The Gorgeousness of Sunset, the Gentleness of Autumn

Bikes parked, phones taken out, crowds gather to catch a tantalizing glimpse of the stunning sunset at Zhejiang University in autumn. At the very moment, the clamor of traffic and people talking and laughing fading away, you are fully immersed in the unparalleled beauty of the campus.

Source: LI Xi

The sunset in autumn varies from day to day. It can be blue, purple, pink or yellow. It can also be spread layer by layer, strip by strip, with no rhyme or reason. When viewed in the distance, it’s vast and meandering, rendering us relaxed and refreshed. When observed closely, it manifests itself in wonderful forms and gives you fantastic feelings. To put it bluntly, as the pace of life is getting faster and students are shuffling hurriedly to and from their dormitory, contributing to their upset and anxiety, the extraordinary sunset could soothe your monotonous and tedious life. It is as if you were hearing an ethereal and beautiful piano melody after a day of tension, business and complication. You’ll find yourself purified and sublimated. Other than as an entertainment, it fulfills some of our scarcest aesthetic needs, adding color to our daily life like the heart of desire and the relief in a world of nothingness.

Furthermore, the sunset serves as a cherished channel to relate to others. To be more accurate, you are completely immersed in the lush spot where you could see the sun and the moon surface in the sky at the same time. Taking photos and sharing this pleasure with others are what you usually do. Spreading beauty is of profound significance, loaded with good wishes and hope to the afflicted people like a cure for the heart. And that’s the essence of beauty. While you realize somebody shares with you the unparalleled sky which you might miss, you feel more aware of humanity's empathy and affective connection.

As Tagore puts it, “I leave no trace of wings in the air, but I am glad that I had my flight.” Human beings develop science in order to seek truth, and foster culture in order to trace roots. Under the fabulous sunset, we gather to listen, to watch, to sense and to think. The seed of beauty has quietly taken root in our hearts. In short, the sunset in autumn at Zhejiang University not only lifts up a sense of ceremony, but also adds spiritual dimension to our life. That could hardly occur in any place other than Zhejiang University, and in any season other than autumn. I feel deeply thankful for the gorgeousness of sunset and the gentleness of autumn. Most importantly, thank you, Zhejiang University.