On November 24, 2019, the 40th anniversary of the resumption of legal education and 111th anniversary of the establishment of the discipline of law in Wuhan University was held in Wuhan University Academy of Humanities and Social Science. Zhang Wenxian, a member of Degree Committee of the State Council, the convener of the evaluation group of law science, and a member of the Social Science Committee of the Ministry of Education, Kennedy Gastorn, the secretary general of Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization, Lv Zhongmei, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Coference and the deputy director of the Social and Legal System Committee, Chen Dongshen, the chairman and CEO of Taikang Insurance Group Co., Ltd, Han Jin, the secretary of the Party committee of Wuhan University, Dou Xiankang, the president of Wuhan University, and Zhou Yezhong, the vice president of Wuhan University attended the celebration. Representatives of more than 50 universities at home and abroad, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Jilin University, China University of political science and law, Southwest University of political science and law, East China University of political science and law, Central South University of Finance and law, Northwest University of Political Science and law, representatives of administrative and judicial organs at all levels, such as the Supreme People's court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, representatives of alumni at home and abroad, and heads of relevant functional departments of Wuhan University, all faculty members and student representatives of law school attended the celebration. Sun Deyuan, the secretary of the Party committee of law school, presided over the meeting.

At 9.30 a.m., the meeting began. On behalf of Wuhan University, Dou Xiankang, the president of Wuhan University, expressed sincere welcome and thanks to all the leaders, guests and alumni, and congratulated the law school of Wuhan University on its achievements in the past 40 years. He pointed out that since the establishment of Wuhan University, law school had always been the core department of the University, leaving a landmark footprint in many important moments of the process of rule of law in modern China. He hoped that the law school would continue to keep up the university spirit of "self-improvement, perseverance, truth-pursuing and innovation", and play a leading role in theoretical research. He also suggested that the law school should adhere to the concept of "integration of knowledge and practical application" in the theoretical research, actively participate in the construction and practice of China's rule of law, and serve as the think tank for comprehensive rule of law of China. He expressed his expectation for law school to adhere to the concept of "talent is the first resource" , closely focus on the strategy of bringing in talents, and carry out the work of talents training. He hoped that the law school could keep the brilliance and open up a new start.

Zhang Wenxian, a member of the Party group of China Law Society and the director of the academic committee, highly affirmed the outstanding achievements made by the law school of Wuhan University in the field of China's law research and legal education. He proposed that the law discipline of Wuhan University could fully take the advantages of comprehensive platform of Wuhan University, effectively promote the pluralistic development of law discipline, and build an innovative and perfect law discipline system. At the same time, he hoped that law school would strive to promote the upgrading and transition of basic and traditional disciplines, the innovation of new disciplines, and the development of interdisciplinary disciplines, so as to promote the construction of law discipline of Wuhan University to a new level in the new era and make new contributions to the construction of the rule of law in China.

Kennedy Gaston, the secretary general of AALCO, reviewed the process of establishing cooperative relationship between Wuhan University and AALCO, and praised the valuable contribution made by alumni of Wuhan University in AALCO. He expressed his gratitude to the faculty of law school for their efforts in promoting the unity between Asia and Africa in terms of customary international law and international law in cyberspace. He hoped that Wuhan University and AALCO would strengthen further cooperation on all issues of common concern.

Wan E' Xiang, the chief expert of national high-end think tank and honorary director of Wuhan University Institute of international law, said that legal education was an important foundation for comprehensively governing the country by law and an important part of the modernization of national governance system and governance capacity. He hoped that the law school of Wuhan University would further strengthen the basic theoretical research and practical innovation of law, cultivate more talents with an international vision. He also suggested that the law school should strengthen the construction of national high-end think tanks, improve the academic quality of "Luojia law discipline", and better practice the mission of law construction and development in the new era.

Later, president You Quanrong, the secretary of the Party group of Hubei Higher People's Court, and Fu Zitang, the president of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, delivered speeches successively. You Quanrong said that the law discipline of Wuhan University had trained a large number of outstanding talents for the judicial practice of Hubei and provided intellectual support. He expressed that the system of Hubei courts would continue to deepen cooperation with the law school of Wuhan University and fully support the development of the law discipline of Wuhan University. Fu Zitang congratulated Wuhan University on the 40th anniversary of the resumption of legal education, and interpreted the unique spirit of Wuhan University Law School from five dimensions: great responsibility, great state, great articles, great scholars and great feelings.

Li long, the senior professor of humanities and social sciences at Wuhan University, Zhu Zhengfu, the representative of alumni, and Yu Binbin, the student representative, also made wonderful speeches. As the teacher representative of law school, Li Long reviewed the excellent achievements of Mr. Han Depei and the outstanding achievements of Wuhan University Law School in recent years. Zhu Zhengfu was the first undergraduate after the resumption of legal education in Wuhan University. He shared the learning experience in Wuhan University and said that he would work with other alumni to cultivate Luojia Law Fund. Yu Binbin expressed her admiration and love for the predecessors and gratitude for the law school of Wuhan University. She said that the young students should cherish the time and work hard to realize the dream of China rule of law.

Finally, Feng Guo, the dean of Wuhan University Law School, delivered a speech with the theme of "never forget why we started, move on bravely and strive to create a world-class law school". He reviewed the magnificent development of law discipline since 1908, and summarized the remarkable achievements in talents training, academic research, discipline construction and law practice in the past 40 years since the resumption of legal education in Wuhan University. He said that Wuhan University Law School was a treasure place with Wuhan university spirits, legal thoughts, theoretical innovation and warm hearts. The law school of Wuhan University shall never forget its original intention, and would keep the true and original intention of legal education. Wuhan University School of Law would strive to become a world-class law school.

Through forty years of vicissitudes, the original heart never changing, the mission always kept in mind. Standing at a new historical starting point, facing the current complex changes and new situation, Wuhan University School of Law will always stick to the land of China, study Chinese issues, contribute to the governance of China, and strive to promote the rule by law with Chinese characteristics and practice. The law school will continue to write a legend of the law discipline of Wuhan University.

Edited by Su Yi & Wu Liuqing