The motto of Xiamen University-"Never stop striving for perfection" is 192 1. When Mr. Chen Jiageng founded Xiamen University, he defined "self-improvement" as the school motto, and later changed it to "stop at perfection". Later, the school put these eight words together and became the school motto.

"Self-improvement" means self-conscious, positive, striving for strength and never slacking off. It was first seen in Zhouyi Gan: "Heaven is healthy, and gentlemen are constantly striving for self-improvement". Later, Tao Kan, an assassin in Jingzhou, Jin Dynasty, took "self-improvement" as the motto, was inspirational and diligent, supervised Bazhou military affairs, and repeatedly made meritorious military service, which made him famous far and wide. This is recorded in the Book of Rites edited during the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty: "Tao Kan was diligent and constantly striving for self-improvement".

"Stop at perfection" means to achieve perfection through unremitting efforts, that is, you will never stop trying until you reach perfection. "Book of Rites University" says: "The way of a university is to be well-known, be close to the people and stop at perfection". The so-called "Mingde" is to show one's natural and bright virtue, that is, to explore the inner good virtue of Everbright through study and practice; The so-called "being close to the people" means being close to the people, caring for the people and always thinking about the interests of the people. Zhu, a great scholar in the Song Dynasty, believed that "being close to the people" means "being new to the people", even if people get rid of old habits and bad habits and keep making progress. And "stop at the best", Zhu also elaborated, he said: "stop and don't move; The best is the most natural thing. It is clear that virtue and new people should stop at perfection and achieve perfection.

Mr. Chen Jiageng defined these ancient mottos as school mottos, aiming at encouraging Xiamen University teachers and students to be proactive, pioneering and pursuing perfection, so as to achieve the goal of establishing the school. Over the past 80 years, inspired by the school motto, Xiamen University people have made remarkable achievements and won the reputation of "a strong Nantah".