On October 10, 2021, the inauguration ceremony of Guoning Peach and Plum Fund was successfully held. Prof. Huang Xianhai, Vice President of Zhejiang University and Vice President of Education Foundation, and Mr. Shen Liyong, Director General of Development Liaison Office, Secretary General of Education Foundation and Secretary General of Alumni Association, on behalf of Zhejiang University, presented the honorary certificate and donation nameplate to alumnus Shao Chenxi respectively. The ceremony was hosted by Mei Deqing, Secretary of the CPC Committee of School of Mechanical Engineering.
Prof. Huang Xianhai said that Shao Chenxi is an outstanding graduate of mechanical manufacturing and automation at School of Mechanical Engineering. After his graduation in 2005, with the motto of “Seeking Truth and Pursuing Innovation” in his heart, he founded Hangzhou Jiuai Technology Co., Ltd. Besides, Shao Chenxi was the first master student of Prof. Qi Guoning, an expert in industrial engineering in China, after Prof. Qi came to teach at Zhejiang University in 2000. Shao received great care and support from Prof. Qi in his studies and life and even in his start-ups. Today, in order to commemorate Prof. Qi Guoning and support industrial engineering, Shao Chenxi donated RMB 10 million yuan in the name of his father, Mr. Shao Youming, to the Guoning Peach and Plum Fund, which reflects his love to his mentor and his devotion to Zhejiang University. Peaches and plums are silent; yet a path is formed beneath. Zhejiang University has long been following the essence of the National Education Conference and the series of important strategies of the CPC Central Committee on Teacher Morality and Norms, highlighting the cardinal task of fostering virtue through education, and striving to build a high-quality teaching team with excellent political quality, professionalism and high level of teaching; therefore, a number of teachers with high moral character like Prof. Qi Guoning were attracted to the University and made contributions to disciplines, talent cultivation and the progress of the University. Zhejiang University fully supports the School of Mechanical Engineering in its high quality development and it is hoped that the School will take a further step in talent cultivation, discipline construction and scientific research, and play a bigger role in the University progress and in China’s prosperity and repay the support of alumni and the community with actions.
Shao Chenxi recalled in his speech that his youthful years were still vivid in his mind and the earnest teachings of Prof. Qi Guoning were still fresh in his ears when he returned to his alma mater. He said that what he has achieved so far could not be possible without the teaching of two teachers: his father, who was a secondary school teacher, and Prof. Qi Guoning. He learned three things from Prof. Qi. The first is his sense of responsibility for the motherland. He got to know that studying is not for personal fame and fortune, but for social development, for China’s wealth and strength; secondly, he understood fully the motto of “Seeking Truth and Pursuing Innovation” in the rigorous and meticulous scholarship of Prof. Qi, which has shaped and benefited him in his work over the years. Third, Prof. Qi’s benevolence, care and support for all the students when they are in trouble, regardless of their backgrounds. So when he is able to help others now, he wants to do something to the School and to the University, to repay the love and support from Prof. Qi and the School. He hoped that the Fund can help students and teachers to grow and to engage in the integrated development of China’s manufacturing and in addressing China’s technological “bottlenecks”.
After the ceremony, an event was held on “Remembering Professor Qi Guoning and Popularizing Excellent Teacher Morality”. Prof. Qi Guoning’s son, Prof. Qi Lian of Rutgers University, recalled his father’s lifetime and expressed his gratitude to Mr. Shao Chenxi for his generous donation to the Fund in teleconferencing. Mr. Qi Guowei, the elder brother of Prof. Qi Guoning, on behalf of relatives, recalled the life of Prof. Qi Guoning and expressed his sincere gratitude to all the students and teachers present. Chen Zichen, Vice Chairman of Development Committee, Academician Tan Jianrong, Mei Deqing, Ye Zhong, Bo Tao, Han Yongsheng, Cao Yunfu, Shao Xinyu, Huang Pei, Gu Xinjian, Xiao Lihua, Su Baohua, Li Hao, Lu Yujun and other friends, colleagues and students of Prof. Qi Guoning shared their warm memories of him. The stories of Prof. Qi outlined his whole lifetime and his vivid image as an erudite, generous, graceful, righteous and professional teacher in the heart of everyone.
Biography of Prof. Qi Guoning
Qi Guoning (Sep. 20, 1949--Oct. 9, 2014), graduated from Hangzhou No. 1 Middle School (present-day Hangzhou Senior High School) and then studied at Hangzhou Turbine Factory Technical School in 1965, and later worked as a bench worker in the assembly workshop of the Factory. In 1979, he studied in the Systems Engineering Research Class of Shanghai Mechanical College. In 1984, he went to study at the Japanese Overseas Technician Training Center for six months under the scholarship from the Japanese government. In 1985, he went for further studies at TU Berlin under the scholarship of Carl Duisberg Fund, Germany. In 1993, he obtained his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Manufacturing and Automation from Zhejiang University, and then went for post-doctoral studies in Thermal Dynamics at University of Shanghai for Science and Technology. In 2001, he became a professor and doctoral supervisor at Department of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, with his research interests in computer integration fundamentals, product modeling, modularization technology, etc.
Qi Guoning finally grew to be an expert with national impact, international vision and engineering experience from a worker, a technician to a senior engineer, a researcher and a professor. As one of the founders of China’s manufacturing informatization, he devoted his life to promoting product innovation and made remarkable contributions to the transformation and upgrading of China’s manufacturing industry and independent innovation capability. He was a member of the National Expert Group on Manufacturing Informatization, a member of the National Medium and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan, a member of the Expert Committee on Advanced Manufacturing and Automation of National 863 Plan, a member of the General Group of National Manufacturing Informatization Project, Deputy Head of the expert group in “Foresight Research in China’s Technology for Next 20 Years” advanced manufacturing technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and deputy head of “Research Institute of Informatization-driven Industrialization Strategy” group of Chinese Academy of Engineering. He conducted over 20 projects under the National 863 Program, National Tackling Program, National Natural Science Foundation of China and Sino-German cooperation projects. Besides, he published 13 monographs and translations and over 180 papers. He won the Second Prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award once and the First Prize of Science and Technology Progress Award of Zhejiang Province twice. Awarded “National Outstanding Returned Overseas Student” by the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Education in 1997, he was received by national leaders in Zhongnanhai, Beijing. In 1998, he was honored “National Outstanding Worker in Science and Technology”, and in 2001, he started to receive special allowance from the State Council. After being a professor and doctoral supervisor of mechanical engineering in Zhejiang University, Professor Qi Guoning supervised over 20 doctoral students and 4 post-doctoral students, many of whom have become pillars in universities and businesses.