Colleges' wartime resilience exhibited

A panoramic exhibition commemorating the relocation of Chinese universities during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) opened over the weekend at Sanming University in East China's Fujian province.

Organized by Sanming University with support from more than 40 universities across the country, the exhibition marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

It recreates the arduous journey of more than 150 universities that were forced to move to the southwestern, northwestern, central-southern and eastern mountainous regions to preserve the flame of civilization after North China could no longer accommodate a single safe desk due to the invading Japanese.

Tang Tao, an expert from East China Normal University involved in the exhibition, said the wartime relocation was a vital chapter in China's educational history, and that students should learn about it through exhibitions.

For more than 80 years, many universities have established memorials at their wartime relocation sites to honor this legacy, Tang said.

The exhibition highlights the wartime efforts of more than 20 universities founded by the Communist Party of China, filling a significant gap in historical records, according to Sanming University.

It recounts the story of a military and political academy launched by the Party in Wayaobu, Yan'an, Shaanxi province, which straddled the border regions of Shanxi, Hebei and Henan, cultivating more than 100,000 cadres amid relentless warfare. The North China United University, founded by the Party, relocated 23 times in six years, with 121 students and faculty members sacrificing their lives, including a 17-year-old.

A dedicated section explores the wartime relocation and postwar development of higher education institutions in Fujian and Taiwan. It highlights Xiamen University's move to western Fujian, where faculty and students carried their belongings 400 kilometers on foot, and the resilience of Fujian's academic institutions during the war.

Historical materials from Taiwan show how universities rejoined the national education system after 1945, when Taiwan was restored to the country, underscoring the shared destiny and blood ties between compatriots in Taiwan and on the mainland.

Chen Lieping, Party chief of Sanming University, said the exhibition hall serves as a lasting repository of wartime memory and an immersive platform for ideological and political education.

"In times of peace, the flame of civilization and the power of education will undoubtedly be passed down through generations, illuminating the great journey of national rejuvenation," Chen said.

Contact the writers at zhangyi1@chinadaily.com.cn