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Xiamen University, the first university founded by an overseas Chinese, marked its 100th anniversary on April 6, 2021. Its founder Tan Kah-kee, born in Singapore, set the mission that “education is the foundation of the nation,” which aimed to advance the frontiers of knowledge, cultivate professional talent and expound world cultures under the motto of “pursue excellence, strive for perfection.” The university on Xiamen Island in Southeast China's Fujian Province is well-known for its picturesque campus and humanities colleges. Over the past 100 years, it fostered many leading figures in politics, business and culture, and played a significant role in rejuvenating the country before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. It is thought-provoking that the university has stood at the forefront of China's higher education since it is far from the country's political centers, economic hubs or cultural bases.