親愛的同學們：
闊別多日，終於又在熟悉的校園中見到你們，我感到非常高興！今年註定是不平凡的一年，這次的畢業典禮也是非常特殊的一次畢業典禮。由於新冠肺炎疫情的蔓延，你們大學階段的最後半年時間幾乎都是在家裡度過的，我們盡了最大的努力使你們在畢業前能夠回到校園，回到你們朝夕相處的書院，回到你們大學生活開始的地方，使你們能夠擁有一段完整的大學記憶，有始有終，不留遺憾。今年的畢業典禮，雖然與往年不同，但我想這個別開生面的典禮依然將會是一段難忘的、不平凡的記憶。在此，請允許我代表所有在場的、和未能在場的老師、家長、同學們，向你們表示祝賀！今天，你們畢業了！
2020年在諸多方面都讓我們始料未及。我們目睹了一場危機如何在短短幾周內演變成為席捲全球的災難。國際社會共同面臨著一次人類歷史上最嚴峻的挑戰，國內外人民都經受了巨大的損失，做出了前所未有的犧牲與貢獻。在這過程中，我們聽到了指責的聲音，聽到狹隘的偏見與恐懼，但自始至終，公正、友愛、勇氣的聲音從未缺席。短短數月，我們每個人都經歷了許多改變，不論是我們工作、生活、學習的方式，還是與家人、朋友聯絡感情的方式，都不同於以往。事實上，我們還應做好準備，迎接未來更多的變化與未知。
過去的幾個月極大地考驗了我們的韌性和應變能力，同時也是對我們的心胸與同理心的一次考驗。香港中文大學（深圳）全體師生面對飛速發展的疫情所採取的措施是及時的、靈活的，更是考慮細緻的、負責任的。對此，我感到驕傲。我們的老師付出額外的時間和心血讓線上教學生動有趣；我們的學生積極調整心態以適應全新的學習模式；同時不忘對社會上的種種需求伸出援手；留在校園的同學有書院悉心照料；為保障校園安全，大學的工作人員沒有過一日的鬆懈。師生共同努力，把我們多姿多彩的講堂、藝術工作坊等各項活動搬到了雲端，雖不能見面，大學協力讓屬於你們的每一次精彩都不落空。
同學們，四年的時間過得很快！你們到校報到時的情景還歷歷在目，轉眼就到了你們要離開這所大學的時候了！儘管過去的一年裡充滿了挑戰，但令人欣慰的是，我校2020屆的同學依舊捷報頻傳，約84%的畢業生將到世界最知名的大學攻讀碩士或博士學位，包括牛津大學、劍橋大學、麻省理工學院、史丹福大學、哥倫比亞大學、賓夕法尼亞大學等；約16%的畢業生選擇就業，獲得了國內外知名企業，包括華為、微軟中國、阿里巴巴、騰訊等公司的錄用通知，平均年薪都超過以前。在今年這樣一個特殊的時期，這是非常不容易的，我們應該為你們鼓掌！
香港中文大學（深圳）校長徐揚生教授
在2020年本科生畢業典禮上致辭
你們可能還記得在疫情爆發之初，我寫給同學們的那封信中，我說「希望同學們在這個漫長的假期結束之後，不僅能帶回來一個健康的身體，還能帶回來一段有意義的經歷，帶回來平時無法獲得的珍貴領悟」。不知道大家是不是都從這段經歷中有所收穫。今天，我想和大家談談我的一個感悟。很多時候，我們總是關注著外面的世界，卻不知道如何面對自己的內心，與自己獨處。實際上，我們每一個人都擁有兩個世界，一個是外在的世界，一個是我們的內心世界。在外部世界中，我們不斷探尋，通過各種各樣的社會關係來豐富自己的人生，一個人有沒有朋友，有什麼樣的朋友都對他的人生有著至關重要的作用。而在我們的內心世界裡，我們同樣在探尋，只不過這種探尋是內向的，是對自己心靈的發現、完善與豐富。而我想要告訴你們的便是，在我們的所有朋友之中，最親密、重要的那個朋友其實是我們自己！如果你在獨處時感到的是空虛與無聊，那麼你與你一生中最重要的那個朋友還不是很親密。如果你無法和自己相處的話，那無論你有多少的朋友，都只能是一種短暫、膚淺的關係。同學們，獨處是一種能力，這次疫情使我們重新認識到這一點，我希望在今後的日子裡，你們可以珍視自己這個最重要的朋友，擁有一顆豐富的、充實的心靈。
同學們，你們是特殊的一屆，你們比往屆的同學多上了一堂課，那就是如何面對世事的無常，如何應對突如其來的逆境。這次疫情蔓延世界各國，是人類共同面對的災難，正是在這樣的時刻，我們更應該認識到人類是休戚與共的命運共同體。在過去的一百多年來，全球化和網際網路為我們帶來了交通、商業、生活與文化上的緊密交流與溝通，世界比任何時候都更加互相依存。然而，疫情發生之後，當這個日益緊密的全球化網絡給我們帶來了無比巨大的危機與挑戰時，我們才真正認識到，全球化的本質並非物理距離上的縮短，或者是物質上的依賴，而是人類情感與精神上的共通與依存，以及我們所共享的命運與家園。我今天想說的是，正是在這種時候，所有的仇恨、責備與憤怒非但解決不了任何問題，反而會造成新的傷害與災難。也正是在這種時候，我們這個已經全球化了的世界才更需要一種共度難關的精神。
這種精神我們中國人稱之為「良知」。我的一位先生曾經和我講過他在抗日戰爭期間的一個故事。有一天，他們逃難到浙西山區，他從山坡上望下去，漫山遍野都是逃難的人，真是哀鴻遍野！如果有一輛馬車或者汽車過來，所有人都想上去，那可是逃命啊！但趕車的人在那裡大聲喊著：「誰家有小孩、老人先上。」於是，就看到人們秩序井然地把小孩、老人一個個送上車，如果還有位置，就把婦女也送上去。人群都很安靜，他就在山坡上遠遠看著，他說，「當時我就想，這個民族亡不了，因為這個民族有良知。」同學們，愈是在危難關頭，愈能顯示出一個人的良知，一個民族的良知。有良知的人，心裡容得下他人，眼裡看得見家國與世界，不因眼前的利益偏離做人的原則。有良知的人，最終一定會取得勝利！
同學們，未來的道路充滿了未知與挑戰，但不用過分擔心，不論是世界的發展，還是我們的人生，總會有憧憬、也會有失望，甚至有憂愁與恐懼，我們所期待的常常沒有到來，但也會有意想不到的驚喜與美麗，重要的是我們的精神。我個人的經歷以及閱讀史書的發現都告訴我，大凡在巨大的災難降臨之後，最終能夠倖存下來的人，你去看，一般是那些樂觀的人，災難中不幸倒下的，有時候並不是因為災難本身，而是因為絕望和悲觀。因此，愈是在這種時候愈要有樂觀豁達的精神，愈要秉持自己的操守與責任。
同學們，從今天起，你們就畢業了，當你們走出校門的時候，你未來的人生旅程已經正式開始了！我們的人生大多數時候，是在茫茫黑夜中前行的，請永遠記住提醒你自己，提醒你身邊的同行者，我們頭頂的天空是布滿繁星的，只要你能夠仰望星空，你就會發現，星星一直都在那裡，它們會一直指引著你往前行。
