The old motto of Zhejiang University-"Qiushi" can be traced back to Qiushi Academy, the predecessor of Zhejiang University.
Since its establishment, Qiushi Academy has advocated "practical learning, preserving the positive and eliminating the false". The school spirit of "seeking truth from facts" has gradually formed among teachers and students, and it will continue to Zhejiang University in the future.
During the Anti-Japanese War, Zhejiang University moved westward to run a school in exile, which made President Zhu Kezhen have a deeper understanding of "seeking truth".
1 938165438+1October1,President Zhu gave a speech on "Wang Yangming and the role model of college students" at the opening ceremony in Yishan, Guangxi. In his speech, he used Wang Yangming's spirit of seeking truth from facts, his dauntless spirit in times of crisis, his spirit of hard struggle, and his spirit of serving the country with public loyalty to inspire Zhejiang University teachers and students to face difficulties, and proposed that the word "seeking truth from facts" should be taken as the school motto, so as to better inherit and carry forward the fine tradition of "seeking truth from facts" and implement the essence of academic research.
1938165438+1October19 The school affairs meeting formally adopted President Zhu's proposal.
President Zhu has expounded the meaning of "seeking truth" many times. In his speech "Seeking Truth and Sacrifice Spirit", he said: "The so-called seeking truth is not limited to burying oneself in reading or doing experiments in the laboratory. The best way to seek truth is to be knowledgeable, inquisitive, thoughtful, discerning and convinced. It's not enough to be knowledgeable and interrogated. You must be thoughtful and ingenious, and study right and wrong with one eye. We can not only know right and wrong, but also try our best to do it. Zhuge Wuhou's so-called "do your best and die before you die" is a blunt failure, which cannot be seen. The best example is the behavior of Bruno, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, Darwin and Huxley in the history of science. China also has many sages with the spirit of seeking truth, and Dr. Sun Yat-sen is one of them. Dr. Sun Yat-sen not only advocated revolution, but also carried it out. This revolutionary spirit stems from the spirit of pursuing truth.
Here, President Zhu has greatly broadened and deepened the meaning of "seeking truth", and the spirit of seeking truth advocated by him is the spirit of science, sacrifice, revolution, struggle and innovation.
Later, President Zhu expounded the method and path of "seeking truth" more clearly in the article "The Method and Spirit of Science". He said, "What is the goal of modern science? Is to seek the truth. Scientific methods can be changed anytime and anywhere, and the goal of this science, the pursuit of truth, that is, the spirit of science will never change. ..... According to our ideal, the attitude that scientists should adopt should be: (1) Do not blindly follow, disagree, and rely on reason. In case of disobedience, but indomitable, not afraid of strong defense, only ask right and wrong, don't ask interest. (2) open-minded, not arbitrary, not arrogant. (3) Concentrate on unity, seek truth from facts, do not groan without illness, and be rigorous and orderly. "
These expositions of President Zhu, especially the three attitudes that scientists should adopt, are not only followed by thousands of "truth-seeking" students in Qian Qian, but also praised by scientists all the time.
Since the founding of New China, especially since the reform and opening-up, successive leaders of Zhejiang University have emphasized the pioneering and innovative spirit under the new historical conditions on the basis of inheriting and carrying forward the spirit of seeking truth from facts. Since then, Zhejiang University has gradually formed an excellent school spirit of "seeking truth from facts, being rigorous and practical, forging ahead and pioneering and innovating".
1On May 5th, 988, the school affairs meeting chaired by President Lu Yongxiang decided to take "seeking truth from facts, pioneering and innovating" as the motto of Zhejiang University in the new period. This is the correct decision made by Zhejiang University in order to adapt to the rapid development of modern science and technology and social needs, and it is the development of the spirit of seeking truth from facts.
President Lu 1992 said in his speech on the 95th anniversary of the founding of the school: "Strictly speaking, the spirit of innovation (that is, creation) has been included in the spirit of seeking truth ... But people often interpret seeking truth as seeking truth, focusing on the understanding and application of existing knowledge, objectively analyzing and grasping the status quo, without particularly emphasizing creation and innovation ...". Innovation is the common feature of many outstanding scientists and talents in history. To run Zhejiang University well with China characteristics and its own characteristics, and to cultivate a large number of socialist construction talents and successors with dedication, pragmatism, innovation and cooperation spirit, we must attach great importance to the promotion of innovative spirit, form a good group consciousness, adhere to the correct socialist direction and principles, and persist in opening up, reform and innovation. Innovation is the requirement of the times and the law of the development of science, technology and education. In order to keep pace with the times and make continuous progress and development, our school must emphasize the development of creativity and the cultivation of the spirit of seeking truth from facts on the basis of inheriting and carrying forward the spirit of seeking truth from facts. "
President Lu's words are not only an answer to why "seeking truth and innovation" is the school motto, but also an interpretation of "seeking truth and innovation".
In the speech entitled "Seize the Opportunity, Meet the Challenge and Step into the First Class" made at the 1995 Zhejiang University Teaching Work Conference, Pan Yunhe, the current president, put forward a new mode of talent training with equal emphasis on knowledge, ability and quality, which made the method and path of "innovation and truth-seeking" more concrete and clear. The knowledge mentioned by President Pan here includes professional knowledge and cross-knowledge; Ability includes expression ability, foreign language ability, computer ability, innovation ability, writing ability, organization ability, imagination ability, hands-on ability, etc. Quality includes ideological quality, moral quality and cultural quality.
"Seeking truth and innovation" is the code of conduct and goal of students seeking truth in the new period. It can be said that "seeking truth" has a long history, and "seeking truth and innovation" has a bright future!