At 2pm in 14 October 2018, when University of Chinese Academy of Science enjoys her 40-year-old birthday, a ceremony was held at the main hall of No.1 Teaching Building in Yanqihu Campus of UCAS to unveil a statue of Mr. Li Pei. The president of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Secretary of Party Committee and honourable president of UCAS academician Bai Chunli, Deputy president of Chinese Academy of Sciences academician Ding Zhongli, The president of UCAS academician Li Shushen, Chief of Chinese Communist Committee and Vice President of UCAS Deng Yong, notable alumni Jiang Mianheng, Yan Jiyi and Zhou Zeqi, Li Pei’s close student Yang Jia and the President of National Art Museum Of China Wu Weishan were invited to this ceremony. Cold wind was not stopping the passion of teachers and students to worship Mr. Li Pei. Students and teachers from Department of Foreign Language and many people who had taken Li Pei’s class as well as those who respect her also participated in this ceremony.
After Academician Li Shushen made an introduction of all guests present, Mr. Yan first made his speech. He believed that Li Pei spirits had merged with UCAS. Professor Guo Jian was followed after him, in her speech, she quoted, “An old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand li” to illustrate the devotion of Mr. Li Pei. As the close student of Li Pei, Mrs. Yang now works as vice president of United Nations Committee on the rights of persons with disabilities (UNCRPD), she recalled the details when she studied with Mr. Li Pei. It is Mr. Li Pei who helped Yang Jia returned to teaching when she was blind. Zhou Zeqi was the very first graduation students in UCAS, who engaged in the class of Li Pei at that time. He concluded that not only Mr. Li Pei encouraged him on his study back days, she also made a great inspiration to his later careers. The President of National Art Museum of China Wu Weishan is the sculptor who create the statue. He illustrated what he sew as “Truth, goodness and beauty” in the spirits of Li Pei, and in the eyes of art, he explained her contribution to English teaching of Chinese graduate students and applied linguistics. Academician Bai Chuli spoke at last. He recalled a detail that he always visited Li Pei when in festival. He was deeply touched by the spirits of Mr. Li Pei. In the end of this ceremony, Bai Chunli, Ding Zhongli, Deng Yong, Jiang Mianheng as well as Mr. Wu Weishan unveiled the statue of Mr. Li Pei together.
The spirits that Mr. Li Pei’s statue carried will encourage teachers and students in UCAS to pave the way therefore made a more glorious outcome!
Li Pei (November 20, 1917 - January 12, 2017) was a female linguistist from Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province. She was an outstanding member of Chinese Communist Party, who returned to China in early days of People’s Republic of China. She was the wife of Guo Yonghuai, who was one of the leaders of China's atomic and hydrogen bomb projects. She was also being named “The most beautiful rose of Chinese Academy of Sciences”, “The Guiding Light in Zhongguancun”, “An senior who is young”, “Mother of applied linguistics in China”. She was, in a long time, being English teacher in both University of Science and Technology of China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
By BAO Wanqian & LI Wenyang
Photo by ZENG Rui
