Shanxi University holds a culture and arts festival to celebrate its 115th anniversary on May 8. [Photo/sxu.edu.cn]

The Culture and Arts Festival opened on May 8 at Shanxi University (SXU), as part of a series of events to celebrate the school's 115th anniversary.

Thousands of people, including school leaders, retired staff, representatives from the government, companies, and institutes, as well as alumni from across China and abroad gathered together to celebrate the big event.

At the ceremony, students and teachers performed original songs and dances to express their best wishes to the school.

A chorus at the ceremony [Photo/sxu.edu.cn]

Founded in 1902, SXU has been a cradle of higher education in China and a crucial center of culture, science, and education in Shanxi province for more than 100 years.

"In the past 115 years, the school has fulfilled its duty of educating people and revitalizing the nation," said Jia Suotang, the school's president, at the ceremony.

"We should not forget its history of hardships and victories, and shoulder the responsibility to make it a world-class university," he added.

Li Youquan, chairman of the alumni association in Guangzhou, expressed his gratitude to the school on behalf of millions of alumni.

"Our success and contribution to the nation will be the best reward for the school," he said.

SXU has held a series of activities, including a painting exhibition, a school food festival, and hundreds of academic lectures since March to mark the anniversary. It also reconstructed the school's history museum in remembrance of its development.

International students perform at the ceremony. [Photo/sxu.edu.cn]