Retrieve the spirit of university

Author: Dong Yunchuan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Based on the various contradictions in the reform and development of Chinese higher education, Rediscovering the Spirit of the University has won widespread recognition from academia, university teachers and students, as well as professionals in other sectors, with its unique sharp perspective and passionate analytical discourse. The book was first published in 1998 and revised and republished in 2001, sparking strong responses in various circles and academic fields. Recently, at the invitation of our publishing house, the author has added a series of forward-looking reflections, bridging the two centuries in terms of timeline. Generalized content from the second edition has been significantly cut, making the book more personalized in style and more concise in content. In October 2005, the third edition of Rediscovering the Spirit of the University, fully redesigned, meticulously produced, and officially launched by the publisher, remains a fine work imbued with humanistic thought. The spirit of the university is that which guides us forward in mysterious ways. What that is may not be clearly articulated, but it certainly exists and is undeniably real. We can only grasp it through its characteristics. The spirit of the university originates from culture, permeates the campus, and exists among students, scholars, academic societies, and academia. The spirit clings to the body; once an organization loses its "essence, vitality, and spirit," it is bound to become a mediocre existence with "form but no soul." At least, the spirit of the university can still be grasped in direction, and this "direction" is precisely the author's purpose in advocating tirelessly.