Weeding, turning the ground, planting flowers and picking herbs…… Extracurricular activities and second classroom lesson on labor were held in the field, adding a lively scene on campus.

This tradition dates back to 2019, when the last week of April was designated as "TJU Labor Week" and May as "Labor Education Month". Students are given access to various courses and activities on crop and herb cultivation, fruit picking, and cooking at more than 30 labor education practice bases built in such shared places as school public open space, nurseries and student communities inside and outside school.

On Peiyangyuan Campus, part of the 10-acre crop planting base at Peiyangyuan Campus was given to each school for gardening and farming activities. Students used shovels, plows and harrows from "garden instructors" to practice in a second classroom lesson "Crop Planting Experience".

Turning the soil, leveling the ground, sowing seeds, and irrigating, students learned how to plant flowers like digitalis purpurea, dianthus chinensis, and coreopsis grandifloraHogg as well as their growth habits and care methods.

"I learned how to till the soil, use the nail rake, and water flowers more efficiently. How much there is to learn about farming! And so joyful it is to plant!" said Chu Zhuoming, a master's student at the School of Materials Science and Engineering.

These plants are about to be maintained by students of different schools until the blossom will be transplanted to various parts of the school landscape, flower beds and green space, as fruits of students’ efforts to decorate the beautiful campus.

The heated labor scene was also seen near the National Large-scale Earthquake Engineering Simulation Research Facility on campus. Students discussed the spirit of labor in the new era with the builders of the large earthquake installation, and engaged in lawn planting and tree maintenance nearby.

"Through these activities, I deepened my understanding of the meaning and happiness of labor and practice, and the importance of all-round development valued by the university." said Gong Ruilin, a 2019 undergraduate student from the School of Civil Engineering.

On Weijin Road Campus, in a herbal planting experience area "Hundred Herb Garden" planted a variety of Chinese herbs such as indigowoad roots, cassia seeds, ricinus communis, cockscomb and perilla.

By hoeing, turning the soil, sowing and watering together, students and teachers immersed themselves in Chinese herbal medicine cultivation and preparation, feeling the charm of brilliant Chinese traditional culture.

"Indigowoad roots like light, fertilizer, and is afraid of being waterlogged. 1-1.5 cm of soil after sowing is most suitable for the seeds to grow." said Li Xia, professor of the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology.

As one of the instructors of "Hundred Herb Garden" and one of the main instructors of the general education course of "Herb Planting and Cultural Innovation Practice", she was teaching students how to cultivate indigowoad roots. The instructor also hopes that through planting, students can seek knowledge and fitness, and feel the richness of Chinese medicine culture and the great power of life.

In recent years, "planting in the fields" has been a tradition of labor education at TJU. Thanks to a series of courses and activities, it has been widely regarded as one of the most glorious and beautiful conducts by students and faculty here.

By Mo Jingwen

Editor: Sun Xiaofang