To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of Xi’an Petroleum University, from August 8 to 9, at the invitation of the Party Committee of CNPC Yumen Oilfield Branch, our university’s original stage drama ‘Finding Oil for My Motherland’ was staged three consecutive shows at the Jiuquan Workers’ Cultural Palace. Chen Xiaodong, Deputy General Manager and Chief Safety Officer of CNPC Yumen Oilfield Branch, Tan Xiuzhong, Deputy General Manager and Chief Geologist of the company, Cheng Yongqing, Deputy Secretary of the University Party Committee, and Li Zhen, Director of the Physical Education, Health and Arts Education Division of Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education, attended the performance.
Before the performance, Cheng Yongqing met with attending leaders from Yumen Oilfield Company. He expressed gratitude for the oilfield’s long-standing strong support for the university’s education and cultural development, and briefly introduced the creative background and preparation process of the stage drama.
In his address, Tan Xiuzhong pointed out that as the cradle of China’s petroleum industry, Yumen Oilfield shares deep historical ties with Xi’an Petroleum University. More than 70 years ago, the first women’s survey team made outstanding contributions to the oilfield’s early exploration. Today, Yumen Oilfield has maintained profitability for four consecutive years, restored its oil and gas equivalent output to one million tons, and exceeded one million kilowatts in new energy installed capacity, successfully accomplishing its “Double 100” goals. He stated that this tour serves as an important practice for the university and the enterprise to deepen cultural exchanges and foster talents for the new era. It carries far-reaching significance for inheriting the petroleum spirit. He expressed the hope that this event could serve as an opportunity to further expand bilateral cooperation and jointly support the development of a century-old oilfield with enduring vitality.
Based on the prototype of New China’s first women’s survey team, whose members graduated from our university’s predecessor — Northwest Petroleum Industry College, the stage drama reconstructs a stirring chapter of history sealed away for more than 70 years. More than twenty young students bid farewell to campus and headed for the Laojunmiao Oilfield beneath the Qilian Mountains. On the barren Gobi wilderness beset by sandstorms, bitter cold and material shortages, they trekked across mountains and valleys, completing the oilfield’s early fundamental surveying on foot. With their youth and sweat, they obtained the core geological data supporting the development of Yumen Oilfield and laid a solid foundation for New China’s petroleum industry. Today, this stage drama carrying the memories of the university’s history returns to the cradle of China’s petroleum industry. At this spiritual origin beside the Qilian Mountains in the Gobi, it realizes a cross-temporal spiritual dialogue and heritage of the same spiritual lineage. Audiences at the performances were deeply moved. The story struck a profound emotional chord among veteran petroleum workers. Meanwhile, drawing on this historical narrative, it helped young employees consolidate their professional convictions and draw strength for forging ahead. All agreed that revisiting the predecessors’ arduous struggle at the foot of the Qilian Mountains constituted an immersive spiritual baptism.
This touring performance represents a vivid practice of university-enterprise collaboration to nurture people through culture and forge spiritual identity through history. As a distinctive university with in-depth expertise in the energy sector, Xi’anPetroleumUniversity taps into the red resources embedded in its university history, transforming its profound educational heritage into immersive educational vehicles and integrating moral education into the entire process of cultural and artistic communication. Staged at Yumen Oilfield, the drama serves as a cultural bond to strengthen emotional ties between the university and the local community as well as between the university and the enterprise. It broadens avenues for both sides to deepen joint talent training, oil and gas research tackling, and co-construction of industrial culture.
On the eve of the performance, Cheng Yongqing paid a warm visit to extend regards to all cast and crew members. He pointed out that this tour to Yumen Oilfield carries profound significance. First, it is a journey of tracing origins: Yumen Oilfield is where New China’s first women’s survey team once strove, making this a root-seeking trip to revisit the original aspiration. Second, it is a pilgrimage. As the cradle of China’s petroleum industry, Yumen Oilfield undertook the historic mission of the “Three Greats and Four Exports”, rendering this visit a pilgrimage. Third, it is a tribute to generations of petroleum pioneers and the women’s survey team, honoring their spirit of defying harsh natural conditions and selfless dedication. He encouraged the cast and crew to portray the aspirations of the predecessors with genuine emotion, interpret the fighting spirit of petroleum workers wholeheartedly, and demonstrate the vigorous demeanor of Xi’anPetroleumUniversity people in the new era.
Heads of relevant units including the Party Committee Office (President’s Office), Publicity Department, United Front Work Department, Trade Union and Music Department accompanied the activity.
