Nanjing University

Nanjing University (南京大学, 南京大學, Pinyin: Nánjīng Dàxué; colloquially 南大, Pinyin Nándà) is one of the oldest higher learning institutions in the world, and became the first modern Chinese university in the early 1920s.

History

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North Great Building, Nanjing University

• Nanjing University was originally founded as the Imperial Central College (南京太學, Nanjing Taixue) at Nanjing in 258 under the Kingdom of Wu by the emperor Sun Xiu. The first president was Wei Zhao. In the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty, the Nanjing Imperial Central College was the world's largest higher education institution, with about 10 thousand students, many of whom came from a number of other countries. Wu Cheng'en, Zheng He and Zheng Chenggong studied there around the time. Nanjing Imperial Central College was changed to Nanjing College in 1650 during the Qing Dynasty.

• The modern Sanjiang Normal College was established to replace the traditional Chinese academy Nanjing College in 1902. It was renamed Liangjiang Normal College in 1906, and established the first Faculty of Art in China. In 1915 it became Nanjing Higher Normal Institute (南京高等師範學校), and also established the first Faculty of Gymnastics.

• The "Chinese Science Society"(中國科學社), the earliest and main science organization in China, settled in the university in 1918. Numerous Chinese modern science pioneers converged there to found many sciences in China. It became the Chinese cradle of modern science. Hereafter, many graduates achieved pioneering works in many fields for Chinese scientific enterprise. For instance, among 81 academicians of "Academia Sinica"(中央研究院), later known as the Chinese Academy of Sciences in mainland China, elected for the first time in 1948, 5 entered or graduated from the university in the year 1920. More than half of the leading Chinese scientists whose works were published in journals such as Science and Nature in the early period of Chinese modern science were graduates or academics of Nanjing University.

• Guo Bingwen was an extremely influential university president, appointed in 1919. He insisted on the university’s independence and academic freedom. Liu Boming advocated liberty education, scholar spirit and pure learning ethos. Tao Xingzhi changed the traditional Instruction Approach to the Approach of Unity of Teaching and Learning, and adopted the Discipline-elective and Cause-credit-elective system. Tao Xingzhi, is famous for proposing The Audit Law for Women Students (《規定女子旁聽法案》) on December 7th, 1919. He also proposed that the university to recruit female students. He was supported by Guo Bingwen, Liu Boming and famous professors such as Lu Zhiwei and Yang Xingfo. Finally, the meeting passed the law and decided to recruit women students next year. Nanjing Higher Normal Institute became the first in China to recruit coeducational students and enrolled eight women students in 1920. In 1921 the school became National Southeastern University (國立東南大學), and the Faculty of Business established in 1917 was moved to Shanghai to establish the first business school in China. The "China Economic Society" was founded in 1923 mainly by the faculty members of the university.

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RenZi House, Nanjing University

• In October 1921, "Hsuehheng Society"(學衡社) was founded in the university which was the focus of the "Hsuehheng School" included the scholars Liu Boming, Liu Yizheng, Mei Guangdi, Wu Mi and Hu Xianxiao. They tried to reinvigorate traditional Chinese culture by integrating it with modern humanism and start to publish the monthly "Critical Review" (學衡, Xueheng in Chinese) in January 1922. During this period, Nanjing University was known as the foremost "Oriental Education Centre" and recognized as an academic and cultural exchange centre for east and west. Many famous scholars visited and instructed there, including the American educationist Paul Monroe, W. H. Kilpatrick, E. L. Thorndike, philosopher John Dewey, writer Pearl Buck, British ideologist Bertrand Russell, German philosopher Hans Driesch and the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.

• The "Chinese Association of Natural Science" (中華自然科學社) was founded in the university in 1927. In August 1928 the school became National Central University (國立中央大學). During the Anti-Japanese War between 1937 and 1945, the university moved to Chongqing. The "Natural Science Forum" was founded by the faculties of the university in 1939 and it founded the "China Association of Scientific Workers" (中國科學工作者協會) in 1944. In 1958 the associations were merged to be the "China Association for Science and Technology" (中国科学技术协会) in Beijing. The "Natural Science Forum" was renamed "Sept. 3rd Forum" and later again renamed "Sept. 3rd Society" in 1945. The "Sept. 3rd Society", or called "Jiusan Society", is a China organization for intellectual workers.

