With over a month to prepare for our Stanford screening tonight, we made sure we got the word out about the film through as many channels as possible. The Center for East Asian Studies was the co-sponsor for the event, and they helped flyer the campus, email various mailing lists, and list the screening on Stanford’s Events web site. Stefan from the Palo Alto Independent Films Group brought a sizeable contingent from his Meetup group to the showing. Another Meetup group brought a large group of Asian professionals. This week’s article in the Palo Alto Weekly also produced a big draw tonight. By my estimations, there were over 150 people of all ages at tonight’s screening of Autumn Gem. The lower portion of Cubberley was so packed it reminded me when I was a frosh taking Humanities in the very same auditorium! Thanks to everyone who came out to see our film!

During our introduction of the film, Professor Thomas Mullaney from Stanford provided some brief remarks about the role that martyrdom played in the interpretation and analysis of Qiu Jin. Had she lived a full life — not one cut off at 31 or 32 years of age — what would she have done? Whom would she have supported and what would she have thought about the events in China in 1911 (downfall of the Qing Dynasty), 1937 (invasion by Japan), and 1949 (Communist Revolution)? Hours after the screening, I’m still grappling with this question!

Following the film, Osvaldo, Cheryl, Felix, Rae and I picked up the flyers we posted the previous evening from White Plaza. We then went over to Fraîce frozen yogurt in what used to be the Corner Pocket in Tresidder Union. My how things have changed! The road to my freshman dorm is now the Munger Graduate Student Housing complex for the Law School. Old Union used to be the place where we paid our phone bills; now it’s a real student union. Students are no longer allowed to ride inside of the Main Quad, and there are bike paths and barriers throughout White Plaza. I can only imagine what Stanford will be like in another 15 years. Students today will probably have the same reaction that I have whenever I come back, “My, how things have changed since when I was a student!”

Here are photos from tonight’s screening of Autumn Gem at Stanford University. Next up on our tour schedule is a trip to Rae’s alma mater, the University of California, Berkeley, this Thursday, December 3. From Beat Cal, it’s now Go Bears!