As the principle of Tsinghua University and its affiliated schools，this old Chinese saying comes from the ancient Book of Changes.

Here is the original text：The sky is powerful，which encourages a gentleman in self-improvement；while the ground is wide，which inspires a gentleman in social commitment. It is called Self-improvement, Social Commitment now.

It was quoted by Liang Qichao, a famous thinker in China, when he gave a speech on being a Gentleman (meaning, being a cultured person) for Tsinghua University students.  In November 1914, in front of a beautiful grey building with a red roof, Liang Qichao inspired students with two passages from the Book of Changes, in the hopes that they would place importance on self-improvement and social commitment, so that they could absorb the best from cultures around the world while shouldering their responsibility to China’s history.

Tsinghua University, whose original building was built in 1911, was a college-preparatory school for studying in the U.S. Students learned English and western culture there. The governing council invited four famous Chinese thinkers, including Liang Qichao, to supervise the students’ learning of ancient Chinese culture, history, and language.

Liang Qichao cared deeply for his students, and often quoted classical texts to encourage and inspire them, a tradition we keep to today.

Actions speak louder than words. This also colors everything we do as part of Tsinghua University. It was promulgated by a former president of Tsinghua, Mei Yiqi, who had studied in U.S for many years, and was carved on an ancient stone clock on the campus.

The ancient clock, called an Ri Gui in ancient China, was originally in the Old Summer Palace. In 1920, alumni sent it to the university as a gift and carved Actions Speak Louder Than Words on it.

A hundred of years later, Ri Gui is still located at the southern end of the main university lawn, where students can see it every day as they pass by.  Rays of sunlight cause the Chinese characters along the white base to glow, keeping the phrase shining through the years.

Actions speak louder than words. This proverb means every word from Tsinghua needs to turn into actions. The Tsinghua community follows a disciplined, practiced and devoted Tsinghua spirit which has helped the majority achieve their goals in history: Wen Yiduo, Qian Zhongshu, Yang Jiang, Liang Sicheng, Yang Zhenning,and just to name a few of the famous people who are associated with Tsinghua. All have tried their best though action, which encourages the younger generation to continue creating a more brilliant future!

In ancient times，Chinese people followed the method of Exploring with Inquiry. In the Southern Song Dynasty, a philosopher Lu Jiuyuan said, “Study needs to come from questions. If you raise more questions, you will make progress.”

In each of the Tsinghua Integrated Schools, Questions are the key to entering into the world of knowledge and virtue. Exploring with Inquiry，Learn through Realization. This prevails over the different campuses under Tsinghua High School, including international schools such as Daoxiang Lake. This creates a student-centered class, where students improve their learning styles by focusing more on questions than answers. Only when they are willing to and dare to inquire deeply and frequently can they become equipped to create more for the future.

The way of the school, in virtue, in intelligence, in teachers, in students.

When education develops, the nation develops. In this new age, teachers are required to do much, especially in four aspects: virtue, intelligence, teacher development. and student development.

The way of study in virtue. This old Chinese saying means virtue should be in the first place and lay a foundation for study. Intellectual activities also play an important role in school, which means everyone needs to be open-minded in study. Teacher development is necessary to remain successful in one’s career, which means every teacher should be a joyful, lifelong learner. Student development is also important, which means a school is a place where students are free to study and grow naturally. Virtue first, then comes intelligence. Develop teachers first, then students will learn to develop themselves.

In this way, as our children develop, so will the nation develop.

Facing the new changing world, we can’t get stuck in old ways of doing things The sense of modern crisis urged Wang Dianjun, the principal of Tsinghua High School, to rethink schools for this new environment: be prepared to lead in the global community.

Principal Wang Dianjun once shared words from the famous entrepreneur and CEO of Huawei, Ren Zhengfei, at a national science & technology innovation summit, “Huawei is gradually going into the no man’s land without anyone leading, without any rules, and without anybody to follow. It’s just like being surrounded by a fog.”

Principal Wang Dianjun answered, “Only when people are in a fog will they feel a sense of crisis for the future.” He pointed out that it’s just what Tsinghua High School had faced over the years! A school must be prepared to foster more leaders in the global community, and root the gene of innovation into every member of its community to encourage excellence. Only in this way can students develop a habit of innovation and be leaders in the world.

“In this way, the no man’s land is not so dreadful when you first enter it. Just go and lead a new path!”

There is an old Chinese saying: to raise a person needs a hundred years, while the base is innovation. This evokes a sense of responsibility in talent, innovation and social responsibility in Tsinghua International School Daoxiang Lake. “We will foster a better generation under the leadership of the best team.” Everyone has the opportunity to become the most innovative leader, navigating in the freedom of no man’s land !