"Every day you are at Pao School, you should remember Mr. YK Pao’s
values of compassion, integrity and balance, his patriotism, his spirit
of lifelong learning, and his down-to-earth attitude."
——Philip Sohmen
Executive Deputy Chairman
Founder’s Day at Pao School, celebrated annually on 10th November, is a day for the school community to come together and commemorate YK Pao through exhibitions, lectures and readings.
Newsweek once dubbed YK Pao the "King of the Sea”. This year, shipping is the theme of Founder’s Day, with a focus on how YK Pao flourished in this industry and created a company that eventually had the largest shipping fleet in the world. After China began economic reforms in 1978, it launched the Four Modernisations to strengthen the fields of agriculture, industry, defense, and science and technology. To support these goals, YK Pao cooperated with Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding and China Trading Company to establish Worldwide Shipping Group. YK Pao’s order of seven ships in the early 1980s provided China's shipbuilding industry with an opportunity to develop and eventually gain global dominance.
On 10th November, during the Year 7 morning assembly on the Hongqiao campus, Pao School co-founder and deputy chairman Tan Fuyun shared several short stories about how the three generations of the Pao family have emphasised education and patriotism. At the end of the event, she talked about the history of the University of Vienna in Austria, which over the past 300 years has produced nine Nobel Prize winners. On a window next to the university’s alumni entrance is a simple question: “Who is the next?” Madam Tan repeated this question and sentiment to Pao students, giving them inspiration to work for the betterment of their country and society.
"YK Pao is not only a model for self-learning, but also a hero who inspires others to study hard, be lifelong learners, improve themselves, and help their country reach new heights. Throughout his life, he was an advocate of education and supported talented people. He believed that cultivating talents forms the foundation of a strong country, and that knowledge is power. When I met him for the first time, he asked me, “What are you reading?” He always encouraged and motivated others to be the best they could be!
——Tan Fuyun
Deputy Chairman
This year, Pao School was also honoured to invite two domestic experts in the field of shipbuilding to speak to students about the industry.
Wang Lei, professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Marine and Architectural Engineering at Shanghai Jiaotong University, spoke about large-scale offshore platforms to Year 10 students. His outstanding lecture was well-received by the students, who applauded in approval. From the lecture, students not only learned about cutting-edge technology, but also felt a strong sense of national pride.
Li Gangqiang from the Marine Design and Research Institute of China (MARIC) discussed Chinese oil tankers with Year 8 students. The talk called back to YK Pao’s brother, CL Pao, chairman of the Regent Shipping Co Ltd of Hong Kong, who invested and built a 27,000-tonne large lake bulk carrier developed by MARIC in 1980. In the lecture, Mr. Li shared basic knowledge of oil tankers and their development in China with the audience. He encouraged the students to study hard, promote the school and serve as role models for the country in the future.
The students listened to a message from Philip Sohmen by video, during which he shared a short story about YK Pao: One time one of YK Pao’s ships broke down suddenly in Japanese waters. As soon as he learned about the incident, YK Pao personally flew to the scene, supervised the repairs and went to sea with the ship to ensure that it was completely repaired. Only after that process was complete did he return home. Philip Sohmen hopes that such stories will help students to carry on YK Pao’s diligent and hands-on approach.
Remembering YK Pao across all campuses
Students watched a short documentary video to learn about how YK Pao played an important role in helping China build up its shipping industry. His achievements will be a lasting source of inspiration for them.
In addition, it is an annual tradition on each campus to display books related to YK Pao in the library and to put up exhibition boards. The school hopes that students can get inspiration from these reading these stories.
Students read about how YK Pao promoted the development of China's shipbuilding industry.
Year 1 students engaged in a "balance" exercise to understand the multi-faceted nature of "balance" in life.
Years 2-5 students read YK Pao’s books and read Anna Sohmen Pao’s book, “YK Pao, My Father” in class.
Writing YK Pao’s motto, “Exercise Persistently, Use sparingly, Work diligently.”
The Primary School held a jump rope competition, “exercising persistently” by doing one of YK Pao’s favorite sports.
YK Pao School was established to commemorate YK Pao. The founders hope that students can carry on YK Pao’s spirit, and also that faculty and stuff can make meaningful contributions to society.
The Hongqiao campus General Services staff listen to a story about YK Pao
Wang Hui, former curator of Ningbobang Museum, introduces the history of YK Pao’s former residence to
Pao School President Xu
On the eve of Founder's Day, President Xu Yongchu paid a special visit to YK Pao’s former residence in Zhenhai, Ningbo, to get a sense of his life in his early years and explore his journey to success. On Founder's Day, President Xu encouraged the students to cherish the moment, learn to be grateful, study hard, and persevere. She said that she hoped students will enjoy great success in their future endeavours and become positive representatives for Pao School.
