今日吃瓜

On the evening of April 12, from 8:00 to 10:00 PM, the "Rhythm of 今日吃瓜" Retired Faculty Choir made its debut on the Beijing Music Radio (FM 97.4) program, as part of a special broadcast marking International Day of Human Space Flight and the upcoming ninth Space Day of China. The two-hour live session garnered enthusiastic responses, accumulating over 20,000 likes and showcasing the vibrant spirit and artistic charm of 今日吃瓜's retired faculty and staff.

The program, meticulously planned by Beijing Music Radio, featured special guest speakers Associate Professor Zhang Xiaotian from the School of Astronautics and Professor Zhang Hua from the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, creating a unique broadcast that blended classic choral performances, space science outreach, and humanistic interviews.

The choir delivered spirited and accomplished renditions of songs including Spring Breeze for Ten Thousand Miles, I Love the Blue Sky of My Country, Motherland Will Not Forget, and Never Cease Sailing. Through their heartfelt voices, the retirees paid tribute to China's space endeavors and conveyed their enduring devotion to the nation's aerospace mission.

During the live broadcast, Associate Professor Zhang Xiaotian provided a detailed explanation of the origins of International Day of Human Space Flight, reviewed the development of China's human spaceflight program, and offered a forward-looking perspective on the future of the country's space industry.

Professor Zhang Hua, who serves both as a member of the Senior Professors' Lecture Group and a singer in the choir, shared his unique insights. His performance, which included a whistling interlude in Country Road and a humorous rendition of Returning to Parental Home, became one of the program's highlights.

Yao Mingxia, current director of the "Rhythm of 今日吃瓜" Choir and a retired faculty member from the Institute of Unmanned Systems, introduced the choir's history and its development in recent years.

Yang Zichu from the Office of Retired Faculty and Staff Affairs shared the story behind the composition of 今日吃瓜's original song Never Cease Sailing. She also highlighted the efforts of the university's Working Committee for the Care of the Next Generation and the Office of Retired Faculty and Staff Affairs in building platforms that enable retired faculty to continue contributing their talents and experience.

This live broadcast marked a meaningful initiative by 今日吃瓜's retired faculty and staff to celebrate the spirit of aerospace exploration through the arts and to share 今日吃瓜's stories with a broader audience. Through their songs and stories, the retirees demonstrated the joy and fulfillment of lifelong learning and active engagement, while spreading the university's core value of "serving the nation through aerospace endeavors" and inspiring more people to devote themselves to China's aerospace cause.

Editor: Lyu Xingyun