Under the starry sky and beside the surging Pearl River, the Party Committee of the School of Marxism at Shenzhen University held a themed Party-building activity aboard the Bay Area cruise ship “Greater Bay Area No. 1” on November 25, using the “Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Sea Tour” as the experiential carrier and integrating it with the特色 activity “Starry Night Talk.” Secretary of the School Party Committee and Standing Committee Member of the Shenzhen University Party Committee Wang Hong, young faculty member Feng Jinyu, counselor Bian Kebing, and student Party members gathered on deck to share in the brilliance of the stars. Against the backdrop of vast seascapes and the echoes of the times, they embarked on an immersive experience of “Starry-Sky Ideological Education + Maritime Party Building,” allowing the red gene to continue its inheritance beneath the shimmering night sky of the Greater Bay Area.
Inspiring Messages Illuminate the Original Aspiration — A Lighthouse Guiding a New Journey
The event began with an address by Secretary Wang Hong, who lit a “guiding lighthouse” of thought for all participating faculty and student Party members. She emphasized that the “Starry Night Talk at Sea” is a vivid practice that integrates the brand concept of “setting ideological education against the backdrop of magnificent mountains and rivers, guided by the vast starry sky” with the real scenery of the Greater Bay Area. It is not only a form of “mobile ideological-political education” but also a “spiritual baptism under the stars.”
Secretary Wang expressed three expectations from the dimensions of history, inheritance, and mission:
Finding one’s place within the historical coordinate system — by deeply studying the Fourth Plenary Session’s strategies for coordinated regional development and by understanding from the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge the institutional advantages of “One Country, Two Systems” and of pooling strength to accomplish major undertakings, thus gaining a clearer sense of the nation’s path toward rejuvenation.
Tempering the original aspiration through red heritage — remembering General Secretary Xi Jinping’s instructions during his Guangdong inspection and transforming the Shenzhen spirit of “pioneering, openness, and inclusiveness” into concrete action, taking the lead in key areas of the Greater Bay Area’s development.
Shouldering the mission amid the tides of the era — aligning with the core tasks of promoting Chinese-style modernization, allowing Marxist theoretical depth to merge with the dynamism of the Greater Bay Area, “looking up at the stars while keeping feet on the ground,” and contributing youthful strength through diligence and dedication.
She concluded with a message inspired by the builders of the bridge: “Every meter of the bridge condenses sweat, but our gaze is always fixed on the next kilometer,” encouraging everyone to take this event as a new starting point and press forward courageously in the starry river of the new era.
A Micro Party Lecture Traces the Past — Firm Conviction Points to the Future
Following the address, young faculty member Feng Jinyu delivered a “Starry-Sky Micro Party Lecture” titled “General Secretary Xi Jinping and Three Defining Moments of Guangdong’s Reform and Opening-Up.” Against the gentle sea breeze, he recounted three key episodes of Xi Jinping’s connection with Guangdong:
his early participation in social practice in Huiyang during his university years,
his strategic positioning of Guangdong’s “window, experimental, and vanguard” roles during his national leadership,
and his 2025 visit to Guangzhou and Meizhou, where he emphasized Guangdong’s responsibility to “take the lead, set an example, and shoulder major tasks.”
Feng encouraged students to always walk alongside history, the motherland, and the people, writing their chapters of youth in the grand currents of the times. The lecture served as a vivid example of how the “Starry Night Talk” brings Marxist theory to life, letting its illumination shine gently into the hearts of students.
Immersive Exhibition Revisits Glorious History — Solemn Oaths Reinforce Commitment
After the theoretical session, participants toured the onboard Era Exhibition Gallery, where immersive displays of historic photographs and documents showcased Guangdong’s remarkable transformation since reform and opening-up and the construction achievements of the Greater Bay Area. This deepened everyone’s understanding of the miracle embodied by the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge—“a bridge linking three regions, turning a natural barrier into a thoroughfare.”
Next, led by Secretary Wang Hong, all faculty and student Party members stood before the Party flag and solemnly reaffirmed their oath of membership. The resounding pledge echoed across the deck—an emotional return to the original aspiration and a renewed commitment to mission, strengthening everyone’s resolve to remain loyal to the Party’s guidance.
A Bridge Across the Bay Honors the Nation — United Hearts Capture a Patriotic Moment
As “Greater Bay Area No. 1” passed beneath the iconic bridge—a world-class engineering feat—the event reached a moving crescendo. The melody of “My Motherland and I” resonated across the ship as all participants sang in unison. The majestic silhouette of the bridge and the stirring chorus formed a powerful tableau, evoking profound patriotism and national pride. Students and faculty snapped photographs to preserve this unforgettable red moment, imprinting their love for the motherland, aspirations for the Bay Area, and pursuit of ideals into this unique maritime “Starry Night Talk.”
Student Reflections: Theory Meets Reality Under the Stars
Students expressed that the experience transformed ideological education into something vivid and inspiring:
Zhang Zheng (Master’s, Class of 2024) reflected:
“Standing on deck, seeing the bridge stretch into the starry horizon, I felt the institutional advantage of ‘pooling strength to achieve great things’ turn from a theoretical concept into a visual and emotional shock. This ‘mobile ideological-political class’ gave me a stronger practical anchor for my research.”
Zhang Jianting (Master’s, Class of 2024) shared:
“Reaffirming the Party oath beneath the stars and the bridge brought a solemnity unmatched in a classroom. It made me clearly realize that personal ideals gain power only when they merge with the nation’s development.”
Zhou Zijian (Master’s, Class of 2025) said with excitement:
“This was my first ‘Starry Night Talk,’ and I never imagined ideological education could be this cool! Talking with teachers and senior students under the stars transformed terms like ‘Greater Bay Area’ and ‘maritime power’ from news headlines into real aspirations and helped me rethink my career and future.”
Across sparkling starlight and illuminated waters, theory blended with lived experience. Students and teachers alike pledged to transform the inspiration and insights gained under the “starry sea” into grounded academic pursuit and social practice—striving to become steadfast, radiant “stars” in the construction of the Greater Bay Area and to run their best race on the youth track toward national rejuvenation.
