2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of Guanghua University, one of the predecessor schools of East China Normal University. On May 15, the exhibition "A Lifetime of Light: Cultural Relics and Documents of Guanghua University Centennial" was officially opened to the public at the library of East China Normal University Minhang Campus.
From the manuscripts of President Zhang Shouyong, to the letters and calligraphy of scholars who once taught at Guanghua University, such as Liao Shicheng, Lu Simian, Hu Shi, Xu Zhimo, Qian Zhongshu, Gu Tinglong, and Shi Zhecun, to Guanghua journals and old photos, this exhibition tells the story of the development of Guanghua University in the history of modern Chinese education with more than 200 exhibits.
"A Life of Light: Guanghua University Centennial Cultural Relics and Documents Exhibition" exhibition site
"A Life of Light: Guanghua University Centennial Cultural Relics and Documents Exhibition" exhibition site
Guanghua University has gone through 26 years of spring and autumn
On June 3, 1925, in the midst of the May 30th Movement, a group of Chinese intellectuals resolutely abandoned their teaching and student status at St. John's University, then known as the "Harvard of the East", and with the support of Shanghai gentry such as Zhang Shouyong and Wang Shengsan, founded a new university - Guanghua University. Subsequently, Guanghua University established a board of directors, elected Wang Fenghao as chairman, and hired Wang Zhengyan, Wang Chonghui, Ma Xiangbo, Xiong Xiling, Gu Weijun and others as honorary directors. With the recommendation of the board of directors, Zhang Shouyong served as the first president of Guanghua University. With the assistance of all parties, "Guanghua University" was officially established in just three months.
Old photo of Guanghua University gate
Initially, Guanghua University rented a school building on Xiafei Road, and built a new school building on Daxi Road the following year (now the location of Donghua University's Yan'an Road campus). After the August 13 Incident in 1937, Guanghua University's Daxi Road campus became a stronghold for the Chinese army's war of resistance. On November 9, the Daxi Road school building was bombed by the Japanese army. On November 12 and 13, the campus was attacked by Japanese artillery fire again. Except for the main gate on Zhongshan Road (now Zhongshan West Road), the rest of the school buildings were almost all burned down, and the books and instruments were also severely damaged.
In November 1937, Guanghua University was destroyed by Japanese bombardment. The picture shows the burned-down male dormitory of the university. Image source: Archives of East China Normal University
Afterwards, Guanghua University experienced financial crisis, political oppression, and the destruction of the school during the Anti-Japanese War. In November 1937, the Guanghua University Board of Directors decided to establish Guanghua University Chengdu Branch in Sichuan. On March 1, Guanghua Chengdu Branch officially opened, with more than 300 students registered in the university and middle school. In June, President Zhang Shouyong went to Chengdu via Hong Kong and Chongqing to guide the school. The Chengdu Branch established at that time is now Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. On July 15, 1945, President Zhang Shouyong died of illness due to overwork. Before his death, he left the last words "Rejuvenate China, Rejuvenate Guanghua!" to encourage teachers and students to continue their struggle.
Guanghua University Journal
The exhibition site shows the manuscripts of Zhang Shouyong, the first president of Guanghua University
In October 1951, Shanghai Guanghua University and Daxia University merged to form East China Normal University, and Guanghua University thus completed its 26-year journey of ups and downs.
Guanghua Scholars Calligraphy
On the occasion of Guanghua University's centenary, East China Normal University, as the successor of Guanghua's cause, held the "A Lifetime of Light: Guanghua University Centenary Commemorative Cultural Relics and Documents Exhibition", with four sections, "Scholars' Calligraphy", "Collection of Treasures of Documents", "Great Xia Guanghua", and "Liu Guang Normal University", presenting more than 200 Guanghua University documents and manuscripts, etc., showing the development of Guanghua University in the history of modern Chinese education. The reporter of Thepaper.cn learned that many of the school history documents presented in the exhibition were publicly displayed for the first time.
