demonstrating the evolution of the university’s culture.
Student-Led Traditions and Festivals
Beyond official ceremonies, the most vibrant celebrations are organic, student-driven traditions. These activities showcase the creative energy of the student body and foster a strong sense of community. A prime example is the “Top Ten Singers” competition at Nanjing University, a event that has been running for over 30 years. What began as a small music contest has grown into a months-long campus phenomenon, with auditions, promotional campaigns, and a final gala that fills the university’s auditorium. It’s a tradition that unites students across all disciplines in a shared cultural experience.
At Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), the “Jiao Tong Valentine’s Day” is a unique tradition. Held annually on November 11th (11.11, known as Singles’ Day in China), the student union organizes large-scale social events, from lantern-lit walks around the Minhang campus to themed parties. This tradition, entirely created and sustained by students, addresses campus life directly and has become an integral part of SJTU’s social fabric. Another notable tradition is the “Dongda Marathon” at Southeast University, where thousands of students, faculty, and staff participate in a race through the historic campus, promoting health and school spirit.
The following table highlights some of the most distinctive student-led traditions across the C9 League:
| University | Tradition Name | Description | Participation Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhejiang University (ZJU) | Qiantang River Tide-Watching Festival | An annual autumn event where student clubs organize trips to watch the natural wonder, combined with poetry recitals and photography contests linking the natural world to academic pursuit. | ~3,000 students annually |
| University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) | “May Wind” Science & Culture Festival | A month-long festival featuring cutting-edge research symposia, robotics competitions, and science art exhibitions, celebrating USTC’s core identity as a science and technology powerhouse. | Involves over 70% of student body |
| Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) | Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival | Leveraging Harbin’s harsh winter, students from the architecture and design departments create elaborate ice sculptures across the campus, turning it into a public art gallery. | 100+ sculptures created each year |
| Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU) | Tang Dynasty Costume Day | Celebrating Xi’an’s history as the ancient capital Chang’an, students wear traditional Hanfu clothing on a designated day, with cultural lectures and tea ceremonies. | ~5,000 participants |
Academic and Departmental Heritage
Celebration is also deeply academic. Individual departments and schools within C9 universities often have their own rich histories and rituals. The School of Physics at Peking University, for example, hosts an annual “Heisenberg Lecture” named after a Nobel laureate who visited the university decades ago. This isn’t just a talk; it’s a multi-day event where top students present their research, and a distinguished physicist is invited to deliver a keynote, reinforcing the school’s legacy of excellence. Departments often maintain “history corners” or small museums showcasing vintage lab equipment, first editions of groundbreaking papers published by faculty, and photographs of past graduating classes. These spaces serve as constant, tangible reminders of the department’s journey and achievements.
Furthermore, the tradition of the “Master’s Forum” or “Famous Teachers’ Lectures” is prevalent. Institutions like Fudan and Zhejiang University regularly invite their most celebrated retired professors to give informal talks. These sessions are less about specific academic content and more about transmitting the intangible “craft” of scholarship—the ethics, the passion, and the resilience required—directly from one generation to the next. This mentorship model is a cherished tradition that ensures core academic values are preserved.
Physical Campus as a Living Museum
The campuses themselves are monumental celebrations of history. Walking through a C9 campus is like traversing a living timeline. Tsinghua University’s campus is built on the site of the former Qing dynasty royal garden, and its architecture reflects this heritage. The Grand Auditorium, a classical Western-style building constructed in the early 20th century, stands in harmonious contrast with traditional Chinese gardens and pavilions. Buildings are often named after foundational figures rather than simply numbered, such as “Pan Guangdan Hall” at Tsinghua, named after a renowned sociologist. Every corner, statue, and named building tells a story, making the physical environment a daily lesson in institutional pride.
Universities also invest heavily in maintaining and showcasing their history through dedicated museums and archives. Nanjing University’s “NJU History Museum” features a permanent collection of over 10,000 artifacts, including original manuscripts, student newspapers from the 1920s, and scientific instruments used by pioneering researchers. These museums are not passive repositories; they are actively used for freshman orientation, alumni reunions, and public outreach, framing the university’s history within the broader context of China’s modern development.
Digital and Modern Evolutions
In the 21st century, C9 universities have adeptly moved their historical celebrations into the digital realm. This is crucial for engaging a global audience, including over 60,000 international students who study in China through services that help them navigate this rich cultural landscape. University archives have been digitized, with platforms like Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s “SJTU Virtual History Museum” offering online exhibitions that receive millions of visits annually from alumni and researchers worldwide. Social media plays a huge role; official Weibo and WeChat accounts run campaigns like “Throwback Thursday” featuring historical photos, or live-stream major events like commencement ceremonies, allowing families and alumni across the globe to participate in real-time.
New traditions are also emerging from technology. Hackathons and innovation marathons at universities like USTC and Zhejiang University are becoming annual fixtures, celebrating the institutions’ forward-looking mission while creating new history. These events honor the past by applying the same spirit of inquiry and discovery to contemporary challenges. The integration of digital tools ensures that these traditions remain relevant and accessible, preserving the past while dynamically building the future.
The commitment to heritage is evident in the numbers. For instance, Peking University’s archive department manages a collection exceeding 500 terabytes of digitized material, including audio recordings of historic speeches and high-resolution scans of ancient texts from its library. This massive undertaking ensures that the stories and achievements that define these institutions are not lost but are instead made more available than ever before, serving as an invaluable resource for both the academic community and the public. This blend of deep respect for the past and enthusiastic adoption of the future is what makes the celebration of history at C9 universities so profound and effective.