SYSU Student Chorus

The SYSU Student Chorus is an influential art association in SYSU. It was previously known as Xinghai Philharmonic Chorus in honor of SYSU’s alumnus and people’s musician Xian Xinghai. Distributed across Guangzhou South Campus, Guangzhou North Campus, Guangzhou East Campus and Zhuhai Campus, the Chorus consists of nearly 300 undergraduates, postgraduates and PhD students from various schools and departments, with the aim to popularize fine art, sing songs of diversified styles, and spread choral art across the campuses.

Since its foundation, the Chorus has participated in many performances on and off campus and gained many awards under the guidance of the instructors including Guo Shuiliang, Xu Hong, Chen Ying, Zhou Li and Zheng Li. It has won first prizes in national and provincial college student art performances for five consecutive times. It received the gold award of mixed chorus with the highest score and the bronze award of men’s chorus in the 12th China International Chorus Festival. Besides, the Chorus has been to France, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan for exchanges and performances. It has also stepped on the stage of China Central Television (CCTV) for several times. The Chorus Concert in Xinghai Concert Hall as well as the Grass Concert and the Graduation Concert on all SYSU campuses are typical performances of the Chorus. In recent years the Chorus also participated in the original poetic drama Zhongshan Qing and the musical drama Duxing of the Red Trilogy of SYSU, which attracted much attention and praise on and off campus.

Members of the Chorus also gained many prizes in the annual SYSU Venus Singers’ Competition and other singing contests at the provincial or national level.

Conveying love with their performances, the SYSU Student Chorus will as always sing songs of the era and realize their youthful dreams!

SYSU Host and Etiquette Team

The SYSU Host and Etiquette Team is affiliated to the SYSU Art Troupe and managed by the SYSU Communist Youth League Committee. Associate Professor Xu Hong from the Art Education Center serves as the Art Director and takes charge of the hosting and etiquette services for the University’s various large activities, including the annual commencement ceremony and the artistic activities and performances on and off campus.

Members of the Etiquette Team improve their image and temperament, stage performance as well as etiquette and communication skills through daily training, etiquette services, stage shows and Women’s Drum Corp performances. They took part in the volunteer etiquette services for the 16th Asian Games as well as the meetings, celebrations and evening galas on campus. They also participated in the filming of the university’s promotional videos, admission brochures and etiquette teaching videos. The Etiquette Team plays an important role in various artistic activities as well, such as the flash mob show in the graduation season, the recording of Amazing China—a special program on CCTV-2 celebrating the National Day, the CCTV's program The Readers at Sun Yat-sen University, and the Hanfu clothing performance on the Grass Concert celebrating SYSU’s 93th anniversary. The Women’s Drum Corp of the Etiquette Team participated in the special program for the Dragon Boat Festival on CCTV-1 in 2018. Their newly adapted drum music Descendants of the Dragon was widely praised.

The Host Team shines on the stage with their eloquence and youthful image. They not only hosted hundreds of artistic activities on campus, but also gained many awards in national and provincial competitions on behalf of Sun Yat-sen University, including the Grand Prize in the “Nanyue Great Wall Cup” Speech Contest, the First Prize in the 5th National College Student Art Show with the recitation program Millennium Covenant, and the Grand Prize in the “Nanyue College Student Language Art Festival” with the reading program Notes on the Yueyang Tower. They also participated in the “Youth, Singing for the Motherland” music video, the provincial revolutionary tradition education program, and the series activities held by Guangzhou Daily celebrating the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening up, receiving media attention and reports. The main actors and reciters of the original poetic drama Zhongshan Qing and the musical drama Duxing of the Red Trilogy of SYSU are all from the Host Team. They shine brightly and win honor for the university.

The students of the SYSU Host and Etiquette Team are optimistic and versatile. They act as spokespeople of the campus as well as messengers for promoting traditional culture and spreading civilized custom.

SYSU Student Dance Troupe

The SYSU Student Dance Troupe is an art group composed of dance lovers on campus. Wu Changlin from the Art Education Center serves as the instructor. After 24 years of development, the SYSU Student Dance Troupe has become a big college art group with more than 200 members. With its mature artistic performance, profound cultural accumulation and distinct campus style, the Dance Troupe has stood out among many student associations and become a well-known brand in colleges and universities nationwide.

