An Alumnus of Sichuan Agricultural College (Yaan, Class of 1978 / Graduated 1982)**
Spanning 120 years of transformative history, my alma mater, Sichuan Agricultural University (SAU), celebrates its 120th anniversary. From its humble origins as the Sichuan Provincial Higher Agricultural School in the late Qing Dynasty, to its deep roots and tireless dedication at the foot of Yucheng in Yaan, and now to its modern multi-campus structure, this land embodies the profound cultural lineage of an ancient region and reflects the noble aspirations of generations of SAU students dedicated to agricultural development and environmental stewardship.
As a graduate of the Forestry Department at Sichuan Agricultural College in Yaan—entering in 1978 and graduating in 1982—I look back at this milestone with vivid memories of my student years in rain-kissed Yaan, filled with warmth, gratitude, and reverence.
### I. The Ancient Heritage of Yaan 雅安: Legends and the "Three Ya 三雅"
Yaan is not only the birthplace of my college years, but an ancient city steeped in myth and natural beauty:
* **The Legend of Nuwa 女娲 **: Ancient legend holds that Nuwa repaired the pillars of heaven right here in Yaan. The endless, gentle rain of Yaan is poetically viewed as a reminder of Nuwa's heavenly repair.
* **The "Three Ya 三雅” Wonders**: The charm of "Rain City" Yaan lies in its famous "Three Ya"—the romantic **Ya Rain** (雅雨), the rare and nourishing **Ya Fish** (雅鱼), and the graceful **Ya Women** (雅女). The natural landscape and rich local heritage together form the unique soul of Yaan 雅安.
* **Sages and Ancestry**: Professor Yan Ji's direct ancestor who first settled in Sichuan was Yan Chengzuo (a 70th-generation descendant of Yan Hui). During the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, he moved from Qufu, Shandong, to serve as the Magistrate of Jianzhou, Sichuan, renowned for his integrity and incorruptibility.
* **Literary and Scholarly Tradition**: Professor Yan's great-great-grandfather, Yan Kai 颜楷 (born in 1877 in Huayang 华阳, Shuangliu 双流), was a Qing Dynasty Imperial Scholar (Jinshi 进士) and celebrated calligrapher. He studied at the Guozijian in Beijing, earned high praise from the Imperial Tutor Weng Tonghe, and maintained close ties with prominent reformers of the Hundred Days' Reform.
* **Academic Foundations and Legacy**: It was this deep family tradition of scholarly ethics and public service that nurtured Professor Yan Ji's rigorous scientific dedication. Together with his wife, Professor Yang Junliang 扬俊良, they devoted their lives to founding the Triticeae Research Institute at SAU 川东小麦研究所所, making groundbreaking contributions to wild wheat species research and wheat "longevity genes," establishing the bedrock of the "SAU Spirit". Professor Yan passed away in 2021 at the age of 97, but his scientific legacy and the "longevity genes" he unraveled remain an eternal treasure for our university and the nation.
### III. 1978–1982: The Tenacity of the Sichuan Ox 川农牛 and the Vow of Forest Ecology
In 1978, I was admitted to the Department of Forestry at Sichuan Agricultural College, focusing my studies on **Forest Ecology**.
Born in the Year of the Ox, I felt a natural kinship with the resilient spirit of the "Sichuan Ox 川农牛 "—steadfast, hardworking, and uncomplaining, willing to plow the toughest soil and tackle the hardest challenges. During my student days in Yaan, the Qingyi River 清衣江 flowed quietly beside us, and shadows danced on the walls of the old academic buildings, capturing the purest memories of our youth.
Studying Forest Ecology helped me deeply understand forests as the "lungs of the Earth" and vital ecological barriers. Over the past decades, as a scholar of forest ecology, I have constantly monitored global environmental shifts and **felt a profound, ongoing concern over the catastrophic threats that climate change poses to human civilization**. Mitigating climate crises and protecting our planet's green ecosystems are not only the reasons I chose this field in 1978, but a lifelong mission shared by every forestry scholar.
