Yuwen Hong: Embracing Silver Years with Unyielding Spirit

Before retirement, Professor Yuwen Hong taught a highly popular course called Speech and Eloquence. He was adept at sharing profound life philosophy through witty and humorous language, leaving a deep impression on students with remarks like: “Life rushes by, and its pace isn’t determined by the clock.” “Ancient people have seen the moon of today, yet today’s moon cannot illuminate the ancients.” “Time never stops, and we should fulfill our duties every minute.” He once said: “our life’s book will gradually turn to its final page as time flows. Aging gracefully within our limited years is also a valuable ending written in this life’s script.” This has been his personal motto since entering his senior years.

Professor Yuwen Hong retired in September 2017 and was rehired for a year as Deputy Secretary-General of Hebei University Alumni Association. In 2018, he began serving as a member of the Hebei University Committee for the Care of the Next Generation (CCNG). In November 2023, he was appointed to the Theoretical Research Center of the Provincial CCNG by the Education Department of Hebei Province. In October 2023, he was awarded the title of “Silver-haired Talent” by the Bureau of Veteran Cadres of Hebei Provincial Party Committee. “This is a high recognition of my work over the past five years since my retirement, and it is also a spur and encouragement for me to continue learning, contributing and enjoying life in my later years.”

Warming Hearts and Gathering People, Making a Lasting Impact

During his tenure as Deputy Secretary-General of the Alumni Association, Professor Yuwen Hong actively organized and participated in friendship activities of alumni chapters in various regions. Proficient in using social media, he promoted the university by publishing news, articles, and photos on the alumni association's official WeChat account, as well as his personal WeChat and QQ Moments, attracting widespread attention from alumni to their alma mater. At the art performance celebrating Hebei University’s centennial anniversary in 2021, he was invited to play Hua Nangui, the first Chinese president in the university’s history, and his performance, both in form and spirit, received praise from many alumni.

Devoted to Education, Shining in Silver Years

Since joining the University’s CCNG, he has enthusiastically engaged in its work, frequently offering valuable suggestions and giving full play to the role of “Five Elders” (veteran party members, cadres, teachers, technicians, and model workers). Over five years, he has delivered nearly 40 lectures to students of the university’s Young Marxists Training Project, Party activist candidates, and other groups, reaching more than 3,000 listeners. His profound academic accomplishments in ideological and political theory, combined with years of practical experience in ideological education, have made each lecture engaging and thought-provoking. He also serves as an advisor to student associations such as the Speech and Eloquence Association and the Public Relations and Etiquette Association, guiding students in various speech competitions where many have achieved outstanding results. Keeping abreast of current affairs and politics, he actively disseminates the Party’s voice through lectures to senior Party members of the university, inspiring them to contribute their wisdom and supporting the ideological and political education of young teachers and students, enabling senior Party members to better participate in the university’s work of caring for the next generation.

His lectures have not only benefited teachers and students of Hebei University but also staff from many other institutions. From 2020 to 2022, he also utilized online platforms to deliver special lectures for five units, including Baoding Electric Power Vocational and Technical College. Focusing on politics of current events and supporting thematic education has been his training direction since retirement. After the convening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2022, he diligently studied the report on the 20th National Congress, prepared special lecture materials, promoting the interpretation of the 20th National Congress to four units, including Hebei Software Institute. In April 2023, upon the Central Government’s release of the notice on carrying out thematic education on studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, he immediately collected relevant materials, conducted in-depth research, and prepared lecture scripts. In the past two years, he has successively delivered more than 30 special lectures to 15 enterprises and public institutions on topics such as the ideological and political quality of young cadres and the improvement of work capabilities, attracting over 2,000 listeners.

Building Friendship through Writing, Enjoying Life

In addition to giving lectures, he also writes essays about life insights to spread positive energy. Since September 2022, either independently or in collaboration with friends, he has published more than 20 articles through platforms such as “Caifeng’ (Fieldwork) official WeChat account of Hebei Fieldwork Association, Douyin and short videos by Chang Hongliang (online name: Comrade Laoliang), an outstanding alumnus of Hebei University’s Department of History, and “Yanding Literature” official WeChat account of Zhuozhou Writers’ Association (Federation of Literary and Art Circles), reaching over 2 million viewers and readers.

Keeping pace with the times, pursuing progress endlessly, doing one’s best, and making more contributions-this is the motto of Professor Yuwen Hong, a veteran  Party member who joined the Communist Party of China in 1978. No matter how time changes, he always maintains a young heart. He says: “Silver years are also golden years; one must continuously learn new knowledge, embrace new challenges, accept new things, and tackle new tasks. Only in this way can we maintain the vitality and charm of life in a ever-changing world.” And he has truly lived up to this belief.