Cambridge 劍橋

Cambridge locates 80km north of London and is the university town for University of Cambridge, one of the premier schools in the world. This city was first occupied by Roman Empires who established a community around AD 40, they also built forts and used this city mainly for military purpose to defend River Cam.

The founding of University of Cambridge was originated from a riot in University of Oxford where some students fled to Cambridge to avoid bloodshed in 1209. Same as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge is also a collegiate school. The first college was formally established in 1284 known as Peterhouse College. Now, there are total of 31 colleges in University of Cambridge.

Trinity College is the largest, richest, and the most famous college in University of Cambridge. It has produced 32 Nobel Prize winners so far, including Sir Isaac Newton, Lord Byron, and Bertrand Russell. The statue on top of the Great Gate is Henry VIII who founded Trinity College. However, Henry VIII’s support alone for land was not sufficient to assume Trinity College’s spaciousness. It was not until Thomas Nevile that Trinity College was ensured its capaciousness and royal association in early 17th century.

Henry VIII’s status was built to clutch a scepter but was swapped to a chair leg by students as a joke. The scepter has never been replaced back.

The church in Trinity College was founded by Henry VIII’s daughter–Mary Tudor in 1554.

The Great Court of Trinity College that was built and expanded by Thomas Nevile who was Master of Trinity College from 1593-1565. Thomas Nevile rebuilt Trinity College by connecting all the buildings together, renovated the dinning hall, built a new court, and moved the Edward Clock Tower 20 meters back.

The fountain in Great Court.

Viewing the back of the Great Gate from Trinity College’s grand courtyard.

Street view of Cambridge.

Gate of Honor in Gonville and Caius College. This college was founded in 1346 and has 3 gates–Gate of Humility at entrance, Gate of Wisdom that leads to the hall, and then Gate of Honor is only unlocked when students receive their degrees.

Neo-gothic style Gatehouse as part of the building for King’s College.

Another view of King’s College.

St. Catharine’s College.

River Cam and Mathematics Bridge that connects Queen’s College to another side. Mathematics Bridge is also known as "Wooden Bridge" that was designed by James Essex in 1749. It’s said that the bridge was built without bolts and screws. However, it was taken apart and rebuilt several times until now.

River Cam that passes by St.John’s College, Trinity College, King’s College, and Queen’s College. There are several bridges on River Cam–all called cam-bridges. Punting on River Cam is a popular activity in the campus.

I think Cambridge is not just best-known for its prestigious university but moreover, the romantic ambience of River Cam that inspired Chinese poet, Hsu Chih-Mo, to write "Goodbye again, Cambridge."

As quietly as I came here;
Quietly I say good-bye
To the rosy clouds in the western sky…

The golden willows by the riverside
Are young brides in the setting sun;
Their reflections on the shimmering waves
Always linger in the depth of my heart.

The floating-heart growing in the sludge
Sways leisurely under the water;
In the gentle waves of Cambridge
I would be a water plant!

That pool under the shade of elm trees
Holds not water but the rainbow from the sky;
Shattered to pieces among the duckweeds
Is the sediment of a rainbow-like dream?

To seek a dream? Just to pole a boat upstream
To where the green grass is more verdant;
Or to have the boat fully loaded with starlight
And sing aloud in the splendor of starlight.

再別康橋 — 徐志摩

輕輕的我走了，
正如我輕輕的來；
我輕輕的招手，
作別西天的雲彩。

那河畔的金柳
是夕陽中的新娘
波光裡的艷影，
在我的心頭蕩漾。

軟泥上的青荇，

油油的在水底招搖；
在康河的柔波裡，
我甘心做一條水草

那榆蔭下的一潭，

不是清泉，是天上虹
揉碎在浮藻間，
沈澱著彩虹似的夢。

尋夢？

撐一支長篙，
向青草更青處漫溯，
滿載一船星輝，
在星輝斑斕裡放歌
但我不能放歌，
悄悄是別離的笙簫；
夏虫也為我沈默，

沈默是今晚的康橋﹗

悄悄的我走了，
正如我悄悄的來；
我揮一揮衣袖，
不帶走一片雲彩。