On the morning of September 18, 2025, the opening ceremony for the 2025 freshmen of the Law School of BNU Zhuhai was successfully held in Room A215 of the Muduolou Building.

Mr. Mi Jian, a distinguished professor at Beijing Normal University, Professor Liang Yingxiu, Dean of the Law School, Professor Yuan Zhijie, Vice Dean of the Law School and director of the Center on the Rule of Law and Development at the Zhuhai campus, Associate Professor Liu Yitong, Associate Professor Zhang Zongqing, deputy director of the Center on the Rule of Law and Development at the Zhuhai campus, Associate Professor Liu Shiqiang, Teacher Wu Qian, Teacher Yang Xu from the Law School, Teacher Yin Shuyu, executive editor of “Bay Area Communication”, Teacher Yang Zhuoying, academic affairs secretary of the Law School, Teacher Xian Xueru, student affairs secretary of the Law School, and all the 2025 freshmen of the Law School at the Zhuhai campus attended the ceremony. The ceremony was hosted by Professor Yuan Zhijie.

The opening ceremony officially began with the solemn national anthem.

Student representative Yuan Ziqi gave a speech.

Student representative Yuan Ziqi sincerely shared her journey of studying after entering the university, with the theme of “Accepting the Ordinary and Being Down-to-Earth” to share her growth insights. She recalled the academic adaptation pressures and setbacks she faced when she first entered the Law School, and through regular daily study, consistent exercise, and participation in choir activities, she gradually found a suitable rhythm for her life. She encouraged the freshmen to calmly accept confusion and anxiety, believing in the power of “though moving slowly, never retreating”, using her own experiences to validate the significance of pursuing progress in the ordinary, which resonated with the audience.

Freshman representative Liu Xin gave a speech.

The representative of the freshmen, Liu Xin, shared her struggles during the exam preparation phase and her insights upon entering the law school. She candidly expressed that students from all corners of the world gather here with a pursuit of fairness and justice, as well as a commitment to the rule of law. She urged the new students to uphold the school motto of “Cultivating Virtuous Talents, Practicing Law Worldwide” and to fulfill the mission and responsibilities of “Beijing Normal University Law Students”. In the face of challenges in adapting to a new environment, she encouraged her classmates to maintain a calm mindset, to not fear the future, and to grow together at the Law School of Beijing Normal University, contributing their youthful strength to the construction of a rule-of-law China.

Teacher representative Yang Xu gave a speech.

Teacher representative Yang Xu elaborated on the essence and value of law from a theoretical perspective, with the topic “What is the Law We Study?”. Teacher Yang Xu first clarified that the fundamental source of legal knowledge is the norms within the current legal order, emphasizing the foundational principle of legal dogmatics: “No text, no doctrine”. He sharply pointed out that students often mistakenly regard textbooks, papers, and even bar exam notes as legal bases, reiterating that solving legal issues must return to the legal texts themselves. In response to the skepticism regarding the “uselessness of law”, Teacher Yang Xu firmly asserted that law is a practice-oriented scientific discipline.

In the debate over whether law possesses scientific characteristics, Teacher Yang Xu proposed a key conclusion: law is a science that seeks to objectify value judgments. He criticized the misunderstanding that equates value judgments with subjective likes and dislikes, emphasizing that “discovering the problem of value judgment is precisely the beginning of true legal thinking”, thus defending the foundation of law as a science.

At the end of his speech, Teacher Yang Xu encouraged the freshmen to deeply practice the three core qualities of "law originates from legislation, serves practice, and pursues scientific objectivity" in their future studies and lives, striving to grow into outstanding legal talents.

Message from the Dean of the Law School

Professor Liang Yingxiu, the Dean of the Law School, delivered a message to the freshmen titled "Stay Optimistic and Enjoy the Struggle," offering two points of spiritual guidance. Professor Liang first suggested that students "stay optimistic." He pointed out that although the current job market is highly competitive, long-term observations reveal that educational opportunities and development space are actually much greater than in the past. He emphasized that in the face of objective reality, one should actively adjust expectations, reject anxiety and internal conflict, and maintain a positive mindset.

Secondly, he advocated for "enjoying the struggle." Dean Liang reminded students to avoid excessive tension and the fear of loss, and to approach their studies with a calm attitude of "doing one’s best and leaving the rest to fate." He cited a case from "Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned" to illustrate that there are multiple possibilities in life development, and success does not follow a single path. Even if the established goals are not achieved and one is forced to change direction, the outcome may not necessarily be worse and could even be better. Throughout history, many great figures have changed their paths midway through life and ultimately achieved extraordinary accomplishments.

Finally, Professor Liang Yingxiu emphasized that the prestigious reputation and top-notch education of the Law School at Beijing Normal University will provide solid support for students, encouraging everyone to enjoy the struggle with an optimistic mindset, believing that they can achieve their dreams. May everyone maintain optimism and a proactive spirit to achieve a wonderful life!

The ceremony also featured a unique book donation event, where Professor Mi Jian and Professor Liang Yingxiu jointly presented five classic legal works carefully prepared by the college for the 2025 freshmen, including "Rural China," "Chinese Law and Chinese Society," "Letters of a Persian," "Struggle for Rights," and "Introduction to Jurisprudence."

This was not just a simple handover of books, but also a symbol of the inheritance of legal spirit and the transmission of knowledge. Professor Mi Jian specifically shared insights on his translation of Radbruch’s classic work "Introduction to Jurisprudence," encouraging students to not only master current legal texts but also to establish a firm belief as legal professionals. He emphasized the importance of engaging in a soulful dialogue with classic works, learning to select beneficial books, thereby shaping the unique spiritual temperament and professional realm of legal practitioners. This ceremonial book donation event opened a new chapter in legal studies for the freshmen.

Amid the melodious school anthem, the opening ceremony for the 2025 freshmen of the Law School at BNU Zhuhai concluded successfully. The new generation of law students will surely inherit the glorious tradition of "Learning to be a teacher and acting as a model for the world," upholding the spirit of the school motto "Cultivating moral talents, practicing law worldwide," injecting youthful strength into the cause of rule of law in China!