On November 15–16, 2025, twenty members of the 1985 graduate cohort (master’s and doctoral students) from the School of Mechanical Engineering of Southeast University (formerly Nanjing Institute of Technology) gathered in Nanjing from across the country to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their enrollment. The reunion was organized by alumni residing in Nanjing in coordination with the School’s Alumni Office, covering both the Sipailou and Jiulonghu campuses, as well as the Ming City Wall at Xuanwu Lake. The main theme was revisiting youthful memories and witnessing the development of the discipline.
The alumni first gathered for a group photo at the main gate of the Sipailou Campus. Facing the plaque bearing the name “Southeast University,” one alumnus remarked, “Although the university’s name has changed, our feelings for our alma mater remain the same.” Afterwards, they held a symposium in the conference room of the Alumni Association. Associate Dean Liu Xiaojun of the School of Mechanical Engineering briefed the alumni on the School’s research progress in high end equipment design, intelligent manufacturing, and other fields. The alumni then exchanged views on industry development trends.
Group photo in front of the university gate
School leadership introducing disciplinary achievements
Following the symposium, the alumni moved to the front of the Great Auditorium for another group photo. A cheerful “eggplant!” brought back laughter. They passed by the former Mechanical Engineering building (Nan’gao Hall) and the sports ground where they had once been full of vitality, then arrived at the oldfactory attached to school (practical training workshop) – now the University History Museum. The historical documents and pictures on display resonated deeply with everyone. Around noon, they walked to the “Six Dynasties Pine” (an ancient pine tree). The gnarled, twisting branches of the ancient tree stood out against the clear autumn sky. One alumnus paused and gazed upward, saying, “This tree witnessed our days and nights of hard study, and it still watches over the youth of every generation.”
Group photo in front of the Great Auditorium
The University History Museum witnessing the university’s development
Group photo under the Six Dynasties Pine
At noon, the alumni had lunch at the Shatangyuan Canteen. The familiar aroma of the food instantly brought back memories of their student days. After lunch, they left the campus through the northeast gate, passed through Jiefang Gate, and climbed the Ming City Wall. Standing on the Taicheng section, they enjoyed a panoramic view of the shimmering Xuanwu Lake and the modern skyline of Nanjing. One alumnus pointed to the distant Zifeng Tower and said, “Back then, we could see this section of the city wall from our classroom window. Now, standing here and watching the city change, it feels like time and space are intertwined.”
Reliving memories at the Shatangyuan Canteen
November 16, Morning – Discussions on the New Campus and Farewells
The alumni visited the Jiulonghu Campus and went to the School of Mechanical Engineering. They were full of admiration for the School’s displayed achievements and the academicians it has cultivated. They then visited the office of Professor Xue Chengqi of the School of Mechanical Engineering. The alumni were very curious about Professor Xue’s research direction, “neuro design,” and engaged in lively discussion. Professor Xue, drawing on his team’s work in intelligent human computer interaction and other fields, explained how neuroscience can empower design science. The alumni had an in depth exchange on technological applications and industry prospects.
Back at the School of Mechanical Engineering
A unique academic exchange session within the class
After the discussion, the alumni visited the Zhishan Pavilion and the Mei Garden (Plum Garden). The Zhishan Pavilion stood quietly nearby – its name itself a motto (“pursuing perfection”). The Mei Garden was tinged with autumn colors, with sparse shadows of plum branches slanting across. They took group photos there, capturing the modern atmosphere and natural beauty of the new campus.
Through a well arranged program of campus exploration, academic discussions, and nature experiences, this reunion fully demonstrated the alumni’s deep affection for their alma mater and their hopes for the future. From nostalgic memories under the Six Dynasties Pine to cutting edge discussions on neuro design, and finally to reluctant farewells, the event not only traced the bonds of forty years of classmateship but also sketched the trajectory of shared growth between individuals and their alma mater.
Forty years of time, like streams merging into the sea; a centennial plus academic lineage, like the pine, evergreen.
Returning to Nanjing: Forty Light Years – A Personal Reflection
Forty years of gathering and dispersing – we came from north and south,
Pausing before the Sipailou gate, looking up at “Nanjing Institute of Technology,”
Silent as a stele, standing in the deep shadows of the plane trees.
Back then we did not realize how long the road would be,
Only remembered the wind rustling through the treetops,
Spreading our young silhouettes toward the door of knowledge.
Between the pages lay unfinished theses,
Under the dormitory lights, formulas and annotations whispered softly.
The windows of the old hall divided dawn from dusk,
The iron gate clanged softly, bringing in the chill of autumn nights.
In the corridors of the 54 Building, debates and meditations echoed.
The fragrance of food from Shatangyuan was a gentle interruption.
Years later, returning to the old ground,
Standing again before the Sipailou gate,
“Southeast University” reflects the autumn sun,
The gate’s location unchanged, its orientation as before,
Only time has quietly turned its pages.
Someone murmurs, “The name has changed, but the road remains the same.”
A shutter clicks softly,
We stand shoulder to shoulder,
Gathering forty years of scattered moments
Into a single line of light and shadow.
Before the Great Auditorium, the bronze dome bathes in autumn light,
The steps as broad as ever,
We line up once more,
Suddenly a cry of “eggplant –”
Laughter bounces off the pillars,
Startling the ginkgo leaves,
Which drift beyond the camera’s frame.
Turning west, we walk to the Six Dynasties Pine,
Its gnarled branches twisted like the folds of history, looking down upon us in our group photo.
It remembers the footsteps of every generation,
Neither welcoming nor seeing off, yet branding our figures into the hundred twenty years of light.
Climbing the remnant wall of the Ming City Wall,
The autumn wind sweeps over Mount Zhong,
Among the broken stones, time settles like dust.
Wordless yet understanding –
The wall holds the most focused years of our lives.
Xuanwu Lake lies flat as a mirror,
Reflecting the clouds, and also the frost at our temples.
A slow boat moves, not chasing the waves,
Like our tone of voice now –
Low, unhurried, every word rooted.
The Jiulonghu Campus basks in autumn light,
Buildings clean and bright, grass and trees newly tidy.
The library stands tall, its outline as quiet as an open book,
Facing the lawn, receiving sunlight and footsteps.
The Zhishan Pavilion stands quietly nearby,
Its name a motto – not carved in stone, but engraved in the heart,
Echoing softly when we silently recite “Strive for perfection.”
And you, those of you who have stayed in Nanjing all these years,
Never far away,
Arranging the itinerary, giving a word of instruction here and there,
Keeping the entrance to our memories safe for us who come from afar.
That evening, the lanterns on the Qinhuai River blurred like watercolor,
Blending into a hazy warmth;
The tea never cooled, the conversation already warm –
So this is what a reunion means:
That someone has always been waiting,
For you to say, “I’m here.”
Forty years is not an end, not just a looking back,
It is the time each of us has journeyed,
Now flowing again into the same river.
Carrying the mark of “Nanjing Institute of Technology,”
The lintel of “Southeast University,”
The dawn light of the Great Auditorium,
The thousand year wind on the city wall,
And that “eggplant” still sounded for us,
We move forward.
Contributor: Xue Chengqi
Reviewer: Liu Xiaojun
