Beijing University

Peking University was founded in 1898 and was originally named Imperial University of Peking. It was the first national comprehensive university in China and the highest educational administrative body in China at that time. After the Revolution of 1911, it was renamed to its current name in 1912.

As the center of the New Culture Movement and the source of the May Fourth Movement, as the earliest birthplace of the spread of Marxism and democratic scientific thought in China, and as the earliest base of the Communist Party of China, Peking University has made irreplaceable contributions to the rejuvenation and liberation of the nation, the construction and development of the country, and the civilization and progress of society, and has played an important pioneering role in China's modernization process. The traditional spirit of patriotism, progress, democracy, and science and the style of study of diligence, rigor, pragmatism, and innovation are passed down from generation to generation here.

In 1917, the famous educator Cai Yuanpei became the president of Peking University. He "followed the principle of freedom of thought and adopted inclusiveness" and carried out fruitful reforms on Peking University, which promoted ideological liberation and academic prosperity. Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, Mao Zedong, Lu Xun, Hu Shi and other outstanding talents have served or taught at Peking University.

After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937, Peking University, Tsinghua University and Nankai University moved south to Changsha and formed the Changsha Temporary University. Soon, the temporary university moved to Kunming and was renamed the National Southwest Associated University. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Peking University resumed school in Beijing in October 1946.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, colleges and universities across the country adjusted their departments in 1952. Peking University became a comprehensive university focusing on liberal arts and science teaching and research, and cultivated a large number of talents for the country. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 400 academicians of the two academies among Peking University's alumni and teachers, and many influential people in the Chinese humanities and social sciences also come from Peking University.

Since the reform and opening up, Peking University has entered an unprecedented new period of great development and construction, and has become one of the two universities that are key to the national "211 Project".

On May 4, 1998, when Peking University celebrated its 100th anniversary, President Jiang Zemin delivered a speech at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Peking University, calling for "in order to achieve modernization, our country must have several world-class universities." With the support of the state, Peking University timely launched the "Plan to Create a World-Class University", and since then, the history of Peking University has opened a new page.

On April 3, 2000, Peking University merged with the former Beijing Medical University to form the new Peking University. The predecessor of the former Beijing Medical University was the National Beijing Medical College, which was founded on October 26, 1912. In the 1930s and 1940s, the school was once called Peking University Medical College, and was merged into Peking University in July 1946. In 1952, during the adjustment of colleges and departments in universities across the country, Peking University Medical College separated from Peking University and became independent as Beijing Medical College. In 1985, it was renamed Beijing Medical University, and in 1996 it became one of the first medical universities supported by the national "211 Project". The merger of the two schools further broadened the discipline structure of Peking University, and laid the foundation for promoting the combination of medicine with humanities, social sciences and science, and reforming medical education.

In recent years, with the support of the "211 Project" and the "985 Project", Peking University has entered a new historical development stage, and has achieved remarkable results in discipline construction, talent training, faculty team construction, teaching and scientific research, laying a solid foundation for building Peking University into a world-class university. Today, Peking University has become a cradle for the country to cultivate high-quality and creative talents, an important base for the forefront of scientific research and knowledge innovation, and an important bridge and window for international exchanges.