On September 3 in Beijing, the majestic capital watched by millions,

Beneath the clear blue sky sliced by warplanes,

Beside the Chang’an Avenue where the torrent roars by，

And in the place closest to the leaders and the people,

The 196 CUEB faculty and students stood in Tian’anmen Square,

Hearts closely aligned with the motherland.

Carrying patriotism of nearly 20,000 faculty and students,

And the earnest dedication to the nation of over 200,000 alumni,

They successfully completed their volunteer mission for the

Commemoration Ceremony of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

This is supreme glory!

Let us praise them!

They sang a hymn to history and the people,

Embodying the spirit of “remembering history, honoring martyrs, cherishing peace, and forging ahead into the future.”

Now!

The 196 CUEB faculty and students have returned victorious!

Among them were:

One female militia member of the parade contingent,

83 faculty and students forming part of the chorus in the core area of Tian’anmen Square!

Their blood ran hot, and their spirits soared high.

Among them were:

Two teachers seconded to work at the command headquarters,

110 teachers and students engaged in on-site service and support!

Their beliefs remained firm, and their convictions reaffirmed.

They spent 110 days in preparation and training:

From the scorching midday sun to the early-morning stars,

From the sweltering heat of midsummer to the cool breeze of early autumn,

All their efforts showcased the best demeanor of CUEB’s faculty and students.

Hu Wen, Secretary of the Youth League Committee of CUEB, served as a logistics volunteer on the outer edge of Tian’anmen Square. “From that quiet vantage point, he heard the first notes rise and felt history rush in. There were no narrators, no giant screens—just voices,” Hu recalled. “Yet the moment the choir began, the melody became a bridge across time. We stood in the same square where generations before us had stood; the same notes they once sang floated toward us. Resolve turned into music, remembrance into harmony. Some stories never need explaining—when the right song fills the air, the memories carved into a nation’s bones simply wake up. That is the power of music, and the most moving civics lesson you can give a young heart.” To Hu, every bar carried the weight of two Chinese characters: jia 家 (family) and guo 国 (country). “It is reverence for history, gratitude for peace, and the heft of the torch when it passes to your hand.”

Sun Lei, Director of the Culture and Art Department of the Youth League Committee of CUEB, has coached faculty and students through countless state-level and municipal ceremonies. This time she commanded the chorus. “After 110 days of rehearsal practice, we finally stood in the core area of Tian’anmen Square—the spot the whole world trains its cameras on,” Sun said. “Command headquarters told us early on: the choir is the emotional spine of the entire commemoration.” The 8-minute set was the first time CUEB students had ever performed inside the square’s inner cordon at a national event. “For them it was a living lesson in carrying the revolutionary torch and planting patriotism deep in their heart — a memory none of us will ever lose.”

The chorus will not be disbanded; they’re taking their Tian’anmen Square performance back to campus. 

Akbar Abdulreyim, head of the Community Management Department and Logistics Support Department, has been the quiet force behind every major event CUEB has staged since he joined the staff in 2019. This time he stepped out of the backstage and into the heart of the square, serving as the chorus’s manager, just meters from where the cameras rolled. “As the flag raised up beside me, tears welled up. Facing the flag, I felt I was speaking to the martyrs: ‘The thriving age you dreamed of has arrived,’” he said excitedly.

Sun Honghao, Director of the Youth League Committee of CUEB and minister of social practices, undertook volunteers’ logistics. In just four years on the job, he has already racked up experience in a string of notable events. “Each time I’m thrilled to be back alongside students, thrust into the heart of history and feeling the nation’s pulse,” he said. “But this one felt heavier. Serving the memorial was an honor. Standing outside of the core area while the guns saluted felt like telling the martyrs they’re not forgotten. May they rest, and may the world enjoy peace.”

Chen Zixuan, a cadre of the Party Committee Publicity Department, and Feng Yu’nan, Secretary of the Youth League Committee of the School of Urban Economics and Public Administration of CUEB, served as chorus conductor and deputy conductor. Zhang Yaqi from the School of International Economics and Management of CUEB handled student management in the chorus. For Feng and Zhang, it was their first large-scale event since joining the university.

Feng Yu’nan worked hard. On every site visit she took notes, walked the routes again and again, and ran the timing in her head. During rehearsals she always dropped to the rear of the column, eyes fixed on her CUEB students. “Night to dawn, rapid muster to orderly dismissal, first run-through to flawless show on September 3—their discipline became a living testament to patriotism looks like in the new era,” she said. “It fires me to encourage more young people to serve the country.” Zhang Yaqi marched in the 70th anniversary of the National Day as an undergraduate. This time she managed students instead. “Watching those eager faces is like meeting my younger self,” she said. “I strive to be the example they follow.”