Old photos of Guanghua University
In the exhibition hall, the "Scholars' Calligraphy" section is the highlight of this exhibition, displaying more than 50 pieces of letter manuscripts, calligraphy couplets, banners, etc. by Zhang Shouyong, Wang Fenghao, Liao Shicheng, Lu Simian, Qian Jibo, Hu Shi, Xu Zhimo, Qian Zhongshu, Shao Lizi, Hu Puan, Chen Zhu, Tian Han, Qiao Shi, Gu Tinglong and others.
These modern and contemporary scholars have all taught at Guanghua University. For example, Hu Shizhi, at the invitation of Zhu Jingnong in February 1928, gave a lecture on "History of Chinese Philosophy" at Guanghua University; scholar Chen Zhu was the director of the Chinese Department of Guanghua University; scholar Qian Zhongshu taught at Shanghai Guanghua University for two years after graduating from Tsinghua University in 1933; scholar Lu Simian was the director and acting president of the History Department of Guanghua University, and later taught at the History Department of East China Normal University; literary translator and translator of Shakespeare's works Cao Weifeng also taught at Guanghua University; poet Xu Zhimo taught at Guanghua University after returning from studying in Europe and the United States.
Exhibition site, Qian Zhongshu's handwritten notes
Notes of Jiang Weiqiao
Letters of Lu Simian
Zhou Youguang's Notes
There are also representatives of scholars who once studied at Guanghua University, such as the modern writer Zhou Erfu, who entered the English Department of Shanghai Guanghua University in the fall of 1933. He was arrested for participating in a progressive student movement while at school. After liberation, he served as Vice Minister of Culture. Zhou Youguang, known as the "Father of Chinese Pinyin", studied at St. John's University and Guanghua University.
In this part of the exhibition, visitors can also see the book "Yin Yu Ji" edited and printed by Lu Xun in the display cabinet. On the title page of this book, Lu Xun dedicated it to Mao Dun: "Presented to Mr. Mao Dun, Publisher Xun, May 23, 1934, Shanghai." This inscription not only reflects the personal friendship between the two literary masters, but also implies their common adherence to the left-wing literary and artistic front.
Lu Xun edited and published Yinyuji
Lu Xun's dedication to Mao Dun
On November 16 and 17, 1927, Lu Xun delivered speeches on the theme of "Literature and Society" at Guanghua University and Daxia University respectively. Both speeches revolved around the social responsibility of literature and the mission of youth. They became important events in the spread of Lu Xun's thoughts and also a symbol of the flourishing of left-wing literary and artistic thoughts in these two schools.
The display cabinet also displays more than 40 manuscripts, photos and related documents of teachers and students of Guanghua University who became teachers of ECNU, such as Liao Shicheng, Shi Zhecun, Gu Tinglong, Zhao Shanyi, etc. The display of these manuscripts also illustrates the academic inheritance relationship between Guanghua University and ECNU.
Gu Tinglong's Notes
Shi Zhe's Notes
Ding Xiaoming, curator and researcher at the Institute of Ancient Books, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, East China Normal University, said, "Among these manuscripts, Shi Zhecun's Wuxiang'an Bizhen is an unpublished manuscript with some excerpts and anecdotes, from which we can see the foundation of some of his later research. In particular, the content about the Hundred Poems of Tang Poetry may have been accumulated slowly during the process of taking notes in his early years. Zhang Zhilian's manuscript From the Comprehensive Mirror to Human Rights Research can be compared with printed publications, from which we can see the changes in his understanding of some issues. In addition, scholars' letters also have important academic research value."
