Peking University, April 15, 2014: In the afternoon of April 9th, the second PKU tea salon was held in Guanghuang School of Management. Professor Yuan Ming from School of International Studies was invited to share her ideas about university spirit and youthful horizons with sixteen students from various departments.

Peking University is where one’s spirit is set astir, said Professor Yuan. The motivation that supports all her life and work comes from independent thinking cultivated firstly from her youth at PKU.

In response to the students’ questions concerning college life, career and choice of future, Professor Yuan replied that the confusion of growing up is only “the temporary rough phenomena” of life and we will eventually find the new focus of our life. Talking about her undergraduate study of English and her later experiences in international communication, she illustrates life’s unpredictability and the significance of incorporating different elements so as to develop a new spiritual world. According to Professor Yuan, reading and experience consist of one’s spiritual core. It is important for PKU students to cultivate the spirit of the age, including both philosophical thinking about human life and international horizons.

An innovative way of inspiring ideas and communication, PKU Teapot Salon is a series of activities held to provide an opportunity for students to communicate and share ideas with professors in growth experience, scientific and humanity spirit, etc. As a unique campus cultural brand, the salon will invite more prominent professors and all students are welcomed.

Professor Yuan Ming is presently the vice dean of PKU School of International Studies, president of International Relations Research Centre. She entered PKU in 1962 as an English major freshman and obtained her Master Degree of International Law in 1982. She has been a visiting professor at UC-Berkeley and Oxford. As an expert in International Relations, she has done her research at various research centers around the world and has made many speeches on important occasions such as The Davos Conference, The Trilateral Commission, etc.

Written by: Wang Jingwei

Edited by: He Jianfeng

Source: PKU News (Chinese)