同學們，我今天早上四點半起床，翻看你們這屆同學的名冊，看到你們每個同學的名字，我都如數家珍。同學們，你們這一屆真的不容易，你們來到這裡的時候，這所大學正處在籌建期最艱難的時刻，這裡還沒有馬路，沒有大樓，這個廣場還是一片工地。同學們，我想說：大學感謝你們！我還想通過這場直播向所有的家長表示衷心的感謝！感謝你們對這所大學的信任、支持、包容與厚愛！同學們，如果五年後你們再回到這裡，這裡的校園會比今天的建築面積擴大3~4倍，我們會有醫學院、音樂學院、數據學院、理學院、工學院、人文社科學院、生命與健康科學學院和經管學院，你們將會看到一所具有完整學科的現代化綜合型大學。同學們，你們來到這所大學時，不是這所大學最好的時候，但是遇見了你們，使這所大學度過了最美好的時光，我感謝你們！同學們，你們明天就要離開這裡了，有點捨不得，但你們還是要去的，只是希望你們能夠勇敢一點、自信一點，豎起你們的脊梁，立定你們的腳跟，朝著你們的夢想，勇敢地往前走吧！同學們，我祝福你們！
Thank you very much！
President Yangsheng Xu's Speech
at The Graduation Ceremony for Bachelor Degree Graduates 2020
President Yangsheng Xu congratulates fellow graduates
Dear Class of 2020,
It’s been a long time since we parted in the winter. To be able to finally welcome you back on campus, to see your glowing young faces again, I feel more than delighted. This is an unusual year, and today, we are having an unusual graduation ceremony. Our faculty and staff have done everything we could to reopen this dear campus to you, so that your university life may conclude where it first began, so that you can have a complete graduation experience to remember. Although this ceremony looks different, beautiful memories, I believe, are being created right here, right now. We are reinventing traditions today. On behalf of the faculty on this stage and those who cannot join us today, I give you my warmest congratulations. Well done, Class of 2020! You』ve made it!
The year of 2020 has surprised us in many unprecedented ways. We have witnessed how one emergency can rapidly evolve into an international crisis within a few weeks. As a global community, we have been confronted with one of the biggest threats to humanity in history, and we have seen huge sacrifices, heavy losses, and selfless endeavors both domestically and worldwide. We have heard voices of blame, of prejudice, of fear, but all the while, voices of love, integrity, and courage have never been absent. We have undergone radical changes in the way we work, live, study, keep up family ties and maintain friendships. And we might need to prepare for even more changes in the future.
The past few months has tested our resilience and flexibility as much as it has tested our compassion and generosity. I am proud to say that CUHK-Shenzhen community, as a whole has not only acted timely and responsibly, but also adaptably and considerately in our response to the fast-changing situation. Our teachers have put in extra creative work in making online-learning engaging; our students, while adapting to this new mode of learning, did not forget to reach out to the need of the society in forms of volunteering, writing, and artistic creation; our colleges have worked hard to take care of students remaining on campus; our colleagues have spared no effort in maintaining the safety of our campus, in keeping diverse online talks, art workshops, and all activities going so that no essential experiences of a CUHK-Shenzhen education is compromised.
