March 8th was International Women’s Day. To celebrate the occasion, NIT’s School of Foreign Language Studies held a discussion on the theme, “Be the Most Beautiful Woman”. A number of female teachers were invited to join in the conversation, and student representatives also attended to share their ideas about female beauty.
To begin, Liu Jie, mentor of the School of Foreign Language Studies, showed photos of renowned females such as Lee Qingzhao, Lin Huiyin, and Audrey Hepburn. These women represent the typical image of female beauty and glamorous lifestyle that most people love and appreciate. Liu pointed out that there is, however, no definite standard for female beauty because people’s definition of beauty is so subjective.
Teachers also shared their opinions of female beauty. Lee said, “University students should possess the qualities of honesty and goodness, which are the basis of a qualified university student.” Nan added, “Personally, I think that a woman who is independent, self-confident and brave is the most beautiful person in this world.” Wu mentioned two well-known Chinese celebrities, Yang Lan and Shang Wenjie, as worthy role models which female students can emulate as “beautiful women”.
Even though time was limited, the theme triggered considerable controversy among students. A junior student named Zhang Jie said that she thought her mother was the most beautiful women in this world: “My mom dedicates herself to my personal development; all she wants is for me to be happy and have a good life. I often want to thank her sincerely for the continual support she gives me.” Other students thought that women who possess the qualities of diligence, tolerance and kindness should be deemed the most beautiful females.
The rather heated discussion left students with an unforgettable memory of some of the most special qualities of “beautiful” women. The discussion also revealed that, in order to be truly beautiful, a woman must possess an inner beauty that transcends external appearance. Students generally acknowledged the truth that beauty and goodness can be found everywhere, and that each person – man or woman – must strive to develop a sense of personal self-worth in society.