Xiao Xiao, a cadre of the Student Affairs Department of the Party Committee, the Armed Forces Department of the Party Committee, and the Student Affairs Department; Pan Jingyu, Secretary of the Youth League Committee of the School of Business Administration; Chen Xiao, Secretary of the Youth League Committee of the School of Economics; Jiao Yu, full-time counselor of the School of Economics; Meng Fanyu, Secretary of the Youth League Committee of the School of Finance; Zhang Yingqiu, Research Secretary of the School of Management Engineering; Liu Shuo, full-time counselor of the School of Finance and Taxation; Song Xutao, Secretary of the Youth League Committee of the School of Business and so on, all participated in the work of leading volunteers.

Veteran Youth-league cadre Pan Jingyu said: “We couldn’t see the square, yet the crash of thousands of boots rolling in like thunder—history echoing forward, the new era announcing itself.” Back on campus, she vows to keep that rhythm, “pushing our students to sprint faster into the future.”

Several drinking stations were set up at the memorial ceremony, staffed by Chen Xiao and her classmates. “This volunteer shift was a living lesson in patriotism,” Chen said. “We weren’t in the center—just a distant glimpse of the proceedings—but the moment the anthem played we all turned to the flag, stood tall and sang. That’s the spirit of CUEB.”

Another 39 CUEB volunteers worked several kilometers from Tian’anmen Square. We weren’t on the stage, but their bright smiles and drill-perfect moves told me the young CUEBers were carrying the load,” said faculty lead Meng Fanyu. He’s confident the experience will keep them shining in grander arenas.

Guo Haoyang, a 2024 graduate of the School of Public Finance and Taxation, sings bass in the choir. In August, he formally submitted to the Party organization a 5,000-word application for Party membership. “Rehearsals taught me the line ‘Shock the moment we step out’—six words that capture the will to push through anything,” Guo wrote. “Before entering the Party, I will strive to meet its standards.”

Tian Chaoran, a 2022 undergraduate of the College of Business Administration and deputy conductor of the Students’ Choir, coached the soprano line. She said, “The summer spent with teammates would be an unforgettable memory in her life. I am proud of China’s might, and I am proud to be Chinese!”

Jiao Feifan, a 2022 undergraduate of the School of Accounting, is a member of the bass in the choir. This summer is meaningful to him. “I’m preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam, so this summer is particularly busy for me,” he said. Instead of stress, juggling rehearsals and revision gave him an extra shot of confidence. Jiao said, “I believe I’m able to handle both tasks well. In the new era, young people dare to dream and deliver.” About 30 of the 196 volunteers also plan to take the postgraduate entrance exam or the civil service exam. Let’s bless them!

Yu Shicheng, a 2023 undergraduate of the School of Finance, is a member of the tenor in the choir. He joined the CPC and was also elected to the member of the College Student Union in this June. He described this summer as a new starting point in his life—lucky and happy. He said, “Lucky to belt out love for China on the square; blessed to feel the school’s care, the coaches’ warmth, and the grit of my squad.”

Yue Zhiling, a 2022 undergraduate of the School of Accounting and deputy conductor of the College Student Art Troupe, has played the guzheng (also called Chinese zither) since childhood. On the square she stood poised yet radiant, the face of new-era Chinese youth. “When the somber opening of On the Songhua River sounded and I faced the Monument to the People’s Heroes, truly felt what patriotism and peace mean,” she said. “The great spirit of the resistance against Japanese aggression is a seed in my heart, ready to sprout the day I serve China.”

Shan Kaisong, a 2025 graduate of the School of Economics, grew up in Suifenhe on the China-Russia border. “From the frontier, Beijing felt like a magnet,” he said, “Four years in the capital have shown me how strong China is. Serving here has only sharpened my sense of duty. I’m proud to give my youth to the country—and prouder still of the country itself.”

Xu Shengtong, a 2023 undergraduate of the College of Business Administration swapped holiday downtime for duty. “As an active Party member applicant, this experience has strengthened my resolve,” he said. “We’re meant to harden in action and find worth in giving. I’ll trade countless late-night hustles for China’s brighter dawns. May the country boom on.”

Liu Jiangtao, a 2022 undergraduate of the School of Culture and Communication, is also a key member of the team. Her hometown is in Zhangjiakou, just a 2-hour drive from Beijing, but she stayed at school. Liu said, “The highway home smells like happiness, yet summer spent serving the country is the richer memory—my love letter to China as a youth of the new era.”

September 3! The 1.4 billion Chinese people are electrified!

Arise! Arise! Arise!

These cries echo once more—China’s declaration to the world.

September 3! Peace-loving people everywhere are electrified!

Forward! Forward! Forward! Carrying memories we will never forget,

we stride toward the future.

The Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the

Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression

and the World Anti-Fascist War

may have ended,

but the seed planted in our hearts

will bloom in due time.

The story of this seed

is far from being over...

Welcome teachers, students, and alumni to stay tuned.

Drop a like, leave a cheer, keep the flame alive.

Justice will prevail. Peace will prevail. The people will prevail.

Today we salute the great victory and wish our motherland enduring prosperity and peace