Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 9
I Come from Yenching University
9.1
Interaction Between the Cultures of East and West
and the Trend of the Times
When I came as a fi rst-year freshman to Yenching University, it was the autumn of
1932. At that time almost 10 years had passed since construction along a set lay-out
had started of the university campus, and it was almost reaching completion.
On the campus the scenery everywhere was very beautiful, overfl owing with an
ever thriving vitality. This fi rst impression the university had on me when I just
arrived, has never left me. Therefore, I will now write down from memory how the
very construction of the campus has infl uenced me. I will discuss this from the fol-
lowing aspects:
1. The campus with its beautiful scenery and classical Chinese architecture.
2. The probe into the campus' history and research on traditional culture.
The recently constructed Yenching University had chosen the north-western out-
skirts of Peking as its campus location, an area famous historically for its gardens.
The main gate faced west, facing in the distance Xishan, the Western Mountains.
Inside the main gate one crossed a large marble bridge spanning a pool clear as a
mirror, and reached the teaching centre. Large buildings in classical Chinese archi-
tectural style stood on three sides, with in the centre a wide space with luscious
green grass. From the teaching centre one drifted into the campus' hinterland with
its winding hills and dense foliage. The main road rose and fell unobstructed by
anything ahead, only small footpaths joining it. But suddenly, after going through a
section of hills, the ripples of a vast lake stretched out in front, exceeding all one's
expectations. The glint of the water had the colour of the sky, the fi eld of vision was
