While touring the Shanghai Jiaotong University campus, I saw something I had never seen before. It was a wonderful gesture, and I was truly impressed by this act.
The notes you see tied to the tree limbs are for a professor that passed away. I was told he had been a professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University for many years, and he was loved and respected by the students. I don’t know how or why this location on campus was chosen for this memorial, but perhaps it was because the tree was beautiful and it was so quiet and peaceful beside the creek. This gesture by so many students made us want to meet the man and know his secret to having such a strong relationship with his students. Honestly, I can’t think of any professors I had that strong of a relationship with, so my hat is off to this gentleman.
Near the tree memorializing the professor were two other interesting things I noticed. The first one was a wall that was holding nothing up. The use of the stones and open areas within the wall were unique for me to see. Perhaps it had something to do with feng shui, but I don’t know.
The next item I noticed was a wooded area that was very thick and lush. It also had a bird house hanging in it, so this was a surprise to see on the campus.
This oasis was wonderful to find in a huge city like Shanghai!