Looking back, four years have galloped by. The day when you first arrived at CUHK-Shenzhen comes back to me as if it were only yesterday, and now, you are ready to sail to new destinations. With all its challenges, the past year has not stopped our Class of 2020 from achieving your personal best. 84% of you will go on to graduate schools of world-renowned universities, including the University Oxford, the University of Cambridge, MIT, Stanford, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University. 16% among you will launch your career at celebrated enterprises, Huawei, Microsoft, Alibaba, Tencent, just to name a few. Given the difficult situation under COVID-19, your achievement is remarkable! Shall we, I propose, give a round of applause to ourselves?
The Graduation Ceremony for Bachelor Degree Graduates 2020
In my previous letter to you, written when the pandemic first broke out, I said, 「when this unexpected separation comes to an end, I hope you will return to our university with health, meaningful experiences, and insights that can only be gained in trying times.」 I don’t know what experiences and insights you have gained out of it, but I have this thought to share. We spend most of our time keeping attuned to the world outside, but very often we are at a loss getting along with our inner selves. We are each, in fact, blessed with two worlds, one external, and the other internal. In the external sphere, we expand our exploration and enrich our life experiences with multifarious social relationships. The friends we have substantially shape who we are. In our internal sphere, we are also constantly exploring, only this quest is inward-oriented, for the discovery, refinement, and enrichment of our soul. My point is that we are each the closest and dearest friend to ourselves. If, when in solitude, you feel trapped with emptiness and boredom, you and your dearest friend are not on intimate terms enough. Our relationship with others will remain nothing but superficial and transitory if we cannot learn to be at peace with ourselves, no matter how many friends we may boast of having. Dear students, being at peace in solitude is an invaluable accomplishment. The coronavirus made us again recognize this. In the long years to come, I hope you will treasure this dear companion of yours and harvest a well-contented, affluent soul.
