On the evening of November 16, the 2025 Freshman Art Gala of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, was grandly staged at the auditorium of Lunan Campus. Zhu Liyong, Party Secretary of Xiangya School of Medicine; Wu Minghua, Executive Vice Dean of Xiangya School of Medicine; Liu Ousheng, Dean of Xiangya School of Stomatology (Xiangya Stomatological Hospital); and Di Keda, Deputy Secretary of the University Youth League Committee, attended the event. They joined the audience to listen to the youthful declarations and feel the vibrant spirit of freshmen. The gala was also attended by members of the leading team of Xiangya School of Medicine, as well as relevant leaders from secondary medical schools and affiliated hospitals.

As the classic disco rhythm reverberated through the venue, freshmen of Xiangya School of Medicine opened the gala with an energetic dance performance, interpreting the eternal charm of youth. Their splendid debut resembled blooming apricot blossoms, symbolizing the freshmen’s sincere passion for medicine and earnest expectations for the future. With youthful vitality and curious enthusiasm for medical studies, they officially embarked on their noble medical journey.

Students from the Third Xiangya Hospital delivered dynamic dances and passionate songs, fully showcasing the vigor and vitality of youth. Singers from the Second Xiangya Hospital performed melodious songs infused with firm faith in medical careers, shining like bright stars to light up the path ahead. The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences presented the classical dance Ode to Spring Beauty. With elegant and graceful movements, the performance depicted the beauty of spring and led the audience into a poetic world. On the stage, performers demonstrated the infinite possibilities of medical exploration through youthful energy and eager pursuit of knowledge. Just as a single spark can start a prairie fire, every act of learning fuels progress, and every curiosity ignites the promise of the future.

Students from the School of Public Health brought an instrumental ensemble, whose soothing melodies relieved the audience’s fatigue after a busy day. Learners from the School of Life Sciences and the School of Basic Medical Sciences presented cheerful dances, evoking fond childhood memories. The song performance Compromise, brought by Xiangya School of Medicine, featured intertwined vocals and sincere, delicate emotions. With exquisite vocal control and tacit coordination, the performers vividly conveyed the subtle emotions of the song, delivering an immersive and highly infectious performance for the audience.

A wonderful magic show presented by Xiangya School of Stomatology brought fantastic surprises and an immersive magical journey to every spectator. Young seedlings grow steadily into towering pillars. The responsibility of medical missions has quietly fallen on the shoulders of young medical students, transforming from an abstract concept into a solid and solemn commitment. The stirring rock music on stage served as a clarion call to embrace challenges and embodied the firm determination to guard human health. The gentle and profound dance of faint light condensed countless silent efforts and persistent dedication of medical practitioners.

Freshmen from the Xiangya School of Nursing ignited the night with electric guitar and drumbeats, presenting Conquering the Sea to interpret the fearless spirit of youth. Dancers from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Xiangya School of Medicine showcased flexible yet powerful movements and stunning freezing frames, drawing rhythmic and vivid trajectories across the stage. The hip-hop medley Unstoppable Dancefeatured powerful beats and precise, neat moves, pushing the atmosphere of the gala to a climax.

Xiangya Hospital and Xiangya School of Medicine jointly presented a dance medley of Hype Boy and Dreams Come True. Integrating hip-hop and modern dance, the dynamic performance fully displayed the vitality and passion of youth. Students from Xiangya School of Medicine brought a series of song medleys, among which Live for Myself— an original song written and composed by student Yang Bohong — inspired every freshman to bravely pursue their dreams. The School of Nursing presented Green Bamboo under the Moonlight, a perfect combination of melodic instrumental music and Dai ethnic dance, transporting the audience to the vast bamboo forests of Yunnan in an instant.

A profound poetry recitation by Xiangya students served as a sincere eulogy to Xiangya’s profound history and enduring spirit. On the grand voyage of medical pursuit, the Xiangya spirit acts as a beacon to light up the way forward, which was perfectly interpreted through the heartfelt recitation. All teachers and students sang the school song of Xiangya School of Medicine in unison. First composed in 1941, the solemn and powerful song embodies the school motto: Integrity, Courage, Diligence and Prudence; Sincerity, Benevolence, Modesty and Humility. It carries the perseverance of generations of Xiangya people who overcame hardships and maintained unyielding ambition during turbulent wartime. The resonant singing represents the inheritance of spirit across time and the collective oath of contemporary Xiangya people to uphold their original mission.

As the stage lights faded and warm applause gradually subsided, the venue was filled not with regret for an ending, but with the passion of a new journey and the momentum of ready-to-go youth. Titled “Inheriting Xiangya Spirit, Sailing on the Medical Journey”, the gala shines like a bright star in the vast river of youth. Its radiant light will continuously illuminate the path of the 2025 incoming Xiangya students, guiding them to explore the boundless ocean of medical innovation and dedication.

First Reviewer: Li Ruijun

Second Reviewer: Wu Shiming

Final Reviewer: Huang Gengwen