Peking University

Peking University was founded in 1898 during the Qing Dynasty under the Guangxu Emperor's Hundred Days' Reform. Originally known as the Imperial University of Peking, it was the first modern national comprehensive university established in China. It was renamed Peking University in 1912 following the Xinhai Revolution.

Peking University was the central birthplace of the May Fourth Movement in 1919, a major student protest against imperialism and the Treaty of Versailles. Under the leadership of Chancellor Cai Yuanpei, the university fostered a climate of radical democratic and scientific thinking. This environment deeply influenced the intellectual landscape of modern China, including the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

The main campus of Peking University is located in the Haidian District in the northwestern part of Beijing, China. It is situated near the historic Summer Palace and the Yuanmingyuan Old Summer Palace. The campus itself is famous for its beautiful traditional Chinese landscaping, including the iconic Weiming Lake.

Peking University is a major public research university fully administered by the Chinese Ministry of Education. It is one of the most prestigious universities in China, holding the elite "C9 League" designation, which is often compared to the Ivy League in the United States. Admission is highly competitive, drawing only the top fraction of a percent of students nationwide.