Selected Quotations of Chu Kochen on Education

◆Professors sustain a university and decide the academic style of a university.

◆Professors, equipment like instruments and books, and buildings are the most important elements in university education, among which sufficient professors are of the greatest importance.

◆The goals of university education should be cultivating impartial, loyal and perseverant talents who shoulder major tasks, lead social atmosphere and determine national destiny, not only creating how many experts, such as engineers and doctors.

◆Seeking truth is not necessarily confined to burying in reading or experimenting in laboratories. Seeking truth, best expressed in The Doctrines of the Mean, is through extensive learning, examination, careful reflection, clear discrimination and earnest practice.

◆You should not only study subjects, but also learn how to train your ideas.

◆Scientific spirit is “discriminating right from wrong instead of asking for interests”, which means science can only be sought by seeking truth while discarding personal interests.

◆Scientists should have the following attitudes: 1. No blind obedience or compliance. Conducting on wisdom. In face of difficulties and hardships, being persistent, unyielding to power, discriminating right from wrong instead of asking for interests. 2. Being modest, not resorting to arbitrary decision or arrogance. 3. Being concentrated on seeking truth from facts, not moaning about imaginary illnesses or muddling on, being rigorous.

All of you studying in this university should ask yourself two questions:

First, why do you come to Zhejiang University?

Second, what do you want to be after graduation?

On September 18, 1936, Chu Kochen said in his speech, “All of you studying in this university should ask yourself two questions: First, why do you come to Zhejiang University? Second, what do you want to be after graduation? ”

The two questions have been inherited and contemplated by every ZJU student, class after class. The photo shows Chu Kochen in Hangzhou in 1937.

The Directive No. 844 of the Chinese National Government over the designation of Chu Kochen as President of National Zhejiang University (May 19, 1936).