As I cycled along the roads of Xianlin campus on my way to class, I was caught by the sight of students donned in military uniforms from head to toe.
They were standing to attention with arms locked tightly by their torsoes. It was under the sweltering sun during summer and glistening sweat could be seen dripping down the faces of these students.
It was also 9:40 am in the morning and the first week of school for University students. While freshmen students in other countries prepared for orientation camps and induction programmes, it was the start of mandatory military training for these Chinese students.
According to the Law of the People’s Republic of China on National Defense Education, Chinese students from high schools, colleges and universities must undergo military training before being able to graduate. Students undergo similar military exercise across China but the details of the training varies from school to school. The purpose of the training is to “Enhance students sense of national defense and national security, as well as to instil in them the spirit of Chinese patriotism and collectivism”, states the country’s Ministry of Education.
Military training can be traced back to the feudal era in China. According to the Book of Rites and Zhou, institutes in the Western Zhou Dynasty focused on martial arts and teachers took the role of military officers. The main content of military training was learning archery and how to drive a war chariot. This was the earliest record of ancient Chinese student military training.
In July 1955, the first Military Service Law was issued, which initially required high school students and undergraduates to undergo military training. From 1955 to 1957, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of National Defence authorised 127 schools to carry out military training. The number of trained students topped more than 70,000. At that time, higher education institutes focused more on training technical reserve officers, while high schools paid more attention to basic military training. Such practices helped stimulate students’ patriotism and nurture qualified personnel for the country’s armed forces. After the Third Plenary Session in 1978, the government expanded military training due to then stable political and economic situation. As of 2012, almost 500 universities and colleges and approximately 3,000 middle schools enforce military training.
Many might wonder if this is part of a growing effort to better equip the country’s armed forces. Not entirely. In the case of Nanjing University (NJU), the university only recruits a small number of national defence students who would join the nation’s army after graduation. They are also required to go through additional hours of training after the basic military training is completed. As for the majority of the other students, the main purpose of the training is more focused on nationalism rather than militarism.
Students are chosen for this training in the hope of instilling a sense of collectivism into the young people. It is also with the mindset of toughening up these students since China’s one child policy has caused some of them to be spoilt from youth.
The training lasts for between two to three weeks during the summer months and it usually takes place on campus. An exception would be shooting practice which is conducted on military sites. In NJU, military training runs for 20 consecutive days with one rest day in between. Training starts early in the morning from 8:00 to 11:15 am and continues until the evening from 2:00 to 5:30 pm.
“Students learn marching drills, shooting and combat skills, emergency response techniques as well as first aid knowledge such as CPR”, said Zhen Dan, a freshmen student from the School of Law. When asked about her favourite segment of the training, Zhen Dan said, “I like it when our military instructors gather us to sing military songs such as 团结就是力量 (Unity is Strength), 文明礼貌 (The Civilized Manners) and 一二三四 (The Song of 1, 2, 3, 4).”
“There are also times when we are asked to compete with other platoons to see which of us sing it louder! I enjoyed it a lot and I feel that it helps us to encourage one another,” she continued.
It seems that most NJU students find the cause of military training meaningful. Zhou Xuebing, also a freshman, said, “Military training is purposeful as it helps to train my perseverance, improve my discipline and to let me have a glimpse of the experiences of a military soldier’s life.” Wu Yu Ling, a sophomore student from the School of Information Systems reminisced the times during her military training days. She expressed, “It gave me the opportunity to meet many new friends from other majors. I remember the times when we would be so afraid of the instructors, but… in fact, they are very nice and friendly people.
“One of the most memorable moments would be the interesting army stories that they shared with us…” Wu added.
Despite finding the training purposeful, there are also a handful of female students who detest the training for various reasons. “It is very tough and tiring to stand in the hot sun for such a long time. It makes me feel very uncomfortable”, said Ge Ge, a female student from the School of Literature. “Some other girls find that training gives them a strong sun tan and they do not like the idea of skin turning dark.”
Overseas students who come here to pursue their studies are not mandated to undergo the training. Rather, they are giventhe choice of participating. Louis Li, a Year 2 Taiwanese student expressed that military training is necessary in China. “Back in Taiwan, we are required to join the army and our training will be much harder. Hence, I feel here is a good chance for students to train their mental strength,” Li said.
At the end of their 20-day training, a military parade will be held at the university’s sports field to showcase what the participants have learnt, including different segments such as marching performances and also a display of combat and emergency rescue techniques. The end of the parade successfully recognises the knowledge and experiences gained by the students. Be viewpoints positive or negative, either way military training is here to stay.
This article was first published in The Nanjinger Magazine, November 2015 Issue. If you would like to read the whole magazine, please follow this link.