• Finally, in October 1949, the central government of the Republic of China moved from Nanjing, mainland China, to Taipei, Taiwan, and the National Central University changed its name to National Nanjing University (国立南京大學). In 1952, a famous Christian university, University of Nanking (金陵大學), was merged with Nanjing University (南京大學). National Central University was reinstated in Taiwan under the ROC in 1962.

• In 1976, the faculties and students of the university launched the "Nanjing 3.29 Movement" to oppose the Cultural Revolution, spreading countrywide. In 1978, Hu Fuming, a faculty member of the Philosophy Department of Nanjing University, wrote and published the historic article entitled "Practice is the Sole Criterion for Testing Truth". It led to the nationwide "Debate on Standards for Judging the Truth" and promoted the end of the Cultural Revolution.

Faculties

Old Great Hall, Nanjing University

Nanjing University has been at the forefront of developments in teaching and research in China. It was the first institution in the country to adopt student-centred teaching methods. It was the first co-educational Chinese university. It was the first Chinese university to provide doctoral education. It has been a pioneer in many fields in China, such as literature, art, history, philosophy, religion, sociology, biology, astronomy, physics, geoscience, computer science and business studies.

Schools and Departments

• School of Humanities
  • Chinese, History, Philosophy, Religion
• School of Foreign Studies
  • English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Russian, International Business
• School of Science
  • Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy
• School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer material
• School of Geoscience
  • Earth Science, Atmosphere Science, Urban & Resources Science
• School of Technology
  • Computer Science & Technology, Electronics Science & Engineering, Material Science & Technology
• School of Business
  • Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Accounting, International Trading, Electronic Commerce
• School of Law
  • Law, Economic Law, International Economic Law
• School of Public Administration
  • Politics, Government Administration, Sociology, Information Management,
• School of Journalism & Communication
  • Journalism, Broadcasting, TV & Internet, Communication & Advertising
• School of Medicine
• School of Environment
• Software Institute
• Education
• Physical Education
• Art
• Architecture
• Department of Intensive Instruction
• Other research and education institutes in areas such as African Studies, Judaic Studies, International Affairs, Anthropology, Agriculture, Space Science, Engineering Management, etc.

Campus

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Nanjing University campus in snow

Nanjing University consists of two campuses: Gulou Campus and Pukou campus, both named after the city district where it is located. The main campus, Gulou campus, as the name suggests, is located in Gulou District, center of Nanjing City. The main campus itself is divided into two parts by Hankou Rd: North Garden, Bei Yuan, is where most of teaching and research take place, and South Garden, Nan Yuan, serves as the living area for both students and academic staff.

The newly added Pukou campus rests in suburban Pukou District and became part of Nanjing Universtiy in 1993. Pukou campus hosts undergraduate freshmen, sophomore and junior students and is connected with the main campus by both chartered bus and public transportation.

International Exchanges

• Selected recipients of honorary doctoral degree from Nanjing University:
  • François Mitterrand, President of France
  • George Herbert Walker Bush, President of United States (also contributed to the establishment of Center for Chinese and American Studies/Hopkins Nanjing Center - jointly administered by Johns Hopkins University and Nanjing University)
  • Bob Hawke, Prime Minister of Australia
  • Boutros Boutros Ghali, United Nations Secretary General
  • Johannes Rau, President of Germany (also contributed to the development of German-Chinese Institute for Legal Studies - jointly operated by University of Göttingen and Nanjing University)
  • Charles W. Woodworth, Professor Emeritus and founder of the Entomology Division UCB (1891-1930) was a lecturer in Entomology during his sabbatical there in 1918 and then again between 1921-4. See the C. W. Woodworth Award.

