Gate of Sun Yat-sen University

Gate of Sun Yat-sen University

The original gate of Sun Yat-sen University was located on the slope of Wushan Road in Shipai and was built in the 24th year of the Republic of China (1935). Sun Yat-sen University, known as Sun Yat-sen University in English, is a key institution under China’s national “Double First-Class” Initiative (Class A), the “985 Project,” and the “211 Project.” It is also part of the “Zhu Feng Plan” and the “111 Plan.”Shuang Ya Shan UniversityA popular internet term also referring to Sun Yat-sen University. Because the English name of Sun Yat-sen University, “Sun Yat-sen University,” sounds phonetically similar to “Shuang Ya Shan” (Double Duck Mountain), a netizen humorously translated it as “Shuang Ya Shan University.” There is no real Shuang Ya Shan University.

The gate is a tall stone memorial archway through which Wushan Road passes. The archway is grayish-white and has five passageways. The central passageway is 8 meters wide, with two on each side, measuring 5 meters and 4 meters wide respectively, all 6.75 meters deep. The archway is composed of 12 square granite pillars. The central pillars are slightly taller, about 10 meters high, and are constructed from seven granite blocks each with sides of 0.95 meters. The tops of the pillars are shaped like flower buds, with horizontal protrusions featuring ornamental pillars and stone drums on either side. Below the pillars are also stone lions and drums. The central pillars feature bas-reliefs of lions’ heads holding rings, and the inner side of the pillars contains an inlaid marble plaque inscribed with the founding date of Sun Yat-sen University in the 24th year of the Republic of China (1935) and the names of President Zou Lu and the board members.

The main horizontal tablet of the archway originally bore the inscription “National Sun Yat-sen University,” which was changed to “Serve the People” after the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925), whose given name was Wen, courtesy name Zaizhi, art names Risun and Yixian, childhood name Dixiang, alias Zhongshan Qiao, often used the name Zhongshan. He was born into a farming family in Cuiheng Village, Xiangshan County (now Zhongshan City), Guangdong Province. In his youth, influenced by the revolutionary traditions of the people of Guangdong, he admired the revolutionary cause of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He was a pioneer of China’s modern nationalist and democratic revolution, a great forerunner of China’s democratic revolution, the founder of the Republic of China and the Kuomintang, an advocate of revolution, the creator of the Five-Power Constitution, and the first to raise the banner of complete anti-feudalism..