In spite of majoring in Engineering, Professor Zhang Hongbo, from the School of Mechanical Engineering at HNUST, developed a passion for learning the art of Chinese poems in his later years. He writes poems to express his emotions and reflect on his life, which enriches himself and encourages his students to pursue their goals in life. His love for Chinese poetry permeates every aspect of his life, reflecting his unwavering faith, passion, and humility.

Faith

Reflecting on his education, he attributes his passion for classical Chinese to his father’s uncle, who instilled in him a love for culture, even during his humble upbringing. “I was enlightened by the work I Like Fish written by Mencius,” he recalls, “since my childhood, I have devoured books for it’s hard for me to do physical work due to my frailty.” With the support and encouragement of his elders, he worked diligently and was finally admitted to Central South University (CSU), one of the top universities in Hunan Province. He mentions that it was during his time at CSU that he was first exposed to Chinese poetry and began to develop his artistic personality. Through his academic journey, his love for Chinese poems continued to grow, thanks to the influence of his supervisor and fellow colleagues, shaping his character and inspiring him to express his emotions and reflections through poetry.

Despite studying science and engineering since his undergraduate years and teaching related courses at HNUST, Professor Zhang has a deep appreciation for Chinese poetry. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he studied the disciplines of metre and rhythm of poems and frequently wrote works to document his life experiences. The River Runs Red: Feelings about Anti-pandemic is one of his works created during the epidemic.

Passion

Passion is a precious feeling that enriches our lives. Professor Zhang’s passion for life shines through in works, from the beautiful Yue Lake at HNUST in Qijue, to his observation of the development of Shibadong village in Hunan Province in Yijianmei, and his description of the blossoming peach flowers in the early spring in Qilü.

Under the cultivation of the Party and the nation, Professor Zhang holds lofty respect for the scientists of the older generation. While paying homage to scientists like Yuan Longping, Professor Zhang rejects the notion that students and teachers of science and engineering should solely focus on their respective fields.

As an educational worker, Professor Zhang is devoted to his career. He actively interacts with his students to foster their learning initiative and encourages them to read more to improve their own literacy. He also teaches his students the basic meter and rhythm of modern poems to  create a positive classroom atmosphere and guide them towards achieving their goals.

Humility

During the long period of teaching at HNUST, Professor Zhang has witnessed the development of HNUST and established bonds with it. When the History Museum of the School of Mechanical Engineering was founded, he wrote Niannvjiao: The History Museum to commemorate his visit to the museum with fellow teachers of the School of Mechanical Engineering and express his admiration for their efforts and anticipation for their future progress. He frequently engages with fellow poetry enthusiasts, such as Yue Wenhui, the former dean of the School, Luo Zhongcheng, a teacher at the School and other poetry lovers at their leisure to learn from each other and express their life expectations.

Professor Zhang is not one to shy away from celebrating his students’ successes; having been informed that his students had made greater achievements than himself, Professor Zhang wrote Qilv: The Discipline of a Teacher to share his joy at their achievements. As a college teacher, he is fully aware that nurturing students is just as important as instructing them. He always takes his own life experiences as examples to encourage young students. He says, “Life is just like creating poems. No shortcut. The young generation is smart and knowledgeable, definitely better than us. Their futures are very promising if they can make good use of their strengths and avoid the temptation of shortcuts and quick gratification.”

In Professor Zhang, we can see a person full of faith, passion, and humility. Despite his seniority, he remains youthful at heart and plans to continue creating poems and telling his stories through these works.

(Translated by LI Lan and YANG Ye)