On the morning of April 28, Foundation-Laying for New History Museum was held in Tsinghua University. The participants to the Foundation-Laying Ceremony included Zhao Weiguo, the donator of the History Museum, 1985 alumnus of Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, and Chairman of Jiankun International Investment Group and his wife Liu Shuhong, Gu Binglin, President of Tsinghua University, Hu Heping, Secretary of CPC Committee of Tsinghua University, Zhang Fengchang, Vice President of Tsinghua University, Han Jingyang, Vice Secretary of CPC Committee of Tsinghua University, Zhuang Lijun, Vice Director of the University Council, Zhang Zaixing, Sun Daoxiang, the former leader Fang Huijian, He Meiying, Yang Jiaqing, Huang Shenglun, Hu Xianzhang and responsible persons of History Study Laboratory, Architectural Design & Research Institute, Tsinghua University Education Foundation, Alumni Association and Construction Division, etc.. Zhang Zaixing, Vice Director of University Council and Director of Tsinghua History Edition Committee presided over the Foundation-laying Ceremony.
The new history museum is located in the northeast corner to the crossing of the Main East-west Road and North-south Road and south to Teaching Building No.3. The floor area is 5000m2 and the height of the building is 18m. The history museum, a three-storey building, shares a platform with the new Tsinghua Imperial College and the Exchange Center. On the first floor there are a share hall, prelude hall, multimedia hall and 1000-square-meter exhibition hall of hundred-year Tsinghua. On the second floor, there is a theme exhibition hall. On the third floor is located the history study laboratory and teaching classrooms.
He Meiying, Chairman of Council of Tsinghua University Education Foundation, spoke highly of the donation of Alumnus Zhao Weiguo in her speech and expressed gratitude for this great support to the construction and development of Tsinghua University. From 2005 on, Zhao Weiguo signs various donation agreement with Tsinghua University successively, including Lin Feng Award and Scholarship Fund of Li Chuanxin, Meng Zhaoying, Chang Jiong, Tao Baokai, Gong Yuzhi, etc. In addition, he donated RMB1 million respectively to Student Work Innovation Fund of Tsinghua University, 100th –Anniversary Preparation Fund and Alumni Association Development Fund. During preparation for the 100th-anniversary of Tsinghua University, Zhao Weiguo generously donated RMB25million to build the new history museum of Tsinghua University again.
Alumnus Zhao Weiguo said in his speech that Alma Mater of Tsinghua University brought him up and he carried forward the idea of “Self-discipline and Social Commitment” of the Alma Mater. He also said cultivation of the Alma Mater enabled him to return the Alma Mater and contribution to the development of Tsinghua University is his greatest wish. The one hundred years of history of Tsinghua reflected the history of China in the modern times. Tsinghua University has made great contribution to the great revitalization of the Chinese Nation. He sincerely wished Tsinghua University more splendid future in the new century.
Hu Heping expressed heartedly gratitude to Alumnus Zhao Weiguo. He said, the history and cultural tradition of the university produced profound influence to cultivation of people and development of the university. It is the common characteristics of the numerous first-class universities with long history to focus on research and summarize experience and lessons in the running school process, to explore and discover the basic rules and follow the rules and make innovation in the practice of running a school. The history museum of Tsinghua University is the important infrastructure facility to strengthen research of the one-hundred history of Tsinghua and to continuously explore the rules to build the world first-class university with the Chinese characteristics. The history museum of Tsinghua University is the window to exhibit the history appearance, running achievement and culture deposit of the university and has positive significance to carry forward the spirit of Tsinghua, promote education, strengthen communication with alumni and the friends in all circles and to improve the image of the university, etc.
For Zhao Weiguo’s righteous act of donation, Hu Heping summed up his deep affection to the university with “pride, moving and responsibility”. He said, Tsinghua takes pride in the achievement made by the Tsinghua students, is moved by the feeling towards the Alma Mater and great cohesion of Tsinghua people. This made more people to realize their responsibilities and missions and encourage them to run Tsinghua University better. They will accelerate construction of the world first-class university, bring up more talents and make greater contribution to development of China into a powerful education nation and to realization of modernization.