《A corner of campus that cannot be unmissable》

Name：Wang Shasha
University：Guizhou Minzu University
Tutor: Cheng Xuemei

Guizhou Minzu University was founded on May 17, 1951, under the leadership of the People’s Government of Guizhou Province. It is one of the earliest ethnic universities in New China and a key university in Guizhou Province. The Huaxi Campus of Guizhou Minzu University is located in Huaxi District of Guiyang City, a scenic spot known as the “Pearl of the Plateau”. As it is adjacent to a scenic natural landscape sightseeing belt with pleasant idyllic scenery, the campus is a good place for students to study, relax and grow up.

The university is a showcase of Guizhou Province—a multi-ethnic province boasting rich and diverse cultures, as evidenced by fascinating ethnic costumes, various buildings exhibiting marvelous workmanship, as well as countless folk festivals, and diverse charming languages, combined to constitute part of the Chinese nation’s cultural gem.

Not only is the view outside the campus pleasant, but the view inside is also amazing. As soon as you enter the school gate, the first thing you see is an embossed fresco made of fiberglass, which takes ethnic minority figures as the object, carved with the picture of national unity, people’s diligence and the diverse ethnic languages, representing the determination of the university to adhere to the inheritance and development of ethnic cultures. The fresco with the title “Homeland, Endeavour, Ideal” means that Guizhou Minzu University is devoted to strengthening national unity, actively developing ethnic education and keeping up with the modern pace and hence it is worth exploring a corner of the campus that cannot be missed.

The Dong People’s Roofed Bridge

The most typical ethnic style building of Guizhou Minzu University is the Dong People’s Roofed Bridge known as “Fengyu Qiao” (literally “Wind and Rain Bridge”). This bridge, also known as “Fuqiao” (literally “Blessing Bridge”) in the Dong culture, conveys a plain folk meaning that it is a symbol of sacrifice to the souls of the ancestors, praying to them for blessing to those descendants of theirs and other Chinese people who are living a peaceful, well-off life in the New Era of China.

As a landmark building of the Dong ethnic group, the Roofed Bridge not only provides shelter from the wind and rain, but also serves as a place for people, be they students or visitors, to relax and chat with each other. This bridge is a link to the entrance of the library, which often becomes an important place for students to exchange ideas and share feelings with each other.

The building adheres to the aesthetic features representative of ethnic culture， and reflects the Chinese views on life, ethics, beliefs and tradition, making itself an integral part of the Chinese architecture.

“Four famous pillars”

Looking up at the four pillars, you can find them engraved with minority languages, the Shui Writing and the Yi script, presented in the form of graffiti. In fact, what they express are the belief and dream of national unity as well as the teachers and students’ spirit of self-improvement and perseverance in the university.

The Shui Writing, which shows deities, heroes, rituals of taboos and different ways for sacrifice, is normally handed down to males in the Shui community. The more standard writing on the pillars is the Yi people’s language while the images of birds or other animals, looking like pictographs, are Shui Writing. The distinctive ethnic style and cultural implications have been widely acclaimed, which are indicative of the artisans’ superb architectural techniques and ingenuity.

Enjoy a cherry blossom festival

Spring is around the corner, the cherry blossoms are flourishing, and it is a time to appreciate the cherry blossoms. Capturing the amazing pictures of cherry blossoms is romantic and pleasant. The charming Cherry Blossom Avenue has a long history of 72 years since the establishment of Guizhou Minzu University. On this land of the campus, the plants absorb essence of nature of people. After being irrigated by the rain the night before, a whole row of Cherry Blossoms stand up resolutely and are waiting for the call of spring. Ice begins to melt, and the flowers start to stick out their petals and buds—sure signs that spring is approaching.

Some people say that seeing the branches full of cherry blossoms is a most beautiful enjoyment of life. The day is warm and cloudless, and the sky a deep blue. When the wind blows, everyone can smell the rich scents of grass and earth. Listen, crisp sounds of reading-aloud burst into our ears! And this is a meeting of students under the cherry tree, immersed in this warm March, reading classics together; the spring breeze not only brings flowers to us but also sparks the university students’ fiery desire for knowledge.

A wisp of fragrance and a winding path lead us to the memory of the vibrant university, which is always vigorous in early spring. Here we are surrounded by scenting flowers, and filled with courage and hope for our career and life upon graduation. The cherry blossom season is the graduation season every year, and it is not rare for students to take a group photo one after another; between the shots the romance of cherry blossoms and our good memories are blended.

A foodie’s paradise

Most of the memories of school are first awakened by food. It seems that every university has a food court. The food street is always so down-to-earth. And for us, it is the utopia in our youth, and the best witness of our carefree youth, so many people, many years after graduation, still miss the taste of this place. Every snack shop on this street has witnessed the development of Guizhou Minzu University, accustomed to the departure of graduates one after another while welcoming childlike faces one after another.

This food street in the university really meets my expectations for a college snack street—street barbecue, hot pot, pancakes, bubble tea, to name just a few. Those smells mixed together are a college memory we can never forget. The midnight food service is not a glossy restaurant, but just a table on the roadside, with a few chairs and a group of friends eating together, exchanging notes of happiness and sorrows in the daytime.

72 rounds of spring and autumn, 72 years of profound history—this is Guizhou Minzu University that has created today’s grandeur. The old but charming campus preserves the most unforgettable memories of our university time. Let us hold up cameras in spring, and catch hold of every wonderful moment spent in the university.