Xi Nan Lian Da 西南聯大

I was in Kunming to run two workshops.  When that was done, there was really one place at the top of the places that I would love to visit, even though Kunming is a beautiful, historical city, with very rich ethnic diversity.  

That is 國立西南聯合大學 (National South West Associated University).  This was that university created in Kunming when Japan invaded China. The site is now part of the campus of Yunnan Normal University 雲南師範大學. 

By 1937, Japan had overrun northern China and was rapidly moving south.  Three of the top universities in China relocated to the south west, and settled in Kunming from 1938 to 1946.  The three were National Peking University 國立北京大學, National Tsinghua University 國立清華大學 and Nankai University 南開大學.  Xi Nan Lian Da was arguably where the brightest minds  in China were most concentrated at the time.  

Some of the classrooms were preserved, furnished in the same way.  I can picture in my mind’s eye how these scholars studied in the middle of the war.  Hoping that the war would be over eventually, but preparing for a long fight.

 

They must have believed that the intellectual pursue of knowledge and the preservation of culture is just as important as physically defending the territory of the country.  Many went on to fight physically and died during the war.  Many continued to study and achieved great things.  Two of the students subsequently were awarded the Nobel prize.  All deserve the greatest respect. 

Jiang Menglin 蔣夢麟 was president of Peking University earlier and became one of the leaders of Xi Nan Lian Da.  One of his books, Tides from the West 西潮, was one of my favourites.  It is his biography.  Through which we learn of the modernisation of China - how western civilisation wash over China like relentless tides.  It is part of my own enlightenment.  If I have any idols, he would be one of them.  The modernisation of China is still continuing, and far from finishing, of course.  Hence what he wrote is still relevant.  Just like the way history is never out of date

This visit was thought provoking, to say the least.  I am very grateful to my friends who brought me there.