Good evening, everyone.

Welcome to the graduation ceremony of Xinya College tonight. First, I would like to extend my most sincere congratulations to all the teachers and students. Graduation is a big event in every student's life, so today is your big day. Congratulations! Wish you all the best!

I want to say three phrases as my parting advice for you.

The first one is "original aspiration". Years ago, Chen Jining, then President, Zheng Li, then Director of the Office of Academic Affairs, and I, then Dean of the Graduate School, were collating documents about "40 Articles of Education Reform" at a desk in Gong Zi Ting. I believe the days when we had boxed meals together must also remain fresh in the memory of President Zheng Li. When we talked about the preparation for Xinya College, Mr. Zheng Li said, "We can start this year or next year. There are some difficulties to overcome." President Chen Jining showed his usual style, "Why not start now!" Zheng Li replied, "Well, let's do it." So Zheng Li played the very important role of "a midwife" in the foundation of Xinya College. From then on, as Director of the Office of Academic Affairs and Dean of Xinya College, Zheng Li made the Office of Academic Affairs of Tsinghua University and the whole undergraduate education of the university an important "rear area" and "ammunition depot" of Xinya College. Because of him, disputes did not disturb Xinya College in a considerable period of time, so that it could carry out free educational and teaching exploration. What is the original aspiration for Tsinghua University to establish Xinya College? A very important part is to explore what kind of education can cultivate "educated persons". This is a common phrase, but I think it is appropriate. The methods of living and interacting with others described by Ms. Gao Jin just now are typical of educated persons. For a long time, the graduates we educated can be regarded as talent and experts, but not necessarily educated persons. This is a major concern in our education reform. Cultivating "educated persons" is a very important original aspiration of Xinya College. It is not only about setting up "technical courses". More importantly, we intend to make "academy" a model in Tsinghua University and advance free exploration as much as possible. We should repeatedly recall this original aspiration and then unswervingly strive for it. Actually, when it comes to original aspirations, we planned to form four or five academies within a period of time, so that "the road is not lonely". In addition, we hope that the "academy" is just one model. We also want to try other training models. These different pilot zones of education reform are different "categories" rather than different "levels" of talent training. Xinya College belongs to one "category". We should also have other "categories". We aim to see a picture of "a hundred flowers blossoming" at Tsinghua University. Today, you graduate from Xinya College. At this moment,you might as well recallyour "original aspirations" to see if you have consensus.

The second phrase I want to say is "the first class". As "the first class" of students, you are quite different. All of you are the "co-founders" of Xinya College. I think this is terrific. You will bring the mental patterns and behavioral habits developed as the "co-founders" to your future study and work. The first class of students have natural creativity. So when you see something that is unsatisfactory — you know this is almost inevitable for a new thing, you will think over how to solve the problems and make up for the deficiency, instead of complaining or being discouraged. The first class of students look at problems in the same way as described by Chinese modern poet Gu Cheng, "The night has given me dark eyes but I use them to look for light." You can create miracles in adversity and find passion from depression. I think this is a very different mentality and behavioral habit. I hope you realize that this is an exclusive gift to you. I also hope that you can enjoy such treatment for "the first class". We may often regard ourselves as paving stones for the progress of the times. The road we have paved will really make the road of latecomers smoother and broader.

My third phrase is "Xinya-ing". I want to change "Xinya" into a verb in the present continuous tense that is difficult to be expressed with a single phrase in Chinese. Graduation marks the end of students' education in Xinya College, which means the duration of studying here is limited. But as students of the college, you should never stop learning and growing. Xinya College is a group, which may easily be seen as an external form. By the way, today, it is not so easy to get rid of a "group". I've often "exited a group with anger" but been pulled back later. "Xinya-ing" means that the "group" of Xinya is not an external form but a team composed of all its members. It doesn't matter how much you remember now or recall later what you learned at the college. The really important things are what have been internalized by you and what changes you have undergone as a being. Beauty, for example, is hard to define, but when we really see it, we say, "This is beautiful". In the future, when asked what qualified general education is like, Gan Yang can list a lot of definitions, or can simply tell the asker that people present today have received the qualified general education! In addition, I use "ing" because I want to make "Xin" not only an adjective that means "new", but also a verb that means "refresh", "refreshing" people, "refreshing" the times, "refreshing" the ethos, and fundamentally "refreshing" ourselves. I also want to make "Ya" a verb. Soft power is also indispensable. As we grow stronger, we should also grow more elegant. Maybe you can develop a habit in the future. You ask yourself and ask each other, "Do you still remain true to your original aspiration?"

I sincerely hope that you, as "the first class of students" of Xinya College, never forgetyour "original aspirations". Wish you all the best and constant progress. Thank you all!