From Ginling to the Global Stage: Wu Yifang’s Journey of Resilience and Leadership

Today, we’ll continue to talk about Wu Yifang’s unwavering commitment to restoring Ginling College as she successfully united alumni to support her vision. And her representation of China at the United Nations highlighted her role as a voice for peace and a bridge between cultures.

Transcript

From Ginling to the Global Stage: Wu Yifang’s Journey of Resilience and Leadership

Today, we’ll continue to talk about Wu Yifang’s unwavering commitment to restoring Ginling College as she successfully united alumni to support her vision. And her representation of China at the United Nations highlighted her role as a voice for peace and a bridge between cultures.

After becoming the president of Ginling College, Wu Yifang skillfully balanced the differing demands of the board and the government, successfully completing the registration with the Ministry of Education in 1930. The college’s name was officially changed to Ginling Women’s College of Arts and Sciences, allowing graduates to receive government scholarships for studying abroad and significantly reducing employment restrictions.

As the threat of Japanese artillery loomed over the Yangtze River in 1937, Wu Yifang displayed remarkable courage by arranging for Ginling’s faculty and students to disperse across Shanghai, Wuchang in Hubei Province, and Chengdu in Sichuan Province, eventually relocating everyone to Huaxi Ba in Chengdu. She worked tirelessly to create conditions for students to continue their studies, ensuring that they could contribute to their troubled homeland. Faculty members like Minnie Vautrin, who chose to stay on campus, transformed Ginling into a vital part of the international safety zone, risking their lives to protect over ten thousand women and children from the Japanese invaders especially during the Nanjing Massacre.

Wu Yifang further interpreted Ginling’s motto “Public Welfare” to mean that the purpose of life is not only to live for oneself but to use one’s wisdom and abilities to help others and society. This philosophy not only benefits others but also enriches one’s own life. She taught her students with this goal in mind, subtly guiding them toward striving to fulfill her promise of “nurturing female leaders” that she made in her inaugural speech.

In her efforts to advance women’s education and promote anti-Japanese resistance, Wu Yifang crossed the Pacific multiple times on behalf of China. However, her most significant journey was as an independent representative at the United Nations Constitutional Conference.

On April 25, 1945, the United Nations General Assembly was grandly convened in San Francisco. The Chinese delegation consisted of nine official representatives, with Wu Yifang being the only woman. Before departing for the U.S., she delivered a speech at a farewell event in Chongqing, emphasizing the importance of spirit and morality, stating, “Through the blood and tears of two world wars, we know that moral strength must prevail over brute force, and we must uphold everlasting world peace.” 

During group discussions on the draft UN Charter, the United States, Britain, China, and the Soviet Union were placed in the fourth group. When it was Wu Yifang’s turn to speak, she calmly approached the podium, surveyed the audience, and began by discussing China’s rich history and culture. She recounted the invasions faced by modern China and expressed the determination of the Chinese people to overcome their enemies. She concluded by articulating the Chinese government’s perspective on maintaining world peace and its hopes for the UN Charter. As thunderous applause erupted in the hall, Wu Yifang transcended her individual identity and that of Ginling College, and began to personify the voice of peace for all of China.

On June 25, a moment awaited by the world arrived: the signing ceremony of the United Nations Charter. As China was the first country to suffer invasion and the first to rise in defense of peace, its representatives were specially chosen to sign first. Wu Yifang solemnly inscribed her name on the charter. After enduring the hardships of fate and the suffering of her nation, Wu Yifang stood at the center of the international stage, powered by an unparalleled strength as a woman. 

In 1951, Ginling College merged with Ginling University to establish National Ginling University. Following this, in 1952, Nanjing Normal University was founded on the site of Ginling College. Wu Yifang held leadership roles at both public Ginling University and Nanjing Normal University, later serving as the director of the Jiangsu Provincial Education Department, vice governor of Jiangsu Province, and vice chair of the All-China Women’s Federation.

After the reform and opening up in 1979, the University of Michigan informed Wu Yifang that she had been awarded the “Goddess of Wisdom” award and warmly invited her to receive it. Established by the university’s women’s alumni association in 1972, this award is given annually to outstanding alumni who bring honor to their alma mater and contribute to world peace.

At 86 years old, Wu Yifang hesitated about making the trip. However, upon hearing the news, Chinese central government leaders encouraged her to travel to the US to accept the award and visit overseas Ginling College alumni, showcasing an open China. To facilitate her journey, Nanjing Normal University sought approval from the Jiangsu Provincial Committee for Wu to serve as honorary president and agreed to her request to have Huang Xuhan, a foreign language teacher, accompany her.

In April, Wu Yifang and her companion set off from Beijing. Unlike her ocean voyage in 1922, this time she flew with a stopover in Paris. On the afternoon of April 27, the award ceremony was held at the University of Michigan. Amidst prolonged applause, Wu Yifang received the “Goddess of Wisdom” medal, a small silver medallion featuring an owl and an olive branch, symbolizing wisdom and peace.

After receiving the award, Wu Yifang delivered her acceptance speech in fluent English: “Today, the women’s alumni association of the University of Michigan holds this grand ceremony to present me with the ‘Goddess of Wisdom’ award. This is not only an honor for me personally but also for my motherland, my people, and especially for the women of China.” At the end of the ceremony, she presented a gift representative of Nanjing, expressing her hope for lasting friendship between the peoples of China and the United States.

In early May, Wu Yifang traveled to Florida to visit her longtime friend Xu Yizhen, with whom she had fought side by side for Ginling College. The memories of their shared struggles felt fresh, yet both women found themselves in the twilight of their years, with Xu Yizhen particularly burdened by illness, which deeply saddened Wu Yifang.

In June, Wu Yifang made her way to New York to attend the dual anniversary celebration of Ginling College alumni. After many years apart, seeing the graduates of Ginling’s first class celebrate their sixtieth anniversary brought tears of joy to her eyes. Wu Yifang warmly shared her life experiences and insights, encouraging them to remember their roots and give back to their homeland.

Upon returning to Nanjing, a large seminar was held at Nanjing Normal University, where Wu Yifang shared her impressions about her visit to the US. She highlighted the developments and changes in American education. During her time abroad, she visited institutions like Columbia University as honorary president, fostering exchanges between Nanjing Normal University and American universities. Additionally, she ordered a collection of books in the US to donate to relevant departments back home, further supporting her institution’s development.

With the active support of Nanjing Normal University, Wu Yifang repeatedly invited Ginling College’s overseas alumni to return to China. Surrounded by alumni on campus, they resolved to help Wu Yifang realize her dream of restoring the college. 

In 1985, Wu Yifang passed away in Nanjing, her final thoughts still focused on the revival of Ginling College. In 1987, Ginling Women’s College was reestablished as a secondary college within Nanjing Normal University. Though she was gone, her spirit lived on. And inspired by her legacy, Ginling alumni actively donated to support the construction of classroom buildings as well as the Yifang Garden, embodying the school’s motto of “Public Welfare.” 

In retrospect, Wu Yifang’s three trips to the US became significant milestones in her life, not only opening the Barbour Scholarship path for Ginling College but also representing China’s voice for peace and showcasing an open China to all the world.

Well, that’s the end of our podcast. Our theme music is by the famous film score composer Roc Chen. We want to thank our writer Lü Weitao, translator Du Guodong and copy editor Pu Ren. And thank you for listening. We hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, please tell a friend so they, too, can understand The Context.