On the evening of June 15th, Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) held a spectacular gala at Wenzhi Hall at Xuhui Campus to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the re-establishment of its management school. With the theme of “With Knowledge and Action, Antai Moves Forward Vertically and Horizontally”, the evening was divided into three chapters – “Remembering the Past”, “Shining the Present”, and “Leading the Future” - featuring a diverse array of performances including poetry recitations, dances, Peking opera, choral singing and more, primarily choreographed and performed by the college’s faculty, students and alumni. The performances vividly portrayed Antai’s journey of striving in step with China’s reform and opening up and keeping pace with the times, showcased the spirited and progressive ethos of today’s Antai community, and expressed warm wishes for the college’s future development.

The evening opened with a drum performance titled “Vigorous Drumbeats Heralding Prosperity”, unfolding the historical scroll of the first chapter “Remembering the Past”. Over the past 40 years, Antai has remained true to its original aspiration of serving the country and benefiting the people, with a global vision and pioneering spirit, a pragmatic and excellence-seeking approach. It has charted an innovative development path for business education with Chinese characteristics, contributing wisdom and strength to national economic development and regional social progress.

In a poetry recitation titled “Ode to Antai”, the performers recounted the magnificent development and changes of SJTU’s economics and management disciplines and Antai’s inheritance of the school-running legacy. 

An elegant classical dance “The Arrival of the Clear Breeze” showcased the steadfast ideals, beliefs and graceful bearing of generations of Antai people in the face of challenges. 

A Peking opera performance “Ode to the Pear Blossoms” with exquisite singing and dance, conveyed Antai’s deeply-rooted cultural spirit of remembering its origins and heritage and expressed profound sentiments for the college.

The dance “Flags Fluttering for Thousands of Miles, Living Up to the Prime Years” interpreted Antai’s indomitable spirit and outstanding style when confronted with trials through graceful moves.

Lighting up the screen of the times in the second chapter “Shining the Present”, the college today has seen steady progress in fostering top talent, all-round development of first-class disciplines, successive rollout of innovative research platforms, intensive implementation of major strategic partnerships, and fruitful international cooperation and exchanges, with a thriving new business ecosystem taking shape.

A medley of songs titled “Melody of Time · Voice of Building Dreams Together” was jointly presented by young faculty representatives from eight departments, showcasing the youthful vitality of Antai’s junior educators. 

Wang Junhao, president of Juneyao Group, played the Song Dynasty guqin piece “I Am Chinese” on the “Sounds of Heaven” instrument, evoking a deep sense of patriotism and the inheritance and practice of the school motto “When you drink from the stream, remember the Spring”. 

The Shanghai Dance Theatre (SDT) and Shanghai Yueju Opera Art Training Center (Shanghai Yueju Theater) respectively brought the dance “Beautiful Colors” and an excerpt from the Yue opera “The Butterfly Lovers”, allowing the audience to appreciate the enduring appeal of the classics and the spirit of inheritance and innovation in the beauty of Chinese art. 

An original poetry recitation and chorus “The Glowing Meaning” performed by the faculty, students and alumni representatives from ACEM's Executive Education Center, conveyed and sang of the college’s significant achievements in reform and development over the past 40 years and its important contributions to national development and social progress.

Opening the door to development in the third chapter “Leading the Future”, Antai will carry on its founding mission and fine traditions with greater drive, pioneering spirit and sense of urgency as it enters a new stage of development and creates new glories. 

A light and shadow dance “Antai’s Bright Future in Light and Shadow” outlined the vibrant new landscape of technology and finance empowering each other, exchanges sparking innovation, and cooperation breeding synergy. 

A witty and lively “three-sentence repartee” titled “40 Years of Knowing, Doing and Striding” told the story of the college’s journey and accomplishments in initiating and deepening industry research and actively promoting the transformation of business school development models and research paradigms. 

A handpan song “500 miles” showcased the colorful campus life of Antai’s international students and their ardent hopes for a brighter future. 

The modern dance “Crossing Mountains and Seas, Chasing Dreams” depicted Antai’s high-spirited pursuit of dreams and co-creation of the future. 

The graduation ceremony skit “The Last Lesson” concluded with an on-site class encouraging Antai students to start from the “heart”, dedicate themselves to the motherland and the frontlines of development, and become new drivers of social progress and Antai’s growth.

The evening reached its climax with the grand chorus “Tomorrow Will Be Better”, as university leaders, distinguished guests, the chorus of faculty and students, and the entire audience sang in unison to express their best wishes for Antai and boundless hope for tomorrow. The gala came to a close amidst the audience’s blessings of “May Antai have an even better tomorrow”.

Forty years on, Antai has stayed true to its founding mission and forged ahead with fortitude. Striding towards the future in the prime of its development, Antai will remain confident and ride the momentum. It will adhere to and deepen the “cross-cutting and integrated” development strategy of knowing and doing. Through high-quality talent cultivation, high-level scientific research and high-end international cooperation, the college will stay committed to its course and innovate to become a world-class business school rooted in China, continuing to lead the development of Chinese management education and its global journey.