In the past 24 years, the Dance Troupe has been actively participating in the social practice programs of the University, bringing artistic beauty to remote rural areas. They also give wonderful performance to the freshmen in the annual orientation parties. Since 2004, 13 large-scale educational dance events have been held, including two High Mountains and Long Rivers dance galas at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, which were performed by members of the Dance Troupe in previous two decades from all over the world. In 2009, previous members of the Dance Troupe jointly compiled the anthology Dancing My World to celebrate SYSU’s 85th anniversary, which was published by Sun Yat-sen University Press.

The Dance Troupe participated in the National College Student Art Show organized by the Ministry of Education twice in the Great Hall of the People, and the recording of CCTV’s programs such as Teacher’s Day, Graduation Season, Always Go with the Party. They also performed artistic works such as My Motherland and Me, The Subway to Tomorrow, Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon, Every Minute and Every Second, and Cherish That Smile in the theme activity “Flowers in May” jointly organized by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Ministry of Education and China Central Television (CCTV). In many large-scale dance competitions organized by the Ministry of Education, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, and the Ministry of Culture, they have achieved good results. For example, the performance of Running All the Way won the gold medal in the 5th Lotus Cup Campus Dance Competition in 2009.

The Dance Troupe visited the Confucius Institutes in the United States, the Philippines and Mexico. They also paid a visit to Russia with the Chinese youth delegation. They have been to New Zealand, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, among other countries, giving wonderful dance performance to the local people, promoting cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries.

SYSU Chinese Orchestra

The SYSU Chinese Orchestra was founded in 2003. Zhang Dongxiao from the Art Education Center is the main founder and serves as the Art Director. With the purpose of “passing on folk music and carrying forward the national essence”, the SYSU Chinese Orchestra is a student orchestra with Lingnan characteristics, integrating national music training, exchange, performance with team construction.

The SYSU Chinese Orchestra has won more than 20 awards in national and provincial art competitions on behalf of Sun Yat-sen University. They actively participated in cultural exchange activities at home and abroad, including the performances in CCTV’s Long Live Youth, Green Olympics and Harmonious China, Graduation Song, Amazing China, Meeting Chinese Festivals—Dragon Boat Festival, among other programs. They also traveled to the Americas, Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia for exchange tours.

The SYSU Chinese Orchestra regularly holds special concerts such as the National Style Concert and the Guangdong Music Concert. Over the past 10 plus years, the SYSU Chinese Orchestra has gradually become a backbone of campus culture construction and an important window to present the image of excellent SYSUers.

SYSU Drama Association

The SYSU Drama Association has a long history and it is now distributed across Guangzhou South Campus, Guangzhou North Campus, Guangzhou East Campus and Zhuhai Campus. It consists of nearly 200 undergraduates and postgraduates from various schools and departments.

With the aim of “telling stories of all walks of life through merry laughter and angry shouting, and depicting colorful lives with pleasure, anger, sorrow and joy”, the Association is devoted to creating and performing drama. A group of young people with thoughts and dreams gather here to edit, direct, and perform drama together. They experience the complexity of life on stage, and pay tribute to youth and ideal in each performance.

Under the supervision of instructor Zhou Li and with concerted efforts of all members, the Association has received plenty of prizes:

Island   Excellent Performance (highest award) in National College Student Drama Festival (Guangzhou) in 2004;

Mirror Room   Best Director, Best Acting, and Excellent Performance in National College Student Drama Festival (Guangzhou) in 2006;

Clamorous Bench (Original Play)   Prizes in Performance, Acting, and Team Spirit in Guangzhou College Student Drama Festival in 2006;

Little Star   Excellent Play in National College Student Drama Festival in 2007;

Corpse by the Window  Silver Prize in National College Student Drama Festival (Guangzhou) in 2010;

New Views on Destination of Romance (Adapted Play)   Bronze Prize in National College Student Drama Festival (Guangzhou) in 2011;

A Ridiculous Wife   Support Prize for Creation in Guangzhou College Student Drama Festival in 2015;

Inside and Outside A Drama   Gold Prize in Drama and Sketch Competition in Zhuhai National High-tech Industrial Development Zone in 2016;

Senior Animals   Silver Prize in Drama and Sketch Competition in Zhuhai National High-tech Industrial Development Zone in 2016;

Dear Life   Bronze Prize in Drama and Sketch Competition in Zhuhai National High-tech Industrial Development Zone in 2016;

A River to Ubud (Original Play)   Prize of Comprehensive Abilities in Play in Guangdong College Student Drama Festival in 2018; Best Drama, Excellent Actors, Popular Actors, Excellent Director, Best Script, and Poster Design in "Hear the Blooming of Flowers" Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area College Student Culture and Art Festival in 2018.

