On November 8, Tianjin University (TJU) officially launched its 2024 Reading Month Activity at the Zheng Dong Library on the Peiyangyuan Campus. The event highlighted the achievements and experiences of building a culture of reading at Tianjin University, shared insights from faculty and students involved in reading activities, unveiled the schedule for the 2024 Reading Month, and hosted the finals of TJU’s inaugural Top Ten Readers competition.
Since 2016, TJU has maintained a consistent reading culture through its “Scholarly Campus” initiative, conducting various reading activities for nine consecutive years. During the ceremony, classic books such as The Communist Manifesto, Xi Jinping and His College Friends, Red Temperament, and War and Peace were presented to student representatives. Professor Wang Lijun, Director of the Department of Architecture at the School of Architecture and a Council Member of the TJU Women Professors Association, and Zhou Siyuan, winner of the first prize in TJU’s campus selection and the second prize in the municipal 2024 Reading Star Award, shared their reflections on the joy and significance of reading.
This year’s Reading Month features 98 events organized into four thematic chapters: Cultivating Roots, Shaping Souls, Igniting Wisdom, and Nurturing Hearts. These activities aim to inspire faculty and students to view reading as a lifestyle, responsibility, and lifelong pursuit, contributing to the realization of the Chinese Dream. The “Cultivating Roots” theme emphasizes in-depth readings of Marxist classics, the history of the Communist Party of China, and works by General Secretary Xi Jinping to enhance the ideological and theoretical understanding of both faculty and students. The “Shaping Souls” segment fosters patriotism and global perspectives through lectures on New China’s development over 75 years, encouraging participants to draw lessons from history and honor their alma mater through reading. The “Igniting Wisdom” portion promotes scientific and technological innovation with discipline-specific reading and interactive activities, including the New Engineering Interdisciplinary Knowledge Reading Navigation Program, Science and Technology Learning Practice Courses, New Technology Experience Week, and Interdisciplinary Reading Challenges. Meanwhile, the “Nurturing Hearts” activities focus on traditional Chinese culture, offering high-quality general education courses and organizing programs that showcase intangible cultural heritage, fostering a deeper appreciation of China’s rich cultural legacy.
During the ceremony, Wang Ge and Zhang Chaoying unveiled the “Reading and Voice” aesthetic education base—a collaboration between the Tianjin University Library and Tianjin Haihe Media Center's Music Radio. This base will provide professional mentor-ship in recitation, hosting, and music appreciation, enriching students' aesthetic literacy through special events like audio readings and music education programs. This initiative aims to enhance both campus and urban culture by integrating reading with aesthetic education. Wang Ge emphasized the importance of blending aesthetic education with ideological and political education in universities, highlighting the platform's role in enriching student life and promoting Tianjin’s cultural development.
Yang Huan concluded the ceremony by expressing his delight that the event took place in the library, calling it “the most beautiful building on campus.” He encouraged students to reflect on “why to read” and “for whom to read,” urging them to find truth, goodness, and beauty in books while shaping their personal and academic journeys.
The ceremony concluded with the finals of TJU’s inaugural “Top Ten Readers” competition. After intense performances, judging, and audience voting, ten students received the prestigious title of the First “Top Ten Readers” at TJU. They were Maierdan Tuoheti from the School of Science, Wu Xiaoya from the School of Marxism, Guo Yuchen from the School of Future Technology, Zhang Yidi from the School of Education, Zhang Xintong and Gu Qingxuan from the School of Architecture, Hu Xinyu from the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Gao Zhenglong from the Economic and Management School, and Su Yuying and Wang Xueqing from the School of Medicine. Six students, including Li Zhiqi from the School of Mechanical Engineering, Li Donghan and Zhang Haoxi from the School of Civil Engineering, Lu Jiayu from the School of Humanities, Luo Zhiren from the School of Automation, and Huang Bowen from the School of Ocean Science and Engineering, received nomination awards. Additionally, Huang Bowen, Gu Qingxuan, and Wu Xiaoya were honored with popularity awards.
By: Qi Ran
Editor: Qin Mian
