When people think of Tianjin University, they immediately think of Beiyang University.
After the Sino-Japanese War, China established the first governing university, Beiyang University, which opened the prelude to China's creation of a government-run university.
After years of development, Beiyang University has become today's Tianjin University.
At the time of the centenary celebration of Tianjin University, many people want to restore the old name of Tianjin University - Beiyang University.
However, it did not work out.
Why?
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In the Sino-Japanese War, China was defeated, the whole country was trying to be strong, and Sheng Xuanhuai, a representative figure of the industrial faction of the Foreign Affairs Movement, realized: "The first place in self-improvement is in The Reserve of Talents, and the Reserve Talents Must First Be Re-established.", in 1892, after Sheng Xuanhuai was appointed to the Tianjin Customs Road, he began to prepare for running the school.
On October 2, 1895, the Guangxu Emperor established the Tianjin Beiyang Western School, with Sheng Xuanhuai as the first superintendent, and the school was located at the former site of the Dayingmen Bowen Academy on the banks of the Tianjin Beiyun River. In 1896, the Beiyang Western School was officially renamed beiyang academy. In 1899, the first batch of students of Tianjin Beiyang Academy graduated. In January 1900, the academy awarded the first university diploma in Chinese history.
Since then, Beiyang University has had a bad fate.
In 1928, Tianjin was plagued by war, and Beiyang University was forced to be divided into the School of Engineering of Beiping University, and began to live in the end of the world. After 1937, the Northwest United University was established with the North Division, and until 1945, Beiyang University spent its time in the smoke of war. In 1946, with the support of a large number of famous alumni, Beiyang University was officially renamed, and the campus was established in Xigu.
At this point, the development of Beiyang University has entered another development climax. A large number of alumni returned to their alma mater. Until the adjustment of faculties, Beiyang University had 11 departments. After liberation in 1949, Chairman Mao frankly admitted that "Beiyang" could not stay, and under the repeated persuasion of alumni, it was able to change its name to Tianjin University.
So, why can't the name of Beiyang University stay?
Let's first talk about the geographical concept of Beiyang.
After the defeat in the Sino-Japanese War in 1895, Tianjin was one of the measures proposed by the Yangwu faction to revitalize the country after the total annihilation of the Beiyang Marine Division. Beiyang is originally a geographical term, bounded by Shanghai Wusongkou, north of the Yangtze River are Beiyang, including Jiangsu, Shandong and other places, the name of the school is actually equivalent to the name of the location, which is very common.
In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, many people who re-organized schools talked about Beiyang and thought more of the Beiyang government, Beiyang warlords, Beiyang sailors, etc., and a cold atmosphere of feudal decay came to their faces.
Therefore, the name of Beiyang University cannot be left.
After changing its name to Tianjin University, many alumni expect to change back to their original name, Beiyang University.
In 1995, Tianjin University celebrated its centennial anniversary.
Some foreign alumni suggested that Tianjin University be renamed Beiyang University, and there were many appeals, but the result was still unable to return to the original name. 【Author:Daily Kanji】