Respected teachers, distinguished guests, dear students of the Faculty of Law's Class of 2023,
Good afternoon, everyone!
It is a great pleasure to gather here beneath the autumn sun at Taipa Grande. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, this is the first in-person welcome ceremony held by the entire school. On behalf of the Faculty of Law at Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T.), I extend a warm welcome to all of you and offer heartfelt congratulations to the new students and their families.
By choosing to study at our faculty, each of you has made multiple choices. For non-local students, the first choice is Macau itself, a small city where Eastern and Western cultures have intertwined for four centuries and remains an important window and bridge for China's exchanges with the world. Macau is a remarkable location, backed by our motherland and facing the world. We hope that you will experience the diverse cultures here, broaden your horizons, and cultivate a global perspective. The second choice is Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T.), the first comprehensive university established after Macau's return to China. In just 23 years since its founding, M.U.S.T. has been developing at a visible pace. We hope that you will flourish and grow together with M.U.S.T. during your time here. The third choice is the Faculty of Law, one of the founding colleges of M.U.S.T., a young institution in the field of legal education committed to cultivating interdisciplinary legal professionals. We hope that you will acquire legal knowledge, master legal skills, expand your interdisciplinary vision, and cultivate a sense of justice here.
Among these three choices, the most crucial one is choosing the Faculty of Law. Choosing the Faculty of Law means that many of you will become legal professionals in the future. The type of legal professional you become and how you become one are questions that you must contemplate, answer, and act upon from now on. Of course, the cultivation of legal professionals and how to accomplish this is also a question that the Faculty of Law has been contemplating, answering, and acting upon.
The cultivation of legal professionals seems to differ greatly from the talent cultivation goals of traditional Chinese society. In his book "My Country and My People," Lin Yutang once said, "The purpose of the Chinese classical school is to cultivate people who speak with reason and logic." He believed that under this educational paradigm, "Chinese-style judgments often have a universal formula: A is right, and B is not wrong either." As a result, people who speak with reason and logic often provoke those who emphasize emotions. Legal professionals are often perceived as being purely logical and disregarding emotions. However, this is somewhat of a misconception. While legal professionals certainly need to be rational and logical, that is not their ultimate goal.
Across the eaves facing the second hall of the county government in Pingyao Ancient City, Shanxi Province, hangs a plaque that reads "天理國法人情" ,"Tianli Guofa Renqing" (Chinese proverb), which roughly translates to "Consider the principles of Heaven, national laws, and human sentiments." This plaque serves as a reminder to county officials that when making judgments, they should not only rely on the law but also take into account the principles of Heaven and human sentiments. In the context of modern rule of law, this phrase requires redefinition and evaluation. Nevertheless, from the perspective of "laws alone are insufficient to govern," it still possesses practical validity. In fact, during your classes, you will not only learn about legal provisions and the logical deduction of judicial syllogisms but also about "empirical rules," "public order and good customs," and "unjust laws." Even in the seemingly fierce criminal law courses, you will learn about "expectation of possibility," which means that the law should not impose undue hardship on individuals.
In summary, legal reasoning itself encompasses a certain degree of emotional intelligence. Legal professionals are tasked with safeguarding justice between norms and facts, logic and reason. Logic originates from reason, and emotional intelligence relies on a sense of justice. On the arduous journey of becoming legal professionals, we will also face the ever-changing world, the digital era, and the era of artificial intelligence that is profoundly transforming human production and lifestyles. Therefore, in addition to reason and a sense of justice, legal professionals also need a strong will to withstand countless trials and tribulations from all directions and the courage to work for the benefit of future generations and the overall well-being, rather than for immediate gains and individual interests.
Fellow students, your new chapter in life has begun. I hope that you will wholeheartedly engage in learning and life and believe that you will undoubtedly experience a fulfilling and passionate journey at the Faculty of Law, Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T.).
Lastly, once again, I welcome all of you to become members of the Faculty of Law. I wish you success in your studies and future endeavors.
Thank you.
Dean Fang Quan’s message to freshmen