Peking University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Peking University

北京大学
Seal
Former names	Imperial University of Peking
Type	Public
Established	1898; 127 years ago (1898)
President	Gong Qihuang
Party Secretary	Hao Ping
Academic staff	11,337
Students	44,730
Undergraduates	16,060
Postgraduates	28,670
Location	Haidian, Beijing , China 39°59′23″N 116°18′19″E / 39.98972°N 116.30528°E / 39.98972; 116.30528
Campus	274 ha (680 acres)
Colours	Red
Affiliations	C9, IARU, AALAU, AEARU, APRU, BESETOHA, BHUA
Website
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	北京大学
Traditional Chinese	北京大學
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Běijīng Dàxué Bopomofo ㄅㄟˇ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄉㄚˋ ㄒㄩㄝˊ Wade–Giles Pei3-ching1 Ta4-hsüeh2 Tongyong Pinyin Běi-jing Dà-syué IPA [pèi̯.tɕíŋ tâ.ɕy̯ě] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Bākgīng Daaihhohk IPA [pɐ́k̚ kéŋ tàːi hɔ̀ːk̚] Jyutping bak1 ging1 daai6 hok6
Abbreviation
Chinese	北大
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Běidà Bopomofo ㄅㄟˇ ㄉㄚˋ Wade–Giles Pei3-ta4 Tongyong Pinyin Běi-dà IPA [pèi̯ tâ]

Peking University (often called PKU) is a famous public university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is supported by the Chinese government's Ministry of Education. PKU is part of special programs like the Double First-Class Construction and the important C9 League, which includes China's top universities.

The university started as the Imperial University of Peking in 1898. It was created by the Guangxu Emperor and is the second oldest university in China. In 1912, its name changed to Peking University. Over the years, it merged with other universities, like Yenching University in 1952 and Beijing Medical University in 2000.

Peking University has six main areas of study: Humanities, Social Sciences, Economics and Management, Science, Information Technology and Engineering, and Health Science. It has 55 schools and departments, 60 research centers, and ten hospitals. Many top scientists and scholars work there.

History

The plaque of the Imperial University of Peking.

How Peking University Started

After China lost the First Sino-Japanese War, smart thinkers like Kang Youwei wanted to improve China's education. In 1898, the Guangxu Emperor agreed to create the Imperial University of Peking. This university was meant to be the best place for learning in the country. It opened on December 31, 1898, with 160 students.

In 1900, the university had to close for a while because of the Boxer Rebellion. Later, in 1902, another school for learning foreign languages joined the Imperial University. In 1904, the university sent 47 students to study abroad for the first time.

After the Xinhai Revolution, the university's name changed to "Government University of Peking" in 1912. Then, in 1919, it became "National University of Peking."

William Alexander Parson Martin, Dean of the Department of Western Learning with his students.

Early Years (1916–1927)

In 1917, Cai Yuanpei became the president. He made Peking University much bigger, with 14 departments and over 2,000 students. President Cai believed in academic freedom. He hired many famous thinkers, including Hu Shih, Li Dazhao, and Chen Duxiu.

The faculty of Peking University Institute for Chinese Classics in 1924

Peking University students protesting the Treaty of Versailles in the May Fourth Movement.

On May 4, 1919, students from Peking University and other schools protested in Tiananmen. They were upset that the Treaty of Versailles would give Japan control over parts of China. This protest, known as the May Fourth Movement, was a very important event in modern Chinese history. It led to big changes and helped start the Chinese Communist Party.

In 1920, Peking University was the first Chinese university to allow female students.

World War II (1927–1949)

During the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Peking University had to move. It joined with Tsinghua University and Nankai University to form the National Southwestern Associated University in Kunming.

After the war ended in 1946, Peking University moved back to Beijing. It had six schools and about 3,000 students.

After 1949

In 1949, after the People's Republic of China was formed, Peking University became a public university. In 1952, the government reorganized universities. Peking University gained some arts and science departments from other schools, but it lost its Law, Medicine, Engineering, and Agriculture schools. The university also moved to the former Yenching University campus.

Peking University's West Gate, one of the symbols of the university campus

From 1966 to 1976, during the Cultural Revolution, teaching and research at the university were greatly affected. Things slowly returned to normal after 1976.

In 1998, for its 100th anniversary, the government announced a project to help selected universities become world-class. This project was called “985”.

21st Century (2000–Present)

In 2000, Beijing Medical University rejoined Peking University. It is now called the Peking University Health Science Center.

In 2001, Peking University started the Yuanpei Program, which became the Yuanpei College in 2007. This program allows students to choose their own specializations. The university also opened a campus for graduate students in Shenzhen.

In 2014, the Yenching Academy was created. It's a program for students from around the world to learn about China.

In 2015, Professor Tu Youyou, an alumni of Peking University, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. She discovered artemisinin, a medicine that saves millions of lives from malaria.

Peking University continues to grow and partner with other universities globally. In 2021, it opened a new campus in Changping. The university also established new schools, like the School of Integrated Circuits and the School of Artificial Intelligence.

Campus

View of the central campus

Peking University's main campus is in northwest Beijing, in Haidian district. This area is known for its beautiful gardens and palaces. The campus used to be an imperial garden, so it has many traditional Chinese buildings, gardens, and pagodas.

The campus blends Western and Chinese styles. The West Gate is famous for its painted murals. Weiming Lake is in the north of the campus, surrounded by paths and gardens. The university also has museums, like the Museum of University History. These museums display old items, including objects from royal graves that are thousands of years old.

