STU Memories: The 'Second Love Letter' Found in a Qiaopi — Three Generations of Educational Dedication

An Educational Dream in a Qiaopi

In the film “A Letter to Ah Ma,” a qiaopi from Thai-Chinese emigrant Xu Yuqian reads: “After the war, Liu Houwu went to Thailand to campaign for a Chaoshan university, but it came to nothing. That it has now been established is truly the fortune of Chaoshan.” These brief words capture the regret and hope of a generation.

Liu Houwu, a native of Gurao, Chaoyang, was an early Tongmenghui member who participated in the Guangzhou Huanghuagang Uprising and later served as a监察委员 in the Nationalist government. In 1947, he resigned his post to dedicate himself entirely to founding Chaoshan University, traveling extensively to raise funds from overseas Chinese communities. However, political turmoil prevented the university from being realized — his life’s greatest regret. He passed away in Hong Kong in 1975, still yearning for higher education in his homeland.

Three Generations of Educational Legacy

On March 22, 1994, Liu Houwu’s grandson — renowned Stanford University economist Professor Liu Zunyi — was appointed as an honorary professor at Shantou University.

During this visit, Liu Zunyi not only delivered a lecture on “China’s Economy in the 21st Century” but also brought his family’s two-generation commitment to Chaoshan education. His father, Liu Shida, pledged ¥10,000 annually to support outstanding economics students from poor backgrounds. This commitment became the “Liu Houwu Scholarship,” awarded by the STU Business School for many years.

In subsequent years, Liu Zunyi remained actively involved in STU’s development, visiting multiple times to lecture and facilitating international academic exchanges.

A Century of Dedication

From Liu Houwu’s resignation to found Chaoshan University in 1947, to Liu Zunyi’s appointment at STU in 1994, to the university’s collection of 40,000 qiaopi documents today — nearly a century has passed, but the Chaoshan people’s commitment to education endures.

The founding of STU was never the work of one person, but a collective endeavor spanning oceans and generations, forging the university’s spiritual foundation of “patriotism, love for hometown, reform, and innovation.”

Source: Shantou University WeChat Account (View original)