On November 8, 2025, the Department of Spanish of the School of Foreign Languages at Peking University held its 65th-anniversary celebration and development forum at the new building of the School. Alumni from various graduating classes, academic peers, current faculty, and students gathered together to reminisce about the past and envision the future.

The opening ceremony was hosted by Zheng Nan, Deputy Chair of the Department of Spanish.

Li Shujing, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Foreign Languages at Peking University, delivered a speech on behalf of the School. She congratulated the Spanish major on its 65th anniversary and expressed hope that the department would continue to adhere to its educational mission, embrace innovation and integration, deepen international exchanges, and achieve further glory.

Li Shujing, Secretary of the Party Committee of Peking University’s School of Foreign Languages, delivering her speech.

Chang Fuliang, Dean of the School of Spanish and Portuguese Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University, delivered a speech on behalf of sister institutions. He congratulated the Department of Spanish at PKU for having cultivated numerous outstanding talents over the years and encouraged current students to solidify their foundational skills, enhance their academic proficiency, and strive to become versatile talents proficient in both language and knowledge. Zhang Rui, Vice Dean of the School of Foreign Studies at Jilin University, sent a congratulatory letter, thanking PKU Spanish faculty and alumni for their encouragement and support in the development of Jilin University’s Spanish discipline, and wishing PKU Spanish success in upholding tradition while pursuing innovation.

Alumni from various graduating classes, academic peers, current faculty, and students gathered to celebrate the 65th birthday of PKU’s Spanish major.

Lu Yanping, Chair of the Department of Spanish, extended a warm welcome to all present alumni and peers on behalf of the faculty and students. She reviewed the development history of PKU’s Spanish major, reported on the department’s achievements in talent cultivation, academic research, and exchange and cooperation, and outlined a blueprint for promoting high-quality disciplinary development in the digital and intelligent era. The Spanish major at Peking University was established in 1960. It launched its master’s program in 1978, established a master’s degree program in 1985, and a doctoral program in 1998, pioneering a complete talent cultivation system for Spanish in China. In 2007 and 2008, it was consecutively recognized as a distinctive major by the Ministry of Education and the Beijing Municipality. In 2019 and 2020, it was selected for the Beijing Municipal and National First-Class Undergraduate Major Construction initiatives, respectively. To date, PKU’s Spanish major has cultivated 45 undergraduate cohorts, 28 master’s cohorts, and 13 doctoral cohorts. Students possess solid professional foundations and outstanding comprehensive qualities, frequently achieving excellence in various academic competitions and forums. Graduates are active in diverse fields such as diplomacy, culture, education, and trade. Faculty members remain committed to the mission of educating talents for the Party and the country, striving diligently. They have presided over numerous national and provincial-level projects, organized high-level academic conferences and lectures, and frequently published papers, monographs, and translations. The department currently has three doctoral supervisors and five master’s supervisors, and it is the only Spanish major in the country with two recipients of the Lu Xun Literary Award in the “Literary Translation” category.

Zhao Zhenjiang and Lu Yanping from the Department of Spanish at PKU’s School of Foreign Languages successively won the 6th and 7th Lu Xun Literary Awards in the “Literary Translation” category.

During the opening ceremony, alumni representatives including Cheng Yiyang, Lu Yun, Wen Xiaojing, and Yuan Jing delivered heartfelt speeches. Student representatives Yu Xiaohui and Liu Sijia shared their growth experiences and gains. Professor Zhao Zhenjiang expressed high hopes for the younger generation of Spanish learners. The forum featured four parallel sessions: “Golden Memories,” “Learning from the Past to Illuminate the Future,” “Applying Knowledge to Practice,” and “Exploring Innovation Across Boundaries.” Su Zhenxing, Xu Shicheng, and Zhao Zhenjiang together shared stories from the pioneering 1960 class, the first cohort of PKU Spanish majors. Zheng Nan, along with alumni Cui Yan, Tan Jing, and Wang Yuan, recalled touching teacher-student bonds from their student days. Subsequently, colleagues from various fields, including Zeng Yan, Li Kunfei, Zhang Zhihua, Chen Zhiping, Xu Zhihong, Gan Tian, Zhang Xiaojun, and Suo Ya, and alumni such as Weng Miaowei, Wang Tian’ai, Liu Haozhe, Liu Donghua, Meng Fanji, and Zhang Jingyi participated in discussions. They focused on new trends in professional development, shared new teaching models and work experiences, and explored more possibilities for “Spanish+.”

Su Zhenxing, Xu Shicheng, and Zhao Zhenjiang sharing stories from the 1960 class, the first cohort of PKU Spanish majors.

At the closing ceremony, Department Chair Lu Yanping expressed sincere gratitude to all guests, alumni, faculty, and students. This anniversary celebration and forum not only witnessed the profound camaraderie among the PKU Spanish community but also illuminated the path forward for the Spanish major to keep pace with the times through a splendid fusion of scholarship and ideas.

Group Photo

Appendix:

The following sections showcase the achievements of the Department of Spanish at PKU’s School of Foreign Languages in recent years, covering awards, monographs, translations, papers, research projects, and student research activities. Please note that the information compilation is ongoing, and we appreciate your understanding.

In 2022, Professor Zhao Zhenjiang was honored with the “Lifetime Achievement Award in Translation Culture” by the Translators Association of China.

A List of Awards Received by Professor Zhao Zhenjiang

A List of Social Awards Received by Lecturer Fan Ye

Monograph Edited by Professor Wang Jun

Monographs Published by Faculty of the Department of Spanish, PKU School of Foreign Languages

Translations Published by Faculty of the Department of Spanish, PKU School of Foreign Languages (Partial List, Recent Years)

Papers Published by Faculty of the Department of Spanish, PKU School of Foreign Languages (Partial List, Recent Years)

Research Projects Presided Over by Faculty of the Department of Spanish, PKU School of Foreign Languages (Recent Years)

Awards Received by Graduate Students of the Department of Spanish, PKU School of Foreign Languages (Partial List)

Undergraduate Students of the Department of Spanish, PKU School of Foreign Languages Participating in Research Projects (Partial List)

The conference poster was designed by undergraduate students Liao Pinliang and Zhu Yifei (Class of 2024)

Translated by Zou Ya