Fudan University

Introduction

Fudan University is China's first private university and one of the most prestigious universities, which have made great contributions to China's independence, establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC), growth, development, prosperousness, and modernization of modern China.

One of the most profound contributions Fudan University has made was for China's independence and the establishment of PRC.

Cradle of PRC

In the early 20^th century, China was a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society under the rule of emperor and foreign invaders. At that time, the biggest challenge facing China was to end the feudalism and colonialism, and to establish a new independent China.

However, the emperor and foreign invaders would not give up their powers. It turned out that only armed revolution and China Independent War could overthrow the emperor and drive away invaders.

It was at this critical moment that Fudan University had played an important role, which had changed the course of China's history and world's history.

In 1920, Fudan University professor Chen Wang Dao first translated and published the book "Gong Chan Dang Xuan Yan" in China. This book was the most important work in modern China history, which had directly influenced the establishment of P.R. China's ruling party -- CPC (also known as CCP) in 1921.

This book was the major required book during 1920s and 1930s for all Long March Red Army generals, soldiers, and underground cadres, etc., who later on became China's founders and leaders.

As a result, this book had educated, encouraged, and inspired the entire generation of PRC leaders, including:

Mao Ze Dong -- founder and chairman of PRC, president of the PRC Central Military Commission of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Zhou En Lai -- co-founder and premier of PRC.

Zhu De -- co-founder of PRC, founder and chief general of PLA.

Liu Shao Qi -- co-founder and president of PRC.

Deng Xiao Ping -- co-founder and general secretary of PRC. General designer and senior leader for China's Reform and Open policy.

Besides above PRC founders, professor Chen Wang Dao's work had also educated, inspired, and influenced all PRC ministers, military generals, provincial governors, and municipal mayors, etc.

After the establishment of PRC, Mao Ze Dong mentioned three books that had the most influences on his career. Professor Chen Wang Dao's book was ranked as the first one. For many other China's founders and leaders (including Deng Xiao Ping, etc.), professor Chen Wang Dao's book was the only book that had changed their careers.

Due to this reason, after the establishment of PRC, premier Zhou En Lai said to professor Chen Wang Dao: "We were all educated by you."

As a result, Fudan University had become PRC's earliest "Zhong Yang Dang Xiao" (the school for PRC leaders), which had educated and inspired the entire generation of PRC founders and leaders. Fudan University had thus become the cradle of PRC, and had changed the course of China's history as well as the world's history.

China's Cambridge

In China, university reorganization and development issues usually belong to the jurisdiction of China Ministry of Education. However, Fudan University was an exception.

In 1952, after the establishment of PRC, in recognition of Fudan University's special contributions to China's independence and the founding of the PRC, Mao Ze Dong personally designated Fudan as China's Cambridge, wrote the title for the new Fudan University, and appointed professor Chen Wang Dao as the president of new Fudan University.

As a cofounder of CPC and co-organizer of CPC First Conference, Mao Ze Dong's appointment made Chen Wang Dao the most heavy-weighted university president of all universities in China.

As a result, Fudan University's reorganization and development was implemented under instructions from Mao Ze Dong, Zhou En Lai, China Central Committee, China State Department, China Ministry of Education, and China People's Liberation Army (PLA) Central Military Committee. It was finally carried out with the participation of PLA troops.

Thus, Fudan University has become one of China's top universities.

About Chen Wang Dao

As mentioned above, Chen Wang Dao had made a decisive contribution to the theoretical foundation of the establishment of CPC and PRC. In practice, he also pioneered in the establishment of CPC.

From 1920 to 1921, Chen Wang Dao worked with Chen Du Xiu to establish the CPC. He was a cofounder of CPC, and a co-organizer of the CPC First Conference in Shanghai. There were twelve representatives attended the CPC First Conference in 1921. Mao Ze Dong was one of the twelve participants.

As a co-organizer of the CPC First Conference, Chen Wang Dao originally planned to attend the conference at the beginning. However, because he disliked Chen Du Xiu's dictatorship style and disagreed with Chen Du Xiu on many issues, he finally decided not to attend the CPC First Conference.

The personal disagreements between Chen Du Xiu and Chen Wang Dao became so intensified that finally, Chen Wang Dao decided to separate from Chen Du Xiu, and quitted the CPC (controlled by Chen Du Xiu then) in 1923.

As a CPC cofounder, quitting CPC was a very serious event to CPC. This event was one of the main reason that Chen Wang Dao had been kept a low profile in China in his life. Since then, Chen Wang Dao did not play much roles in CPC and PRC politics in China history.

Mao Ze Dong knew Chen Wang Dao very well since the CPC First Conference in Shanghai, and understood the reasons why Chen Wang Dao quitted CPC. So after the establishment of PRC, Mao Ze Dong instructed: "Whenever Chen Wang Dao wants to come back to CPC, just let him come back. No autobiography is needed. No resume is needed. No discussion is needed. He may keep CPC status confidential."

In 1957, under Mao Ze Dong's direct instruction, the CPC Central Committee directly accepted Chen Wang Dao back to CPC. Due to historical reasons, Chen Wang Dao's re-joining CPC had been kept confidential in China.

During the Cultural Revolution, most university presidents in China were either stepped down, sent to labor camps, jailed, or killed. Due to Chen Wang Dao's special contributions to China and PRC, he was specially protected by Mao Ze Dong and Zhou En Lai. As a result, Chen Wang Dao became the only top university president in China who was not persecuted during the Cultural Revolution.

As a cofounder of CPC, Chen Wang Dao's status in CPC was more senior than Mao Ze Dong, Zhou En Lai, Zhu De, etc. PRC founders. He was one of the most influential people in the 20th century in China. However, he had been kept a low profile during his life because of the following reasons:

1. Quitting CPC. Although the cause of his quitting CPC was due to personal conflict with Chen Du Xiu, however, the fact that a CPC cofounder quitted CPC would damage the CPC's image. So keeping a low profile would minimize the image damage to CPC.

2. Relationship with the Gang of Four. During the Cultural Revolution, the Gang of Four knew that Chen Wang Dao was the only university president in China who was personally appointed by Mao Ze Dong; Chen was personally accepted into CPC again by Mao Ze Dong; and Chen was the only top university president in China who was specially protected by Mao Ze Dong and Zhou En Lai during the Cultural Revolution. Due to these reasons, the Gang of Four understood that Chen Wang Dao was not an ordinary person. Chen had special ties with China's top leaders. As a result, the Gang of Four treated Chen well during the Cultural Revolution. This made Chen appeared to have a close relationship with the Gang of Four. In fact, based on Chen Wang Dao's senior status in CPC and special contributions to CPC and PRC, and his special relationship with Mao Ze Dong and Zhou En Lai, he had no need to follow the Gang of Four. His relationship with the Gang of Four was more out of a courtesy.

Due to above reasons, Chen Wang Dao -- one of the most influential people in the 20th century in China -- had been kept a low profile throughout his life.

As time goes by, the confidentiality surrounding Chen Wang Dao will become unnecessary, and related history will be known to the world.

Anniversary

2005 witnesses Fudan University's centennial anniversary. ACMA joins the global celebration for the special anniversary, and wishes Fudan to make greater achievements in the new century.