“Very quietly I take my leave, as quietly as I came here. Quietly I wave good-bye, to the rosy clouds in the western sky.” Golden autumn seems so short for us in Tianjin as if it were the last leaf hanging onto a branch with winter’s arrival coming mildly and silently. Wild gales as well as fallen leaves paint the whole season. Sparse figures wander here and there, and your view can barely penetrate from one side of the road to the other end. 

The river remains still. No matter how strong the wind is, it always looks like a mirror, a bond connecting the sky with the earth. 

The grand library is so splendid yet so vague and infused with a kind of mystery in such foggy weather. It will not last for long, so if you’d like to observe this beautiful view, an early rise is highly recommended. 

Eventually, when the first flakes fall from the grey sky, winter comes as it has promised. The bright and white snow lingers on the ground, brings more attractive views on the campus. 

Walking along the lake accompanied by the willow trees with one or two friends brings scenes of ethereal beauty. 

Picking up a red leaf from the icy grass will be another experience. The contrast of green and red is pleasing to the eye, blending warmth and chilliness together in one image. 

The whole world keeps moving, but what remains perpetual is our expectation of snow, clean, white and bright. The shining snow in Tianjin University, marks the change of season in dramatic fashion. 

By: Ma Zhou 

Photos: Feng Chang, Tang Yinqi, Liu Yonghong, Li lingfeng, Ge Siwei, and Ye Xiufeng 

Editors: Qin Mian and Christopher Peter Clarke