Shi Zhecun's Manuscript
Shi Zhecun's Manuscript
Collection of precious documents and inheritance of academic tradition
The "Collection of Documents" section displays about 90 journals, photos, graduation certificates and other items related to Guanghua University. Ding Xiaoming told The Paper, "There are a lot of first-hand materials about Guanghua University in the journals. For example, the seventh issue of Guanghua Bimonthly contains Qian Jibo's "Comprehensive Meaning of Parallel Prose", and the latter contains Qian Zhongshu's "On the Evolution of Parallel Prose", which fills in the gaps left by his father. The father and son discussed academic issues at the same time. Chen Zishan, an expert in modern literature research, found Xu Zhimo's poem "Give It to Her" in Guanghua Journal and proved that this was the discovery of the original version of Xu Zhimo's work. It can be seen that these journals are very useful first-hand materials for researchers."
Exhibition site
Guanghua University Journal
Guanghua University Journal
Regarding the display of graduation certificates on the exhibition wall, Ding Xiaoming said that he hopes to present a historical context and tell where Guanghua University came from and where it is going. "The earliest graduation certificate in the exhibition hall is the graduation certificate of St. John's University. Although Guanghua was separated from St. John's University in June 1925, many of its systems were still influenced by St. John's University in a tangible and intangible way. From the form of the graduation certificates, the two are very similar, such as the display of two English graduation certificates. In addition, the graduation certificates of Guanghua University Affiliated High School in 1950 and the graduation certificates of East China Normal University Affiliated High School in 1952 displayed in the display cabinet are also in the same form. This shows the inheritance of the two schools."
Exhibition site, Guanghua University Chinese and English graduation certificates
Guanghua University Graduation Certificate
Guanghua University Graduation Certificate
Guanghua University student ID card
"In addition, there is another special feature in the graduation certificate, that is, Guanghua University pays special attention to cultivating students from its affiliated high schools. Such as Shao Yiqiu's graduation certificate from Guanghua Junior High School, High School to Guanghua University, and Zhang Qingli's graduation certificate from Guanghua High School to Guanghua University." In the frames on the exhibition wall, visitors can see a group of documents and manuscripts related to Shao Yiqiu.
A group of documents and manuscripts related to Shao Yiqiu at the exhibition site
Proof of donation
In the central display case, visitors can see a group of letters written by Gu Tinglong to his assistant Sun Qizhi. This group of letters was mounted as a hand scroll, and there were inscriptions by Zheng Zhong, Lu Hao, Zhong Wei and others. In the display case next to it, you can see the books and manuscripts of Shi Zhecun, a modernist writer and literary translator. Visitors can also see the calligraphy works of Guanghua predecessors on the exhibition wall, including the five-character couplet written by Hu Puan, Wang Daohan's "Daily Approaches the Moon", Guo Ruoyu's Jinwen recording of Yang Wanli's poems, the eight-character couplet of Wu Mei, a drama theorist and educator, Ma Xiangbo's "Shishuo" sentences, Lin Yutang's Xin Qiji's lyrics, Liang Shiqiu's "Jinlu Qu", etc.
A group of letters written by Gu Tinglong to his assistant Sun Qizhi at the exhibition
At the exhibition, Qiao Shi wrote an inscription (left), and Wang Daohan wrote "Day by Day" (right)
The exhibition site, Lin Yutang's calligraphy (left) and Guo Shaoyu's calligraphy (right)
Exhibition site, Sun Guiding's letters (above), Xu Zhimo's letters (below)
Exhibition site
"The great cause will not be destroyed by war, each has its own style and spirit." Mr. Zhang Shouyong wrote a poem to Guanghua alumni before his death in 1945, which can be said to be full of meaning. After Guanghua University experienced a long night and finally welcomed the victory of the Anti-Japanese War and the victory of the Liberation, the many spiritual traditions of Guanghua University, such as "unity of knowledge and action", "people's livelihood as the heart", "study, sincerity and integrity", as well as Guanghua University's educational philosophy and educational practice achievements, have become the collective memory and spiritual wealth of East China Normal University.
The exhibition is hosted by the Library, Academy of Fine Arts, and Institute of Ancient Books of the Chinese Department of East China Normal University, and co-organized by Guanghua School and the No. 1 Affiliated High School of East China Normal University.
The exhibition will run until June 30th.
- TZvFNgpwj05/15/2025