October 2, 2016 witnessed the 121th Anniversary of Tianjin University. And the year 2016 is the 101th anniversary of Tianjin University’s motto “Seeking Truth from Facts”.

Established in 1895, Tianjin University (formerly Peiyang University) is the oldest university of modern higher education in China. During the past one hundred and twenty one years of history, the site of the university has changed many times, with the university’s destiny closely tied to the needs of the nation, forming a goal of “rejuvenating the nation through education” and “patriotic dedication”.

On September 28, 2015, Peiyang Park Campus came into operation. On the same day, the stone of Tianjin University’s motto “Seeking Truth from Facts” was laid.

The Peiyang Park Campus continues the cultural heritage of Tianjin University and carries the university’s dreams and goals. With the construction of the Peiyang Park Campus, the land area for teaching and research has increased by two and a half times the size of the Weijin Road Campus immensely improving the conditions of the university.

The stone of TJU’s motto was donated and designed by the TJU alumni of 1982 who graduated from the classes of machining, foundry, welding, forging and pressing, and metallography, as well as Tianjin University’s Research Institute of Architectural Design and Urban Planning. The stone with the engraved motto is eighteen meters in length, a width of one meter, and a height of three and a half meters. One can view the motto which was inscribed by former President Zhao Tianlin on the south facing side of the stone. On its opposite side, the texture of the stone is like huge trees with deep roots and luxuriant foliage, symbolizing TJU’s accumulation of profound history and rich cultural heritage.

As the proposer of the motto, Zhao Tianlin believed that “Truth” was not only a scientific truth, but also a truth for the students’ well-balanced development, the development of Chinese education, the rejuvenation of the whole nation, as well as an exploration and pursuit of truth.