A grand commemorative meeting to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War concluded on Wednesday.
During the commemorations, faculty, students, and alumni of Tsinghua University have tackled numerous technical challenges in areas including UAV design, navigation, control, and intelligent driving, and have also contributed to the planning and design of urban activity landscapes in Beijing.
Their involvement extended beyond technological and design contributions, as a total of 189 students and faculty members from Tsinghua University participated in the V-Day commemorations as either choir members or volunteers.
Gan Ziying, a 2024 master’s student at the School of Social Sciences, joined the choir at Tian'anmen Square.
As an important part of the commemoration, the 3,000-person choir gathered participants from 40 universities in Beijing. Gan Ziying, one of the core student members for this task, together with 80 Tsinghua teachers and students, performed classic songs commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War before the ceremony began.
“It is a tremendous inspiration for me to witness the prosperity and strength of our motherland up close,” said Yang Hanyou, a 2022 undergraduate student at Tsinghua Medicine, with great excitement. He was positioned facing Chang’an Avenue, at one of the closest spots to the massive military parade. This summer was the first time he did not return home, instead devoting himself to intensive training with his teammates.
From the first on-campus intensive training in June to the full-element rehearsal on Chang’an Avenue in August, every second of practice was dedicated to presenting their best performance.
Jing Yannan, a 2023 master’s student from the Department of Precision Instruments, has been connected with music since the age of five. As a counselor of Tsinghua’s student choir, he made full use of his professional expertise during the on-campus training for the square choir—explaining the creative background of each song, guiding vocal exercises, and leading repeated choir rehearsals.
Yang Luofeng, a 2024 master’s student at the Academy of Arts and Design, responded without hesitation when notified of the opportunity to join the choir. Previously, he had played roles in the University’s original stage play Ma Lan Hua Kai.
Ahead of one rehearsal, while waiting for the bus, Yang and his teammates from the play spontaneously performed a scene, their enthusiasm drawing a crowd of onlookers.
For Yang, art is a language that speaks directly to the heart. He believes that singing carries not only melody but also the echoes of history. Through music, he said, the spirit of resistance against Japanese aggression can be passed on, encouraging more people to remember the past and value peace.
At key locations, volunteers could be seen actively at work everywhere. Among them, 108 Tsinghua teachers and students served as volunteers, safeguarding every detail of the grand event with utmost dedication and warm smiles.
Wang Kailin, a 2023 master’s student at the School of Public Policy & Management, served as one of the core student members in the volunteer service team.
At the largest remote assembly point, 30 teacher and student volunteers provided services, primarily assisting with the gathering of the audience. They efficiently and orderly completed all tasks before the official start of the military parade and returned to campus smoothly.
Hao Dazhong, a 2024 doctoral student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, said, “Being able to contribute in this way to the national celebration fills me with pride and a deep sense of fulfillment.”
Editors: JP, Li Han
