Peking University, October 19, 2023: “The ancients called 30 years a lifetime. I am grateful that my ‘lifetime’ has been dedicated to the work, the campus, and the students that I love,” says Prof. Shan Rongrong, from the Department of Russian Language, of her three decades of teaching at PKU. 

Let us recount and celebrate the journeys of nine professors at PKU's School of Foreign Languages, who have never stopped dedicating themselves to education for the past 30 years.


Professor Luo Wei, Department of German Language

The years have passed me by, as though in an instant. Navigating myself from the West Gate, I take a meandering path through the eaves of buildings, shaded by the canopies of nature, serenaded by bird song, and ensconced by the fragrance of flowers in bloom. The libraries and the classrooms – these are places where teachers and students gather. In my endeavor to explore the ocean of knowledge, the past thirty years have felt to me a day. In tranquility and quietude, the soul finds solace in Yan Yuan.


Professor Liu Min, Department of German Language

The saying—“thirty years of labor and vicissitudes; eight hundred leagues of traveling with the moon and clouds”—comes to mind. Although I can’t say that I have achieved great fame or undergone much vicissitude, I am glad to say that I have been able to honor the lectern, and give my all in educating each student I meet.


Professor Chen Sihong, Department of Russian Language

In the past thirty years, my campus life has structured itself into habit; before long, the time has come to bid farewell. I have worked together with the warmest of hearts, taught the brightest minds, and received great help from wonderful library staff. Weiming Lake in dawn and twilight, my days of joy and awe. Thank you.


Professor Shan Rongrong, Department of Russian Language

The ancients called 30 years a lifetime. I am grateful that my “lifetime” has been dedicated to the work, the campus, and the students that I love. Although I became evermore aware that teaching is not as easy as I initially thought, I have never once regretted my choice.


Professor Li Zheng, Department of West Asian Languages

Time flies! Thirty years ago, I embarked upon my educational career by taking my first step into Peking University. In the School’s spirit of constant innovation, I never faltered in my passion, and devoted myself wholeheartedly to my work. From a fresh teacher to an experienced educator, it is certainly a task that demands great commitment and responsibility. The work of innovation must continue.


Professor Qian Qing, Department of English

It's a privilege to be an educator. I have always believed an educator to be the most noble profession in the world. I am fortunate to have met the best students and teaching teams at PKU. Working with them has not only been my honor, but also my greatest inspiration. 


Professor Li Lichun, Department of English

It is certainly an emotional experience to receive greeting cards from my students. They wrote: “Even if I didn’t speak English well at that time, your enthusiasm made me feel passionate towards the language;” or “I was a freshman when I first took your lecture and now I’m graduating… I will forever be grateful for your teachings!” This energy of teacher-student interaction can forever be passed on. All I can say is that I’m deeply grateful to have been a teacher.


Professor Yu Suling, Department of English

I see my students beam and I feel youthful as well. In the classroom, I am inspired by knowledge and moved by virtue, together with each of my students. With each stroke of chalk on the blackboard, I hear the students’ laughter and encouragements fill the air. This is the most beautiful time for teachers.


Professor Zhao Baisheng, Institute of World Literature

My Reflections on Mistakes

In my three decades of teaching in Yan Yuan,
Three mistakes remain enduringly unforgettable.
I taught knowledge but fell short in cultivating,
I wrote sparingly and was scarce in new thought.

Written by: Fumika
Edited by: Yang Ruoxiang
Source: School of Foreign Languages