As an ancient saying goes, a son will become a “torch carrier” of his father’s career. This summer Li Xinyang from Chengdu Shishi High School was admitted by Tianjin University, the same university his father studied 40 years ago with the highest score among all applicants in Sichuan Province. “This is my long-time dream coming true,” Li claimed.
Li Xinyang and his parents take a photo with his acceptance letter.
Father’s long-established bond with TJU
Li Lianglong, Li Xinyang’s father is a distinguished alumnus of Tianjin University. He is now a well-known expert in fragrance and flavor product research and development. Li Lianglong became a student of TJU’s School of Chemical Engineering and Technology In 1984 and has been working on synthetic flavor products since graduation and developed quite a few world-leading and domestic-leading fragrance products together with the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology of Tianjin University.
Graduation Photo of Li Lianglong in 1988 (Second row, fourth from the right)
Graduation certificate of Li Lianglong
Li Lianglong in front of the No.9 building on Weijin Road Campus in 1986
Li Lianglong still remembered the final exam of the chemical reaction engineering course. “The test paper was prepared by Professor Li Shaofen, and everybody failed that exam. Then he had to lower the difficulty to very basic math to pass most students. From then we knew that we should work harder. The high demands of our teachers left a deep impression on me, and I hope that the precious spirit can be passed on.”
Son’s affection for Tianjin University since his boyhood
Li Xinyang’s story with Tianjin University began at 5. He stepped on the campus of this university for the first time with his father on the occasion of the university’s 113th anniversary in 2008. His tiny footprints traversed Peiyang Memorial Pavilion, the Youth Lake, the Jingye Lake and No. 9 building. When he grew older, the trips to Tianjin University in 2011 and 2015 left a deeper impression on him. Especially in 2015, the 12-year-old boy had the opportunity to participate in the grand ceremony of Tianjin University’s 120th birthday, further enchanted by this wonderful university. Since then, he has decided to follow the road of his father and become a student of Tianjin University in the future.
Li Xinyang took a photo in front of the gate of Tianjin University with his parents in 2008.
Li Lianglong said his appreciation for Tianjin University was beyond all words for all the support from his teachers, classmates and alumni. That’s why he showed 100% support to his son to apply for Tianjin University with a high score of 662. Though there are many other choices, studying in his father’s alma mater and passing down father’s dream is certainly a much better one for Li Xinyang.
Doing well in both study and sports
Li Xinyang on the sports ground
Li’s parents attached great importance to his physical fitness. In Grade Three at the primary school, Li Xinyang began learning to play badminton. Nine years’ practice changes him from a thin little boy to a tall and handsome teenager with a height of 190cm. At the same time, Li Xinyang, as a lead player of Chengdu Amateur Sports School for Children where Olympic gold medalist-Zou Jingyuan once studied, was honored with state first-class athlete for winning the 13th Sichuan Provincial Games Badminton Team Champion, Mixed Doubles Runner-up, Sichuan Middle School Students Badminton Competition Mixed Doubles Champion, Sichuan Youth Badminton Championship Mixed Doubles Runner-up, Chengdu Elementary and Secondary School Badminton Championship Doubles Champion, Team Runner-up, etc.
Badminton taught him to keep trying and never give up, and that sport spirit also helped him with study. By striking a balance between sports and study, he is able to get closer and closer to his dream quite firmly.
Certificate of Provincial First-class Sportsman
For the upcoming new life, Li Xinyang plans to improve his organizing and administrative abilities while trying to perfect his professional knowledge. He wants to give full play to his badminton talents so as to win more prizes for his class and the university, and explores new areas by joinning student clubs.
Wishes from Li’s parents
In the family album made by Li’s mother, she left words by the family photo taken in the 120th anniversary of Tianjin University, saying that “it must be a great blessing if you can study in your father’s Alma Mater”. The wish has come true!
Li Lianglong, now as his son’s alumni stepping onto the campus 37 years before shared his expectations of Xinyang, “We hope he can start a new chapter of his life under the guidance of the University’s motto—to Seek truth from Facts. Thirty years after my graduation, I have had a much better understanding of the university motto. Only by digging into the specialized field you are in, can you succeed to be an expert of that field one day. And those who change their targets easily and refuse to study deeply will find it hard to make it.” Li Lianglong further noted that he expected the university to cultivate more future constructors for the nation.
Like Li Xinyang and his father, there are many families who have established deep and enduring ties with Tianjin University over generations.
By Ren Xiangyun
Editor: Eva Yin
