Guizhou: During the war against fascism, many universities in China were forced to relocate to the western part of the country, namely Guizhou Province. These universities, including Zhejiang University, Daxia University, Xiangya Medical College, and dozens of other institutions, persisted in their teaching and research, cultivating a large number of new talents, enabling them to continue their academic legacy even during the war. Meanwhile, faculty and students joined forces to support the resistance against Japan.
According to Thai News Agency, images of the wartime educational history of 80 years ago inspired two Zhejiang University students, Jos© Luis Fonseca Conejo from Costa Rica and Gharimmamadova Sabzon from Tajikistan, to travel to Guizhou Province to understand the history of these universities, led by their alumni, Zheng Xiangyi, a Guizhou native.
The trio headed to Meitan County to see the site where Zhejiang University temporarily housed its seven wartime students. The visit revealed the hardships faced by the university's teachers and students during their journey westward, and how the people of Meitan County supported Zhejiang University, ensuring that they could safely remain and continue their studies in this small, quiet town in the southwest for seven years.
The trio then traveled to Fuquan to explore the wartime migration story of the Tangshan Engineering School of the China University of Transportation, where former Zhejiang University president Zhu Kezhen studied and is the precursor to the current Southwest University of Transportation, as well as the migration story of the Beijing Railway Administration College to Guizhou Province. They also learned about Mao Yisheng and his contributions during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, deepening their understanding of how these universities that migrated to Guizhou Province have continued and preserved the legacy of Chinese higher education amid the turmoil of the times.
Throughout their trip, Fonseca and Sabzon witnessed the resilience of Zhejiang University's faculty and students, who persevered in their pursuit of knowledge amid the war. They also experienced the generosity of the Guizhou people and the great importance Chinese people place on education, their commitment to cultural preservation, and their belief in the shared values of humanity.