Class of 2020, you are a special class of graduates. You have learned something that none of the previous graduating classes had a chance to learn so well, that is, how to face uncertainties, how to rise to the challenges when adversity suddenly strikes. COVID-19 respects no borders. It has ravaged lives of people around the globe and has become a common enemy to humanity. At such moments, we should recognize more clearly than ever that no country can emerge from a global crisis unscathed, that the mankind is a community of a shared future. Over the past century, the world has grown more closely connected as globalization and the internet have fundamentally changed our transportation, commerce, and culture. However, it was when the virus outbreak posed an unprecedented challenge to the entire human society that we began to realize what have often missed. The nature of globalization is not shortened distance or material convenience, but the mutual understanding and mutual dependence between nations and races. I want to emphasize that hatred, anger and blame will get us nowhere but open new wounds. This is the very time that our globalized community join hands with the determination and the spirit to tide over the crisis.
President Yangsheng Xu wishes fellow graduates to march onward bravely and uprightly
This spirit, in Chinese culture, is called 「conscience」. One of my early teachers once told me a story which occurred during the Eight Years』 War of Resistance. Driven by the war, he and many like him fled to the mountainous regions in west Zhejiang province. Looking down from the hill where he stood, he saw multitudes of refugees. It could be well described as a land of despair. At the arrival of every wagon, people would rush to get on. But the wagon driver made his voice heard. 「Children and the elderly get on first!」 Immediately, he saw the crowds making way for children and the aged. Women were also handed on when there was room left. Things proceeded quietly while my teacher, standing on the hill, quietly looked on. 「Right on the spot」, he told me, 「I knew for certain that this nation shall not perish, because even though made refugees, people still had conscience.」 Dear students, the more we are confronted with crisis, the more we need to uphold our conscience. Those who keep true to their conscience shall stay empathetic to others, will have his country and the world in view, and will not deviate from his principles for immediate profits. Those who keep true to their conscience shall arrive at ultimate success and goodness.
Dear students, your paths ahead are full of challenges and uncertainties. But I hope neither of them will distress you unduly. Our individual future and the world’s future alike will have in store for us bright hopes, as well as disappointment and sorrow. We do not always get what we want, but beautiful surprises sometimes come most unexpectedly. What matters most is our spirit. Both history and my personal experiences have informed me that the optimistic often survive calamities while the pessimistic often do not. Therefore, when you are under hardships, dear students, add optimism to conscience.
Dear students, from today onwards, you will be embarking on new adventures. Your future has already begun. For most of the time, as you will find, we will be treading in the dark. But please remind yourselves and those who walk beside you, that the sky above us is studded with stars though you don’t always see them. As long as you raise your eyes to them, you will know that they』ve always been there, shedding light eternally into the universe.
I was up at four this morning, taking my time looking at the list of graduates. I looked at each of your names as if going over family treasures. Dear graduates, CUHK-Shenzhen was not at its best time yet when you first arrived here. This very square on which we are sitting today was still under construction, with roads barely paved, buildings rare to see. I want to say thank you on behalf of the university. My special thanks also go to our parents who are watching the webcast of this event. Thank you for your trust, support, and your open-mindedness. Graduates, should you revisit this campus in five years, you will see a university three to four times the size of our current one. We will have the School of Medicine, the School of Music, the School of Data Science, the School of Science, the School of Engineering, the School of Humanities and Social Science, the School of Life and Health Sciences, and the School of Management and Economics. Your future alma mater will become a comprehensive modern university with fully developed disciplines in all areas. Dear students, you did not come to this university at its prime, but your having studied, lived, and created stories here has given CUHK-Shenzhen a best memory to remember. I thank you again. Graduates, from here, I hope you will march onward bravely and uprightly. Aim high, aspire nobly, but plant your feet firmly on the ground. I give you my very best wishes!
Thank you very much!