Why Is 114-Year-Old Lanzhou University Considered the Most Chivalrous University in China?

The mighty Yellow River surges forward, the Lanzhou Mountains stand tall and verdant, with the Loess Plateau, Inner Mongolia Plateau, and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau converging around. The Silk Road stretches westward, connecting the world—this is Lanzhou. It is in this uniquely vast "Golden City" that the grand and majestic Lanzhou University is situated.

Distant view of Lanzhou University's Chengguan Campus. Photo/Lanzhou University

Founded in 1909 with a 114-year history, it is the first modern university on the northwestern land, renowned for its prolific academic achievements, dubbed the "Lanzhou University Phenomenon." With 24 academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Engineering, it is a hub of talent. Lanzhou University can be called the "unassuming master" among the "Double First-Class" universities.

The Lanzhou University History Museum—how many legendary tales are hidden within? Photo/Lanzhou University

Between mountains and rivers, a campus of legends

By the banks of the Yellow River and at the foot of Cuiying Mountain lie Lanzhou University's two campuses—Chengguan Campus and Yuzhong Campus. In every brick and rock, the university's majestic, mountain-like spirit is embodied.

Lanzhou University's Chengguan Campus. Photo/Lanzhou University

Lanzhou University is perhaps the closest university to the Yellow River, having become a part of Lanzhou's history and culture, a symbol of the city. The "Jishi Hall" library featured on the university emblem is one of old Lanzhou's four major landmarks (the others being the White Pagoda, the Yellow River Iron Bridge, and the Lanzhou Hotel).

Jishi Hall, the library of Lanzhou University's Chengguan Campus. Photo/Chen Liangming

Though named "Jishi" (accumulated stones), the hall draws its spirit from the eternal Yellow River. According to Professor Gu Jiegang's "Record of Lanzhou University's Jishi Hall," the name originates from Yu the Great's dredging of the Yellow River, "channeling the river from Jishi Mountain," which is considered the river's source. Beyond reminding scholars to remember their roots, it symbolizes that the pursuit of knowledge and truth begins in the library.

During the National Lanzhou University era, four of the tallest buildings in Lanzhou at the time stood in a row on the former site of Cuiying Gate: Tianshan Hall, Kunlun Hall, Helan Hall, and Qilian Hall, all named after famous northwestern mountains by former President Xin Shuzhi to broaden students' horizons. Though the original structures are gone, these names live on in Lanzhou University's teaching buildings, laboratories, and libraries. As President Xin put it, naming buildings after mountains reflects that "learning is like climbing a mountain—only simplicity endures, and only steadfastness adapts to change."

Tianshan Hall, Kunlun Hall, Helan Hall, and Qilian Hall. Photo/Lanzhou University

In the 1990s, Lanzhou University built a new branch campus, naming its teaching and office building after Mount Heng, one of China's Five Great Mountains. Along the periphery of Chengguan Campus, three tall buildings stand in sequence: Guanyun Tower, Qiyun Tower, and Feiyun Tower, their names inspired by the verse "In the northwest stands a tall tower, reaching the floating clouds." This continues the same sentiment. Though a youthful campus, it harbors a grand romance between heaven and earth. Students shuttle daily between these chivalrously named buildings, evoking a heroic spirit akin to wandering the martial world.

Campus scenery of Lanzhou University in different seasons. Photo/Lanzhou University

But what Lanzhou University students are most familiar with is the Yuzhong Campus at the foot of Cuiying Mountain. Freshmen arrive from all corners of the country, greeted by a vast expanse between the mountains—a closer look reveals vitality and hidden wonders.

Aerial view of Yuzhong Campus. Photo/Lanzhou University

The mountain is named Cuiying Mountain, originally called White Tiger Mountain, located due west of Yuzhong Campus. Often mistakenly written as "Cuìyīng" (翠英), it reflects the Lanzhou University community's longing for greenery. Today, patches of green dot the once-barren mountain.

For couples at Lanzhou University, climbing Cuiying Mountain is a必修课 (compulsory course). Ascending the云梯 (cloud ladder) to the summit, gazing at the starry sky or the campus lights below, hand in hand under the vast heavens, fuels dreams of a flourishing future. Students also integrate hiking, camping, and tree-planting into daily life. Each climb offers clear skies, boundless horizons, and a surge of豪情 (heroic spirit).

The view from Cuiying Mountain is splendid. Photo/Lanzhou University

Yuzhong Campus, far from Lanzhou's urban hustle, offers a tranquil environment ideal for study. The gathering place for top scholars is the Kunlun Hall library, likely the liveliest spot on campus.