Over the decades, our beloved **Sichuan Agricultural College** grew into **Sichuan Agricultural University**, and our former **Department of Forestry** expanded into the distinguished **College of Forestry**. Integrating agricultural and forestry educational resources across the region, the university has evolved into a modern "one university, three campuses" framework spanning Yaan 雅安, Chengdu 成都, and Dujiangyan 都江堰. The quiet days we spent studying under the rain of Yaan have now blossomed into a grand educational vision across multiple campuses.
### IV. Ming De 明徳 Pioneers, Historical Context, and Healing Across Oceans
Beyond its ancient lore, Yaan served as a vital hub for modern education and Western medicine in western Sichuan. Understanding the presence of pioneers like **Dr. Corlies** and **Dr. Frederick N. Smith** requires looking at the rare historical backdrop of foreigners in early 20th-century China (c. 1900s–1920s):
* **Foreign Demographics in Early 20th-Century China**:
* **National Totals**: According to late Qing and early Republican maritime customs and census records, around 1900 there were only ~20,000 Westerners in all of China. By 1910, total foreign population reached 140,000–150,000 (mostly Russian and Japanese expatriates in Manchuria and treaty ports), with Westerners accounting for just 30,000–40,000. By the 1920s, Western expatriates numbered around 50,000–70,000 nationwide.
* **Missionary and Medical Personnel **: In 1900, there were roughly 3,200 Protestant and Catholic missionaries across China (with barely 100 Western-trained physicians). By 1915, there were only around 300 to 400 Western doctors working in mission hospitals across the entire country.
* **Extreme Rarity in Inland Sichuan & Yaan**: Over 80% of foreigners were concentrated in coastal treaty ports like Shanghai 上海, Tianjing 天津, and Guangzhou 广州. In all of Sichuan 四川 province, there were only a few hundred Westerners (300–500 total). In remote Yaan, long-term foreign residents consisted of just a few missionary families—barely a dozen to a few dozen people. Journeying months inland from Shanghai over treacherous mountain passes, pioneers like Dr. Corlies and Dr. Smith were truly exceptional figures.
* **Pioneers of Medicine and Education in Yaan**:
* In 1904, American Baptist missionary **Dr. Corlies** founded Rende Hospital in Yaan (the predecessor of Yaan People's Hospital), introducing modern Western medicine to western Sichuan.
* In 1917, **Dr. Frederick N. Smith** (a Ph.D. graduate from Columbia University) founded the renowned **Ming De High School** (明德中学) on Zhangjia Hill in Yaan, pioneering modern education in the region.
* **Echos of "Ming De 明德 " and Healing Across Oceans**:
* The name "Ming De" originates from the Confucian classic *The Great Learning*: *"The way of great learning lies in illustrating illustrious virtue"* (大学之道，在明明德). It is deeply moving how this dedication to character and education transcends borders. Yaan has its historic Ming De School and early medical roots, while across the Pacific in the United States, the prestigious **Middlebury College** is also translated into Chinese as "Ming De College" (明德学院).
* Two of my sons graduated from Middlebury College in the United States, subsequently earned their medical degrees, and are now practicing physicians dedicated to saving lives. From the historical grounds of the Ming De School and the medical pioneers in Yaan where I once studied, to the halls of Middlebury College and the medical careers my sons pursue today, this meaningful alignment of "Ming De 明德" and compassionate healing forms an invisible bridge—connecting the heritage of Yaan, my personal family story, and a shared commitment to humanity.
* **A Sanctuary for Science**: This open, inclusive environment provided fertile ground for Sichuan Agricultural College to flourish in Yaan, fostering innovations that transformed Chinese agriculture and protected our natural environment.
120 years have passed in the blink of an eye. From Qufu in Shandong to the scholarly family of Huayang, from setting the record straight on family lineage to my cherished college years studying Forest Ecology in Yaan (1978–1982), and to the global echo of the "Ming De" spirit across two generations of my family—my alma mater is far more than an academic institution. It is a sacred land holding my youth, my family's true history, and timeless devotion to the world. **On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Sichuan Agricultural University, as a member of the Class of 1978/1982, I offer this tribute to 120 years of extraordinary heritage and to the enduring memories of Yaan!**
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