Famous Alumni

Graduates

• Chang Chi-yun, historian, geographer, educationist, politician.
• Chung-Yao Chao, physical scientist. The first scientist that captured positron through electron-positron annihilation and tested the existence of antimatter.
• Chiang Yee, poet, author, painter, calligrapher. The "Silent Traveller".
• Kwoh-Ting Li, economic expert, statesmen. The "Father of Taiwan's Economic Miracle".
• Chien-Shiung Wu, scientist. Regarded as the "Greatest Experimental Physicist in 20th Century".
• Feng Duan, physicist.
• Yuan-Cheng Fung, scientist of bioengineering and biomechanics
• Feng Kang, mathematician. The founder of finite element algorithm.
• Kim Jun-Yop, historian, educationalist, social activist.
• Gang Tian, mathematician.
• Hu Bangji, journalist. China's war correspondent in European battlefield in World War II. She interviewed many men of the time, including Winston Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, De Gaulle, Truman, Chamberlain and Tito. Her husband, Bi Jilong, former vice secretary general of United Nations, was her schoolmate at Nanjing University.
• Chang Cheh, film director. The "Father of New Gongfu Film".
• Kenneth J. Hsu, scientist and geologist
• Liu Dongsheng, geologist. Tyler Environmental Prize winner.
• Mochtar Riady, financial magnate in southeast Asia. Founder and CEO of Lippo Group. Chairman of the Asian Bankers Association. The founder of several banks.
• Nieh Hua-Ling, writer. Contributed a lot to world literature exchange.
• Sha Zukang, diplomat. President of the Board of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
• Tang I-Fang, industry magnate. The founder and Chairman of Board of WBL Corporation. The Pioneer of Singapore Industry.
• Tang Junyi, philosopher.
• Wang Gungwu, historian, educator.
• Vikram Seth, poet, novelist.
• Y. H. Woo, physical scientist. After Woo YH verified Compton effect (X-ray diffraction), Nobel Prize was given to Arthur H. Compton.
• Yu Chi-chung, Taiwan's media gurus; the founder of the China Times Group.
• Jeff Xia, mathematician.

Faculty

• Chiang Kai-shek, President of the Republic of China. He was also the president of the university in 1943 and 1944.
• Chang Dai-chien, great Chinese artist.
• Jiang Zemin, President of the People's Republic of China. He studied at Nanjing Central University from 1943 to 1945.

Alumni of the University of Nanking (merged in 1952)

• Choh Hao Li, biologist, biochemist. World's foremost authority on the pituitary gland with achievements including isolating and synthesizing the human pituitary growth hormone. He received many honors including Lasker Award.
• Choh-Ming Li, educationist, economist.
• Francois Cheng, writer, poet. A "Bridge Between Eastern and Western Culture".
• T.C. Tso, agriculturalist, tobacco scientist.
• Te-Tzu Chang, agriculturalist. Member of Pontifical Academy of Sciences (Vatican City). He receives Tyler World Prize for Environmental Achievement 1999.
• Thome H. Fang, philosopher.
• Wu Teh Yao, educationist, politics scholar.

Alumni of Attached/Affiliated Schools/Institutions

• Gao Xingjian, novelist, dramatist and critic. Nobel Prize Winner in Literature in 2000. He entered Middle School Attached to University of Nanking (Now Nanjing University Experiment School -- Jinling High School) in 1952.
• Yuan Longping, agriculturalist. "China's Most Famous 'Farmer'", "Father of Hybrid Rice", Wolf Award winner. He graduated from Middle School Attached to National Nanjing University (Now NSFZ) in 1949.

External links

• Nanjing University
• Internet forum & bulletin board BBSNJU | Lilybbs
• Institute for International Students, Nanjing University
• Nanjing University School of Foreign Studies
• Center for Chinese and American Studies/Hopkins Nanjing Center
• Sino-Japanese Culture Research Center

• History Museum of Nanjing University
• Modern History of Nanjing University
• Nanjing University Archives
• General Alumni Association of Nanjing University
• US Alumni Association of Nanjing University

• Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index CSSCI