Beida Lectures. Issue 7

Author: Compiled by the Editorial Committee of "Peking University Lectures"
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Lectures are a distinctive feature of Peking University's campus. If lectures disappear from universities, campus culture will become a faint stream in the desert, though clear, yet weak and fleeting. Moreover, the spark of wisdom in the lecture hall should not be confined to the campus but should extend outward, offering all lovers of wisdom the opportunity to listen to the teachings of masters and to personally experience how a gentle stream can transform into a surging wave rushing to the sea. Universities aim to cultivate well-rounded talents, broaden students' knowledge, and reform teaching methods and course arrangements, which are naturally the most fundamental. However, achieving this in the short term is extremely challenging. Through numerous lectures, university students can learn about other disciplines, spark their interest in learning, and be guided to study more fundamental knowledge in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. They can also stay updated on the latest developments in contemporary technology and hot topics in socio-economic development, helping them better understand society and integrate into it. Lectures have thus become one of the most vibrant components of campus culture. Lectures are an open classroom for quality education. What is a "lecture"? Scholars speak on stage, and students listen in the seats. Someone once "joked" that while classes at Peking University can be skipped, lectures are absolutely not to be missed. Today, in our campus, bulletin boards are filled with various lecture announcements. Before the lectures, classrooms are packed with students, with desks covered in items used to claim seats. During the lectures, students experience enlightening insights, and after the lectures, they engage in questioning, debates, and deep reflection. All of this has become a distinctive feature of Peking University's campus. Through this scene, you can see the traditionally perceived "residents" of the ivory tower—those who are not content with themselves—retracting their air of arrogance and beginning to reflect on themselves within the campus. You can also see the outside world, with admiration, curiosity, and inquiry, watching the hurried scholars within the tower, even beginning to pause and linger on campus. Lectures not only enrich the sacred land of Peking University but also make this ancient campus more vibrant and youthful, becoming a valuable spiritual treasure for Peking University students.