On November 30th, the inauguration ceremony of the Youngor Library at the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo (EIT) was grandly held by the Yong River.
Mr. Renrong Yu, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Rucheng Li, Chairman of Youngor Group, and Professor Shiyi Chen, President of EIT, alongside all board members and representatives of faculty and students, witnessed this milestone moment. The ceremony was presided over by Professor Dongxiao Zhang, Executive Vice President and Provost of EIT.
"It is our hope that the Youngor Library will provide EIT students with an excellent environment for the pursuit of knowledge and learning."
The ceremony commenced with an address by Mr. Henglü Xu, General Manager of the Department of Public Relations of Youngor Group, representing the donor. Mr. Henglü Xu noted that since its founding in 1979, Youngor Group has been deeply committed to industrial excellence while consistently caring for society, with cumulative social donations reaching RMB 1.15 billion. He also expressed his hope that EIT will soon take its place among the world's leading universities, cultivating generations of outstanding innovators who will contribute to the modernization of both Ningbo and China at large.
“The founding of a university is never the task of one person, nor the achievement of a moment. It is a collective endeavor—a mission sustained by a shared vision and advanced by passing the torch from one generation to the next.”
In his address, Mr. Renrong Yu reflected that from the initial conception of the university to the completion of its library, unwavering support from all sectors of society—notably the Youngor Group—has been indispensable. He emphasized that EIT is not merely a university for Ningbo, but also one for society at large. To the students, he extended this encouragement: immerse yourselves in this rich repository of knowledge, dedicate yourselves to profound learning, and here, forge yourselves into future contributors with a global vision and profound expertise.
"More than four centuries ago, the Tianyi Pavilion was founded to safeguard a treasure of knowledge. Today, the Youngor Library opens its doors with equal solemnity. In this act, Ningbo's profound and enduring reverence for learning carries forward into a new age."
On behalf of the university, President Shiyi Chen extended sincere gratitude to Mr. Rucheng Li and the Youngor Group. He highlighted that the library, with its south-facing orientation and its architectural embodiment of the ancient "celestial dome and terrestrial base" (天圆地方) concept, stands in symbolic dialogue with the university's Qiuzhen Tower. One serves as a guardian of the ocean of knowledge, the other as a beacon lighting the path to ideals—together, they form the spiritual landmark for this emerging research university and its community.
Beneath the dome, sunlight filters through, casting a warm, dappled glow across the collections.
Here, in the dialogue of steadfast structure and soaring volume, the library finds its form—a sanctuary for learning.
Enter the Youngor Library and feel the tranquil majesty of a space that embodies the ancient principle of harmony between heaven and earth.
Panoramic Vista: The Youngor Library stands beside the Yong River, where its clean architectural lines meet the shimmering reflections on the water, resembling a great ship laden with knowledge, ready to set sail.
Dome of Light: Looking up at the dome, daylight streams into the atrium, creating changing patterns of light and shadow throughout the day. This natural interplay highlights the openness and layered design of the central space.
A Quiet Nook: Nestled within the embrace of towering bookshelves, each turn of a page and stroke of a pen is a dialogue with sages of the past, a search for truth within the sea of knowledge.
With its opening, a new journey begins.
This library embodies the heartfelt commitment of Ningbo entrepreneurs—to innovate, to build, and to give back to education—while honoring the city's centuries-old legacy of championing culture and learning.
It serves not only as an intellectual beacon within the university, but also as a cultural salon for the wider community.
We believe this generous contribution will not only illuminate the path of inquiry for students, but also extend its impact far beyond campus—enriching the intellectual and cultural landscape along the Yong River and nourishing the intellectual life of this vibrant region.
We hope that the Youngor Library will serve as a cornerstone for discovery—a realm where the entire EIT community and guests alike may engage with seminal ideas, advance their pursuit of knowledge, and navigate toward new horizons of insight.
