Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST) was established on May 26, 2000. It is a combination of the former HUST, the former Tongji Medical University, the former Wuhan Urban Construction Institute and the former Wuhan Vocational College of Science & Technology. These main three components were all established in 1952 to meet new China's demand for specialists in socialist economic construction. Today the University ranks top among leading Chinese universities as regards comprehensive strength. Since August 2003 it has offered eleven disciplines, encompassing 69 undergraduate programs, 200 Master's programs, 139 doctoral programs and 17 post-doctoral research centers. The University upholds an internationally-oriented management strategy. It imparts and popularizes fine culture and advanced technology, and its emphasis is on creating rather than imparting knowledge that acts as momentum towards self-improvement. It also fosters groups of talent that can advance the development of science, culture, productivity and progress within society. Abiding by the motto "Commend morals, Advocate knowledge, Seek truth and Make innovations," University staff and students enjoy an open environmentally friendly campus culture.

DURING MY STAY IN CHINA

By MUHAMMAD ADEEL TALIB (Pakistan)

China is often referred to as a land of mystery and intrigue - a country isolated from the west for centuries. It is considered one of the cradles of civilization, having a written history that goes back thousands of years. Today, China has opened its door to tourism, international trade and cultural exchange. I came to China to pursue a PhD in Information Technology under the Sino-Pak cultural exchange program in 2002. I got admission at Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan -- one of the top 10 universities in China.

Wuhan marks the spot where the Yangtze River and Hanshui River merge. Comprising Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang, which stand on both sides of the river, Wuhan is known as the pivotal point of nine provinces. In the city center, the imposing Tortoise Mount and Snake Mount face each other across the river. On the latter stands the Yellow Crane Tower of ancient legend.

Wuhan is a big, busy, noisy, polluted modern industrial city. High-rise office buildings characterize Hankou and heavy industry distinguishes Hanyang. The more residential Wuchang hosts high tech firms, is site of the most famous universities and of the Hubei Provincial Museum on the shores of beautiful East Lake -- an oasis of peace and tranquility.

I visited Guiyang Temple in Hanyang across the great Yangtze River Bridge and Wuchan's Yellow Crane Tower. Many temples were destroyed during the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976) but most have since been reconstructed and funds are available for their maintenance. Very few Chinese people worship in temples regularly. Those that go as more than a mere visitor do so to invoke good fortune, or to appease spirits, or to pierce the secrets of their future. It is very difficult to comprehend what religion means to the average Chinese person today. Those that have visited a temple with me make ritual gestures with joined hands or burn a joss stick for good luck, but it is clear that religion has a completely different meaning here than what it has in the West.

The most populous country in the world, China is home to more than one-fifth of the human race. Chinese society is driven by enormous social contradictions. You see luxurious cars driving alongside ordinary bicycles and modern buildings beside old huts. Backwardness, primitiveness and poverty co-exist with concentrations of wealth that have emerged with the development of the market economy. There is a growing gap between urban and rural living standards. The average income in cities has always exceeded that in the countryside, but never to the extent it does today.

Spectacular luxury hotels and office buildings are mushrooming. Construction sites equipped with modern construction machinery and tools are massive and can be seen everywhere. Construction work goes on in shifts 24 hours a day. Buses are used for local transport to every part of a city and fares are the US equivalent of 10 to 20 cents depending on whether the bus is ordinary or air-conditioned. During rush hour buses are packed.

Many aspects of American culture have become part of Chinese everyday life. McDonald's restaurants are everywhere, their menu and prices identical to those in the States. Hundreds and hundreds of fast food restaurants have sprung up -- Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Dunkin Donuts, to name only three. The invasion of these foreign franchises hasn't affected the business of local restaurants, the reason being the extent of Chinese dishes. It is said that even if a person were to try a new dish each day, they could still never taste all that there are in China.

China presents the visitor with a study in contrasts. Modernity and history mix in a thousand ways. It is a country still shrouded in mystery and intrigue that fascinates many visitors. From the austere political center of Beijing to the burgeoning "night market" glitter of Wuhan, from the magnificent high-rise skyscrapers of Shanghai to the ancient huts of Lijiang, China is a land of rich culture, long history and great wonders.