On the stage on or off campus, the SYSU Drama Association has demonstrated SYSU students’ spirits of innovation and courage to express themselves.

SYSU Symphony Orchestra

Founded in 2000, the SYSU Symphony Orchestra is a vibrant society made up of students with special talents in music as well as music lovers. Aiming to "enrich the cultural life, create the cultural atmosphere on campus, and improve students’ musicianship”, and upholding the principle of “high quality, clear structure, and positive effect”, the association has organized a series of musical activities under the supervision of instructor Jiang Qin. It has hosted over 100 concerts including new year concerts, graduation concerts, grass concerts, and the university’s anniversary concerts. It successfully hosted the Symphony Concert in Celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the Founding of Sun Yat-sen University by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and received praises from experts and scholars at home and abroad.

The SYSU Symphony Orchestra consists of wind, string, percussion and piano sections. In recent years, it has been invited to participate in performances at home and abroad. Meanwhile, it has obtained outstanding achievements in various competitions: First Prize in National Wind Music Competition in 2001; Second Prize in National Piano Competition in 2002; Second Prize in the 1st Guangdong College Student Art Show in 2005; First, Second, and Third Prize of the 1st Instrumental Music Competition in Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center in 2006; First and Second Prize in Guangdong College, Middle School and Primary School Student Instrumental Music Competition in 2010; First Prize in SYSU Student Club Competition in 2010; First Prize in National Wind Music Competition in 2010; Performance at the Opening Ceremony of the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010; First Prize in the 3rd Guangdong College Student Art Show; Second Prize in the 3rd National College Student Art Show in 2012; First Prize in Guangdong Province of the National College Student Art Show in 2014 and 2018.

As time goes by, the Orchestra has grown from a small one into a big symphony orchestra with complete instrumental sections at mature level. While a number of excellent members have gained their popularity in the art field of universities and colleges nationwide, new students join the association and bring new changes each year. With concerted efforts of both new and old members, the SYSU Symphony Orchestra will continue to perform splendid music on the campuses of SYSU.

SYSU Original Music Association

Campus music has always been a tradition at SYSU, and the first tape of original campus songs in Chinese mainland, To the Sea, was published here as early as the 1980s. With an aim to inherit and promote this cultural brand and to explore and instruct students to create more campus songs, Associate Professor Xu Hong from the Art Education Center founded the SYSU Original Music Association in 1999 and served as the Art Director. Art consultants of this association included Chen Xiaoqi, famous musician and SYSU alumnus, Zhao Jian, deputy dean of the School of Popular Music at Xinghai Conservatory of Music, and Wang Houming, music director of China Record Group Co., Ltd.

The Association integrates songwriting, singing, performing, folk music, band, music production and music training. It consists of headquarters on Guangzhou South Campus and the modern band GroovyLIVE on Guangzhou East Campus.

The SYSU Original Music Association has created campus songs in the new era with the goal of “keeping the mission of the times in mind and singing the melodies of youth”. Since its founding, the Association has published three records of original campus songs, i.e., Graduation Ballad, Let Our Dreams Fly, and Dear Teachers. The song Remember That Smiling Face received the Five-One Project Prize by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. The song Together We Can Make It Better was chosen as the theme song for volunteers in the 16th Asian Games. The music video of Dear Teachers won the title of “the most beautiful campus song” by CCTV. Besides, singers and acappella band of the Association received the First and Second Prize in the 1st, 2nd and 4th National College Student Art Show, and the Silver Prize in the 4th National Acappella Competition. In 2018, the Association adapted the song Descendants of the Dragon and participated in CCTV-1's special program for the Dragon Boat Festival. That year, the Association also organized the Original Poetry and Music Lyrics Competition, in which many songs were adapted from Chinese traditional poems, showcasing the long-lasting charm of traditional Chinese culture in the new era.

