Streams and mountains are like daisies

Always bathe in the spring breeze

Schools start in central Guizhou

Mingde and perfection

Be erudite and practice diligently

The earth stores hidden dragons

The enlightened way helps the world

See the wise and think about them together

Serve the country and serve the people with the same ambition

Looking at thousands of students

The sun is rising everywhere in the country, showing virtue, perfection, erudition and sincerity.

The motto of Guizhou University embodies the century-old Guizhou University’s pursuit of truth, advocating perfection, emphasizing erudition and hard work, and sparing no effort for the country and the nation. It has a clear inheritance relationship with the National Guizhou University motto of "Perseverance and Solidity" established by Mr. Zhang Tingxiu, the founder of National Guizhou University more than 60 years ago. It also combines the new requirements that the times have given to Guizhou University today, inheriting the past and opening up the future. The starting point is higher and the goal is further. Compared with the old school motto, although only four words have been added, the connotation is deeper and the understanding of traditional culture is richer. It can be said to be "harmony but difference".

The "Mingde and Perfection" in the school motto is taken from the first volume of "The University", "The way of a university lies in Mingmingde, being close to the people, and ending in perfection." It means that the fundamental purpose of the university is, first of all, Understand and demonstrate the intrinsic moral light inherent in human nature, then we must get close to the people and serve them with all our strength, and finally, through personal self-cultivation and social practice, we must achieve the ideal state of harmony and perfection in society and people. This is the ideal way to be a human being and learn knowledge, and it is also the highest spiritual goal pursued by Chinese cultural people. "Learn erudition and practice sincerely" can be found in "Book of Rites? The Doctrine of the Mean" in which "learn erudition, inquire carefully, think carefully, discern clearly, practice sincerely", which is the methodology of Confucian sages' learning. "Being virtuous and perfect" puts forward the ultimate goal, and "being knowledgeable and practicing diligently" provides specific implementation methods to achieve this goal. These wise sayings have been highly praised for more than two thousand years and are also respected by modern Chinese institutions of higher learning. Therefore, the motto of Guizhou University is a new understanding and interpretation of traditional culture.