Besides the main campus, the Peking University Health Science Center is on Xueyuan Road. In 2001, the Shenzhen Graduate School opened in Shenzhen City.

Academics

One of the administrative buildings with the huabiao

Peking University has 30 schools and 12 departments. It offers 125 majors for undergraduate students and many programs for master's and doctoral degrees. The university does both basic and applied research.

PKU has 216 research centers, including national engineering research centers and national key laboratories. Its library is the largest university library in Asia, with 8 million books.

Peking University works with other top universities like the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University on programs like Biomedical Engineering. It is a major center for teaching and research in many subjects, from science to humanities and management.

Many former students of Peking University have become presidents of other big Chinese universities.

Rankings and Reputation

Peking University is consistently ranked among the top universities in China and the world. It is considered one of the best universities in the Asia-Pacific region.

For example, in 2023, the QS Rankings placed Peking University 12th in the world and first in Asia. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked it 16th globally and 1st in China and Asia-Pacific in 2022. It is also highly ranked for its research quality and for how well its graduates find jobs.

Schools and Institutes

Peking University offers a wide range of subjects through its many schools and institutes:

Peking University Library

Peking University Library is the largest university library in Asia. It celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2018.

Culture

A performance of Kunqu at Peking University

Peking University works with other universities on art and cultural projects. For example, it partners with the University of Chicago for the Center for the Art of East Asia. It also works with Stanford University on programs where students can study Chinese language, history, and culture.

National School of Development (NSD)

The National School of Development is one of China's most important research centers. It includes the Beijing International MBA (BiMBA) program, which is ranked among the best MBA programs in Asia.

Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School

Peking University HSBC Business School at its Shenzhen campus.

The Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School is a campus in Shenzhen, Guangdong. It opened in 2001 and works with the Shenzhen government. This campus has seven research departments, including the Peking University HSBC Business School and the Peking University School of Transnational Law.

In 2016, Peking University and the Shenzhen government agreed to expand this campus and offer undergraduate programs there in the future.

International Cooperation

The Langrun Garden, located in the north-eastern area of the university, is the home of the Beijing International MBA at Peking University

About 7,000 international students study at Peking University each year. They come from many countries around the world.

Peking University has special programs with other well-known universities. For example, it offers dual degree programs with Waseda University in Japan. This means students can earn a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from both universities. PKU also has partnerships with Cornell University, Yale University, London School of Economics, and Stanford University.

Global Excellence Strategy

In 2019, Peking University launched its "Global Excellence Strategy." This plan aims to make the university even more connected globally. It focuses on encouraging creativity, leadership, openness, uniqueness, diversity, and shaping the future.

Notable people

Statue of Cai Yuanpei on Peking University's campus

Notable Alumni

Many important people have studied at Peking University. These include:

• Politicians: Zhao Leji (a top leader in China), former Premier Li Keqiang, and former Interpol president Meng Hongwei.
• Scientists: Tu Youyou (Nobel Prize winner for malaria medicine), Qian Sanqiang (a key person in China's nuclear program), and Zhong Nanshan (a famous doctor).
• Writers and Thinkers: Lu Xun (a leading figure in modern Chinese literature), Hu Shih (a famous philosopher), and Jin Yong (a popular author).
• Business Leaders: Robin Li (co-founder of Baidu, a big tech company).
• Other: Hou Yifan (a world champion chess player).

Notable Academics and Staff

Peking University has also had many important teachers and staff members. These include Mao Zedong, who worked in the university library, and Cai Yuanpei, a famous educator and former Chancellor of the university.

Images for kids

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  Peking University during winter. The campus is situated on a former imperial garden.

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  Peking University during the autumn

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  The College of Architecture and Landscape

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  Boya Pagoda

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  The Humanities Buildings

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  A stone bridge inside the campus

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  A gymnasium building

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  Peking University West Gate

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  Peking University's Main Library

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  Weiming Lake occupies the central part of the campus of Peking University

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  The old site of the Ciji Temple at the Weiming Lake

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  Peking University's Science Teaching Building

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  School of International Studies

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  College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering

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  Peking University during the spring. Flowers are blooming everywhere.

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  School of Archaeology and Museology

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  Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Arts and Archaeology

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  Department of History

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  School of Life Sciences

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  Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research

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  Department of Chinese Language and Literature

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  Gu Hongming, translator and educator.

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  Lu Xun, leading figure of modern Chinese literature.

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  Hu Shih, influential Chinese philosopher and essayist.

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  Lin Yutang, Chinese writer, linguist, inventor, and translator.

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  Liang Shuming, philosopher.

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  Nuclear physicist and key contributor to the Chinese nuclear weapon program Deng Jiaxian.

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  Fei Xiaotong, sociologist and anthropologist.

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  Nuclear physicist and leading organizer of the Chinese nuclear weapon program, Qian Sanqiang.

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  Former Premier of China, Li Keqiang (LLB, PhD)

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  Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, pharmaceutical chemist and educator, recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

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  Co-founder and CEO of Baidu, billionaire Robin Li (BSc, Information Management, 1991)

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  Four-time Women's World Chess Champion, Hou Yifan (BA, International Relations, 2018)

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  World Chess Champion and highest-rated Chinese chess player in history, Ding Liren (BA, Law)

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  Mathematician and MacArthur Fellow Yitang Zhang (BA 1982, MA 1984)

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  Philosopher, national debate champion, co-founder and CEO of Kippa, Kennedy Ekezie (MA, Economics and Management)

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Pekín para niños

• 7072 Beijingdaxue – asteroid named after Peking University
• Affiliated High School of Peking University
• Beijing Guozijian
• China Family Panel Studies
• History of Beijing