As music continues to flow, cherished memories on campus are recorded. More and more students join the Association, showing their independent attitude towards music in various art festivals and activities. The Grass Concert and Graduation Flash Mob are regularly held to spread the music culture of SYSU. Guided by dreams and with continuing efforts, the SYSU Original Music Association has developed into one of the leading music associations among universities and colleges nationwide.

We refuse to go with the flow and lag behind. Instead, we create and share original music. The last thing we can lose is our passion for music, for music is our Muse, our source of enthusiasm. The SYSU Original Music Association welcomes those who are fond of music production and singing. We wait for you to create the next record of original campus songs in SYSU!

SYSU Painting and Calligraphy Association

Since its foundation in 1996, the SYSU Painting and Calligraphy Association has been dedicated to spreading the charm of painting and calligraphy and improving the students’ competence in painting and calligraphy. The Association is involved in traditional art such as painting, calligraphy and design, and relevant training for its members is available as well. The Association organizes painting and calligraphy activities annually, including the Sun Yat-sen Painting and Calligraphy Competition, and the Sending Spring Festival Couplets Activity. In addition, its members also visit exhibitions of painting and calligraphy, hold lectures, communicate with students from all campuses who are interested in painting and calligraphy, and actively participate in competitions of painting and calligraphy at different levels. Under the guidance of instructor Yao Youyi, the students have not only improved their knowledge of and skills in painting and calligraphy, but also obtained outstanding achievements in the National College Student Art Show as well as national, provincial and municipal art competitions. So far, some members have been admitted into painting and calligraphy associations at the provincial, municipal, and district level.

Overview of Sports at Sun Yat-sen University

Century-old Sports Traditions of Sun Yat-sen University

During a hundred years of educational development, both Sun Yat-sen University and Lingnan University have developed fine sports traditions. Dr Sun Yat-sen, who visited the two universities several times to deliver speeches and spread his revolutionary thoughts, had exerted tremendous influence on both teachers and students. In his opinion, “a nation incapable of defending itself can never survive in such an era of fierce competition.” He encouraged his compatriots to attach importance to physical education, regarding it "crucial to strengthening our nation.” Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s views on physical education: “strengthen the people and strengthen the nation”, the “martial spirit” and “If a nation wants to strengthen itself, it must first strengthen its people’s stamina” became some of his ideals of realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and served as a guide to the two universities’ physical education.

Lingnan University, founded in 1888, was a pioneer of modern physical education. At the end of Qing Dynasty, it carried out various sports activities such as football, tennis, baseball, athletics and swimming, emphasizing the significance of physical education for personality cultivation. It excelled in sports competitions and won many team champions in the Sports Meeting of Guangdong Province. From 1913 to 1934, every session of the Far East Games was attended by students from Lingnan University, including the captains of the Chinese “Big Three” teams in the 4th Far East Games—Huang Renrang of basketball team, Tang Fuxiang of football team and Guo Linshuang of volleyball team. In addition, Xu Heng, who later served as a member of the International Olympic Committee and chairman of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, attended the 9th and the 10th Far East Games. In 1936, the student of Lingnan University Situ Guang attended the Berlin Olympic Games and took part in the triple jump and long jump events.

Sports activities were popular at SYSU in the early Republican Period, and the physical education exams were rigorous. Setting the pace in physical education in Guangdong, SYSU sent many athletes to attend the Far East Games and achieved great results. For example, volleyball athletes including Li Lianying, Li Fushen, Huang Bingkun, Ma Yuanju, Liang Chaohui and Zhu Zucheng, swimming athletes including Long Rongshi and volleyball coach Zhao Shanxing attended the 9th Far East Games in 1930; and football athletes including Huang Jiliang, male volleyball athletes including Huang Yingjie, Liang Jietang, Li Fuzhong and Li Lianying, female volleyball athletes including Sun Zhi, Xiao Huijin and Lu Huixian, track and field athlete Zhao Shiyi, and swimming athletes Yang Tinghua and Bao Li attended the 10th Far East Games in 1934. In the Berlin Olympic Games held in 1936, SYSU students Huang Yingjie (from the Department of Agriculture) and Huang Jiliang (from the Department of English) took part in the track and field as well as football events as Chinese Olympic pioneers.