Kunlun Hall and the surrounding sea of flowers. Photo/Lanzhou University

Before final exams, diligent "early birds" line up in front of Kunlun Hall as early as 5 a.m., becoming the enviable first entrants. The queue of arriving students can stretch up to 500 meters. In contrast to this lively scene are the lazy feline "hall masters" of Kunlun Hall, who stroll around daily, casting disdainful glances at students offering them food, as if saying, "Drop the fish snacks and get back to studying!"

The library of Lanzhou University's Yuzhong Campus. Photo/Lanzhou University

As the saying goes, "No mountain shades can block the view; under the bright moon, a thousand miles are perfect for reading." Vibrant Lanzhou University is a fertile ground for academic growth.

The campus cats of Lanzhou University, watching over passing students. Photo/Lanzhou University

How has Lanzhou University, with its century-long history, become "unique" in China?

The 114-year history of Lanzhou University is the best testament to its motto, "Striving for self-improvement, standing out uniquely." Resilience and grandeur define its character, while its veins flow with romance and determination.

The motto stone of Lanzhou University. Photo/Lanzhou University

In 1909, the Gansu Official Legal and Political School, a modern-style institution and the predecessor of Lanzhou University, was established.

The National Lanzhou University Memorial Pillar at the Alumni Square of the Chengguan Campus, with the Alumni Wall behind it. Photo/Wang Yao

During the Anti-Japanese War, flames of war spread across China. Though Lanzhou was remote in the northwest, the patriotic fervor of its youth remained undiminished, eager to dedicate their passion to the nation. In 1938, the "Gansu College Anthem" emerged, resounding across the northwest and sung as Lanzhou University's anthem to this day.

The musical score of Lanzhou University's anthem. Photo/Lanzhou University

Students marched out of Tongguan, exchanging pens for arms. However, as a strategic rear area, Lanzhou endured relentless bombing by Japanese forces, contributing to the scarcity of buildings over 70 years old on campus today. Yet, as Mr. Gu Jiegang wrote in his "Inscription on the Kunlun Hall of Lanzhou University," "Know that buildings may be destroyed, but the spirit forged in impossible times shall never fade."

In 1945, the National Lanzhou University, the highest institution of learning in the northwest, was born. Xin Shuzhi, then president of the Hunan Education Association, became its president, tasked with rebuilding the university from postwar ruins. With weak educational foundations in the northwest, President Xin constructed campuses and invited renowned scholars. As the saying went, "President Xin's three treasures for the university: books, instruments, and Gu Jiegang." He brought in a group of distinguished professors, including Gu Jiegang, making Lanzhou University a gathering place for scholars and elevating its reputation.

Xin Shuzhi also extensively acquired books and instruments, amassing over 100,000 volumes of ancient and modern texts, particularly rich in humanities and history, praised by Gu Jiegang as "a monumental collection in the northwest." The university motto, "Striving for self-improvement, standing out uniquely," originates from President Xin Shuzhi's name.

After the liberation of Lanzhou, National Lanzhou University was renamed Lanzhou University and advanced alongside New China's development of the northwest. In 1953, it became one of the 14 comprehensive universities directly under the Ministry of Higher Education. Inspired by the simple wish to "contribute to the motherland," overseas returnees and faculty from Peking University, Fudan University, Nanjing University, and others flocked to the northwest, ushering in Lanzhou University's first "golden age of stars":

Top: Statue of former Lanzhou University President Jiang Longji. Bottom: Exhibits at the Lanzhou University History Museum.

Among them were Professor Zhu Ziqing, who moved his family from Fudan University to the northwest, and Professor Liu Youcheng, who returned from abroad; Professor Xu Gong'ou, who founded one of China's earliest two nuclear physics programs; Academician Li Jijun, who dreamed of "riding a white horse through the remote valleys of the Qilian Mountains to explore minerals for the motherland"; Professor Duan Yishi, whose work on gauge field theory amazed Yang Zhenning; and President Jiang Longji, who stabilized the university during the chaotic famine years and laid its academic foundation. Many of Lanzhou University's flagship disciplines today stem from the perseverance of that generation.

Academician Li Jijun engaging in academic discussions with graduate students. Photo/Lanzhou University

"Three earth scientists traversing the three poles of the Earth" further exemplifies the pioneering spirit of Lanzhou University. On March 3, 1990, alumnus Qin Dahe, the only Chinese member of the "International Trans-Antarctic Expedition," trekked across the Antarctic continent, collecting invaluable samples that filled gaps in glaciology research. Around the same time, his mentor, Academician Li Jijun, a renowned geomorphologist, completed systematic research on the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.

