Fudan University located in Shanghai

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

, is one of the oldest and most selective universities

University

A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

 in China, and is a member of the C9 League

C9 League

The C9 League is an association of nine Chinese universities, which were selected by the Chinese government in 1998.On May 4, 1998, Project 985 was initiated by the Chinese government in order to advance the higher education system. In the first phase, nine universities were selected and allocated...

. Its institutional predecessor was founded in 1905, shortly before the end of China's imperial Qing dynasty

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

. Fudan University is composed of four campuses, including Handan (邯鄲), Fenglin (楓林), Zhangjiang (張江), and Jiangwan (江灣).
Fudan was initially known as Fudan College in 1905. The two Chinese characters Fu (復) and Dan (旦), literally meaning "(heavenly light shines) day after day", were chosen by the distinguished educator in modern Chinese history, Father Ma Xiangbo

Ma Xiangbo

Ma Xiangbo , also known under his style Ma Liang , was a Chinese scholar and educator during the late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China.-Biography:Ma was born in Dantu, Jiangsu province to a prominent Catholic family...

 S.J.

Society of Jesus

The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

 (马相伯), from the Confucian Classics (《尚书大传•虞夏传》): "Itinerant as the twilight, sun glows and moon luminesces" (日月光華，旦復旦兮).