Sports Figures in the History of SYSU

Tang Fuxiang, the “King of Football”, was born in Hong Kong. He was a member of the South China Football Team and a national champion. In 1923, he went to the United States for further study. After returning to China, he worked in Lingnan University. In 1913, Tang Fuxiang attended the 1st Far East Games and made great contributions to the team. From the 2nd to the 4th Far East Games, he became the captain of China’s football team and was praised as the first “King of Football” from the Far East. In the 8th Games, he served as the coach of China’s football team.

Yang Jinghui won the men’s diving champion in the 28th Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. A native of Guangzhou, he was born in May 1983. He enrolled at SYSU in 2004, majoring in Administration Management, and he continued his postgraduate study in this major in 2008.

Lao Lishi won the women’s diving champion in the 28th Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. A native of Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, She was born in December 1987. She enrolled at SYSU in 2004, majoring in Administration Management.

Luo Yutong won the men’s diving champion in the 30th Olympic Games in London in 2012. A native of Huizhou, Guangdong province, he was born in January 1985. He enrolled at SYSU in 2004, majoring in Administration Management.

Department of Physical Education, Sun Yat-sen University

The Department of Physical Education is mainly committed to teaching public physical education courses and training masters of physical education at SYSU. Besides, it is also responsible for extracurricular sports training, mass sports and scientific research.

Physical Education   Public physical education courses are quality courses of SYSU, and have won the Excellent Teaching Achievement Award by SYSU, Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education for many times.

Mass Sports   SYSU has more than forty sports associations. They hold diverse sports activities including the university’s sports meeting organized by the Department of Physical Education, the marathon, the swimming competition, the “Kangle Cup” football match as well as basketball matches, volleyball matches, martial arts, fencing, dragon boat and orienteering activities, etc.

Training and Competition   SYSU is among the first pilot universities approved by the Ministry of Education to enroll high-level athletes. Its key sports events are track and field, swimming, volleyball, fencing, and football. As the first National Collegiate Sports Training Center, SYSU has cultivated many famous athletes including Olympic champions Sun Shuwei, Yang Jinghui, Lao Lishi and Luo Yutong. It has been selected as an advanced unit in national college physical education, mass sports and amateur training for many times, and has been awarded the “President Cup” by the Ministry of Education in the National University Games for five consecutive times.

Teaching Faculty   The Department of Physical Education at SYSU boasts outstanding teaching staff, including 5 professors, 28 associate professors, 4 senior lecturers, 11 full-time teachers, 11 lecturers, 1 teaching assistant, and 5 other teachers. Among them there are 13 with doctorates, 9 national masters of sports, 3 international masters of sports, 8 national referees, 2 international referees, and 6 national coaches and above. Many famous athletes and coaches are currently teaching at SYSU, including Zhang Jiewen, Olympic badminton champion and winner of nine world championships; Luo Wei, Olympic Taekwondo champion; Li Tieming, former assistant coach of the national women’s volleyball team; Yang Liqun, former coach of the national men’s volleyball team; Xu Yunbao and Li Jianping senior national coaches among others. They have formed a well-structured and influential teaching team with high capabilities of teaching, research and training.

Sports Venues and Facilities   SYSU is equipped with complete sports venues and facilities. They are mainly used for P.E. courses, the training of sports teams and public sports activities.

Yingdong Sports Center on Guangzhou South Campus was donated by Mr. Henry Fok and completed in 1988, which includes Yingdong Gymnasium, Yingdong Stadium, tennis courts, basketball court, volleyball court, swimming pool and administration building.

The new gymnasium on Guangzhou South Campus will be completed in September 2019, covering a total area of more than 17,000 square meters. The gymnasium is equipped with basketball court, volleyball court, badminton court, table tennis court, gym, fencing room, aerobics room and so on, providing a good environment for teachers and students to exercise.

Sports Venues on Guangzhou East Campus are located in the central part of the campus. They include stadiums, football fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts, badminton courts, table tennis courts, baseball fields, softball fields, swimming pool, gym, artistic gymnastics room, strength training room, water sports center, and a multifunctional gymnasium.

The Gymnasium on Zhuhai Campus has a unique style. It adopts the natural foundation and the steel cable structure, with the exterior wall made of color profiled steel plates, and the roof made of large-span color steel plates. Covering an area of nearly 9,000 square meters, with 120m in length and 70m in width, it is equipped with basketball courts, volleyball courts, tennis courts, badminton courts and table tennis courts among others, providing all-day long sports training and competition venues for students on the campus. There are also football field, stadiums and other sports facilities.