Top: In 1981, Qin Dahe conducted research on the western Sichuan plateau. Bottom: In 1990, Qin Dahe (holding the microphone) and members of the Antarctic expedition team gave a report.

Qin Dahe's story inspired Xiao Cunde, then a student in the Geography Department of Lanzhou University, who gave up the opportunity to be recommended for postgraduate studies at LZU and instead enrolled in the Institute of Glaciology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, fulfilling his wish to become Qin Dahe's graduate student. Five years later, he became the first Chinese to reach the North Pole on foot. By then, the footprints of LZU alumni could be found on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the "Third Pole of the Earth," as well as the North and South Poles. These three generations of LZU geographers stand as witnesses to the university's relentless pursuit of scientific excellence.

The greatest heroes are those who enrich China.

In the academic world, the legend of the "LZU Phenomenon" has long circulated. In 1995, the journal *Science* ranked Lanzhou University as the sixth among China's top 13 most outstanding universities. Over the past two decades, LZU alumni have consistently ranked among the top in the number of academicians elected to the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Engineering, recipients of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, and the Excellent Young Scientists Fund. People often wonder: What kind of university is this, achieving such remarkable scientific accomplishments with extremely limited resources?

The subsequent emergence of "eight academicians in chemistry" and the "LZU Corps" in the Chinese Academy of Sciences further proved that these "LZU Phenomena" were no mere coincidences.

Jishitang Library and the fountain sculpture at Lanzhou University's Chengguan Campus. Photo by Chen Liangming.

The dedication of faculty and students has endowed LZU's distinctive courses with a spirit of "heaven, earth, and humanity." These include foundational disciplines like chemistry, nuclear science, and magnetism; expansive fields like geography and atmospheric science; the nationally unparalleled grassland science; and regionally rooted disciplines such as Dunhuang studies, Central Asian research, and Northwest ethnic minority studies, all set against the grand backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The classrooms of LZU extend far beyond campus. Today, the first lesson for freshmen is highly anticipated—a unique grand journey through the majestic landscapes of the Northwest. From the rich cultural history of the Loess Plateau to the breathtaking scenery of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the "Third Pole of the World," and the Silk Road along the Hexi Corridor—all are places for LZU students to explore and learn.

Huang Jianping's team on a scientific expedition, the Grassland Science Institute's experiments, and Zhang Dongju's team researching Denisovans. Photos by Lanzhou University.

A phrase often repeated by the younger generation of LZU students is, "Though our school may be lean, it will surely enrich China." Even among the most individualistic student clubs,公益类社团几乎占了半壁江山公益 clubs dominate. From the Green Team, which dreams of "clear waters in the Yellow River and green mountains in barren lands," to the environmental club Lanzhou University Darwin Association—the soul of LZU's clubs is rooted in the students' passionate ideals.

Activities of the LZU Green Team and Darwin Association. Photos by Lanzhou University.

Beyond their patriotic spirit, life at LZU is vibrant and colorful. Dining at LZU means not only authentic Lanzhou beef noodles but also网红食堂网红 canteens like "Zhilan Yuan," "Dangui Yuan," and "Xinzhu Yuan," offering students from across the country a taste of home.

Guess how much a bowl of LZU beef noodles costs? Photo by Lanzhou University.

In midnight reveries after graduation, LZU alumni often recall the cherry blossoms drifting through Chengguan Campus in April, the towering plane trees in the Medical School area, and graduates in their gowns before Jishitang. Especially after heavy snowfall, when the world turns pure white, walking along campus paths named after LZU luminaries, one can almost hear the flow of time and feel the weight of a century-old legacy.

A snowy path on the LZU campus playground. Photo by Chen Liangming.

Though its anthem speaks of "casting aside romance," Lanzhou University has attained a far deeper kind of romance. In this most chivalrous of universities, LZU people stand on the solid loess earth, beneath a vast and starry sky, with hearts forever young and unyielding.

Before Jishitang, the scenery is splendid. Photo by Chen Liangming.

Text by Huaijin (LZU Class of 2018) and Apple.

Inscription on the Kunlun Hall Stele by Gu Jiegang.

*Staying in the West, Striving for the Nation—A Survey of Lanzhou University's Efforts to Build a First-Class University in an Underdeveloped Region*, *Economic Daily*.

Long Xiu, alumnus of Lanzhou University, Class of 2015