In the early morning of September 18, the South Lake Central Sports Ground was solemn and serene. Marking the 94th anniversary of the outbreak of the September 18th Incident, the university organized a flag-raising ceremony involving over 6,000 freshmen from the Class of 2025, military training instructors, and a team of assisting instructors composed of retired university student soldiers. The event served to remember history in the name of youth and honor the martyrs with a determination to strive.

At 7:00 AM sharp, the flag-raising ceremony commenced. The flag escort squad marched with vigorous and determined steps as they brought in the national flag. Accompanied by the stirring strains of the "March of the Volunteers," the bright five-star red flag rose slowly. All teachers and students present observed the flag with fixed gazes, singing the national anthem loudly. Their eyes were filled with remembrance of history and firmness for the future.

At the Flag-Raising Ceremony. Photo by Ma Linguo

Following the flag-raising, freshman student representatives Su and Ran jointly presented a poetry recitation titled "The Blood-Stained Monument · The Oath of Youth." Their profound voices pierced the dawn: "The September night, shrouded in storm and gloom... It is an unhealed wound deep in the hearts of the Chinese people, the unyielding cry of the Chinese nation!" The recitation, with its cadence and modulation, conveyed both a sorrowful look back at history and a bold declaration for the new era: "Youth! Never forget the national humiliation, it is our deepest inner oath... Let us grow into stalwart pillars under the sunlight of the new era!" The powerful concluding lines—"September 18th, we remember! September 18th, we will never forget!"—resonated strongly with the entire audience, eliciting thunderous applause.

Poetry Recitation "The Blood-Stained Monument · The Oath of Youth". Photo by Cai Boxuan

Solemn Atmosphere at the Flag-Raising Ceremony. Photo by Cai Boxuan

Li, a freshman from the School of Journalism and Communication, shared her reflections: "During the flag-raising, seeing the determined eyes of our instructors and hearing the stories of heroes in the recitation, I deeply felt the weight of the word 'youth.' We are not only rememberers of history but also builders of the future."