In 1978, I was admitted to Harbin Institute of Technology

Chapter 1 Harbin Institute of Technology? Never heard of it.

1978 October.

It is already autumn in the north.

The Admissions Office of Harbin Institute of Technology, which has a history of nearly 60 years, is busy and orderly enrolling college entrance examination students from all over the country who have applied to the school, or students who have not applied enough for adjustment or whose applied scores do not meet the admission requirements for the majors.

At this moment, more than a dozen department heads were crowded into the not-so-spacious principal's office.

The department heads threw away their usual gentleness and reserve and became like fighting cocks.

"Bang! In my opinion, since Xie Wei got full marks in math, he should go to the math department. Mathematics is the foundation of all science and engineering subjects! If you can't produce results in math research, other subjects are useless."

The head of the mathematics department had an expression that said "no one else can do this better than me". As soon as he finished speaking, he was pushed aside by the person behind him.

"Why go to the mathematics department? Physics is what the country needs more! Didn't Xie Wei get full marks in physics?"

“High-energy chemistry needs more talents like this!”

"Computers are what the country needs most in the future. If a person with such talent doesn't learn computers, it would be a waste of his talent!"

……

Seeing so many department heads competing for the position, the head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering expressed his anger loudly with a dissatisfied look on his face:
"What are you fighting for? Didn't you see that he filled in the application form for the Mechanical Engineering Department's major of Mechanical Automation? It's his only choice, his only major! He refuses to be transferred! Don't you have any measurement units in mind?"

Du Guowang, director of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, suppressed his anger and expressed his dissatisfaction loudly.

"What does it mean to rob? Young people nowadays don't have a clear understanding of themselves..."

Seeing a group of department heads arguing like aunties in the vegetable market, Principal Li Rui held his forehead and rubbed his swollen temples vigorously.

Wide headache.

Harbin Institute of Technology is an engineering university established in 1920. Since the Harbin Institute of Technology for Military Engineering was split up, successive presidents of Harbin Institute of Technology have made it their mission to build the first military engineering school in the Republic.

The goals are clear, but the resources are insufficient, the faculty is not as good as other similar institutions, and the funding is small.

Due to its geographical location and popularity, the admission score for its students is much lower than that of Peking University and Tsinghua University, which are also among the first batch of key universities in the Republic.

To develop, we need talents.

It was so hard to find such a student who had scored full marks in science and engineering. The department heads, who had been driven crazy by students who had been recommended to go to college without any foundation, couldn't help but make a move to snatch him away.

Candidates selected through the college entrance examination do not need to be taught from the most basic level at least.

This is proven by the college entrance examination students who enrolled in the first half of the year.

"Bang~"

Li Rui rubbed his swollen head vigorously and slapped his hand heavily on the paint-stained desk.

He used too much force and the enamel teacup with the Double Happiness pattern printed on it jumped up.

"No matter which department you choose, can't you wait until we get to school first?"

When the professors heard this, they all agreed.

"Admit him according to his wishes first!"

The director of admissions breathed a sigh of relief.

The principal made the decision and he no longer had to face the anger of the department heads.

"Why aren't you leaving yet?"

Everyone else had left, but Yu Guofeng, the head of the Computer Department, was still in Li Rui's office.

"Principal, if Xie Wei is willing to transfer to the Computer Science Department, what do you think?"

When Li Rui heard this, his brows jumped.

He knew what Yu Guofeng was planning, but he couldn't answer.

"Computer science requires high logical and English skills. Xie Wei scored full marks in both subjects, so he is more suitable for further study in the computer science department. Computer science is an advantageous major at the National University of Defense Technology."

When Li Rui heard Yu Guofeng mention the National University of Defense Technology, the corners of his mouth twitched several times.

He rubbed his temples helplessly, picked up the Double Happiness enamel teacup and took a sip.

After a long silence, he spoke: "Excellent students may not know the major they are studying before applying. If they want to change their major after entering the school, the school should be able to consider it." "I understand! Thank you, principal..."

Yu Guofeng received the principal's reply and left the principal's office happily.

"Well, maybe we can arrange for the admissions office to go to each key middle school in advance to check out the locations and bring in outstanding students?"

Li Rui knew very well what Yu Guofeng was thinking.

He also knew that candidates with high scores in the college entrance examination would definitely have no problems with their learning ability.

The more I think about it, the more I think this is feasible.

Mechanical Engineering Department Office.

After Du Guowang came back, he felt a little uneasy.

Colleagues who have worked together for many years understand each other.

They started snatching people up before the admission notice was even sent out. Even though the principal has given the order, will these people follow the rules?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. He then said to his assistant, "Xiao Wang, quickly arrange the work for the next few days. We have to go to Rongcheng."

······
Rongcheng.

Eastern suburbs.

Hongguang Machinery Factory.

As new types of stamped antimony pots, pressure cookers and other products claiming to be of "military quality" were launched on the market, they became hot-selling products in major supply and marketing cooperatives and department stores, and the supply was in short supply. Outside the Hongguang Machinery Factory, which had no money to pay wages in the second half of last year, a long line of Jiefang cars lined up for hundreds of meters on the narrow road in front of the factory gate.

Every truckload produced is taken away.

The drivers were bored waiting, so they simply set up a small table on the roadside next to the cars and gathered together to play cards, or held enamel teacups and talked about the latest news in various accents.

From time to time, people wearing cadre uniforms with four pockets, carrying briefcases and holding letters of introduction would smile and offer cigarettes to the guards in the guard room, but the guards would not be enthusiastic at all and were unwilling to let them in.

Inside the factory, machines are roaring and workers are working hard with smiles on their faces.

Technology Department.

The male workers, wearing light blue cotton short-sleeved work clothes, gathered together to play poker, while the female workers sat together, knitting sweaters and gossiping.

On the desk at the door, there is a thick pile of professional books such as "Fundamentals of Mechanical Design", "Mechanical Manufacturing Technology", "Engineering Materials", and "Engineering Mechanics".

A young man in his early twenties was writing and drawing at his desk. Scattered on the table were some sketches of parts and some calculation formulas without numbers.

"Xie Wei, Xie Wei, your university admission letter has arrived..."

Mr. Huang from the security department excitedly waved a thin envelope with "Harbin Institute of Technology" printed on the lower right corner. Before he even reached the entrance of the technical department, he shouted, "You have to treat us!"

Old Huang took the job from the postman just to have a drink.

"Passed the exam? Xiao Xie, you have to treat us!"

"You've been admitted to university, and you've gone straight from a technician to a government official! It's time to treat us!"

"Which university?"

Everyone in the technical department excitedly went to Lao Huang. Someone snatched the envelope containing the notice from Lao Huang and saw Harbin University of Technology printed on it. They all asked questions:
"Harbin University of Technology? What kind of school is this?"

"I've never heard of it..."

"Why didn't Xie Wei apply to a university in Chengdu? Sichuan University is a good university and close to home. Is it possible that his score is not high enough?"

Harbin Institute of Technology?
No one in the entire technical department has ever heard of it.

Some people also said sourly that no matter which university it is, it is not easy to get into.

Hearing everyone's discussions, Xie Wei just smiled and didn't explain.

Harbin Institute of Technology, the first of the seven national defense universities, had to wait for decades before it became famous and was sanctioned.

How could these people in this office, who got into the technical department through gifts and whose average education level is less than junior high school, know about the world's only university with nuclear strike capability and the ability to launch satellites on campus?

(End of this chapter)