Former Site of the Rugao Public Elementary Normal School

Former Site of the Rugao Public Elementary Normal School

The Former Site of the Rugao Public Elementary Normal School is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Former Site of the Rugao Public Elementary Normal School

Era: 1903

Address: Southeast corner of Rugao Ancient City, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province

The school was built in the 28th year of the Guangxu reign (1902 AD) and is the first independently established public normal school in China. It was founded by Sha Yuanbing, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy of the Qing Dynasty (who later served as the Speaker of the Jiangsu Provincial Assembly in the early Republic of China). Sha, while assisting Zhang Jian of Nantong in founding the “Tongzhou Normal School,” also established this school. The architectural layout was modeled after the plans of Japan’s Hongwen Academy, incorporating elements of traditional Chinese academy style. For over a hundred years, it has retained its original appearance, location, and educational mission, earning the title of a “living fossil of teacher education.” Nearly 50,000 students have been spread across the world.

In 2005, it was upgraded to the “Rugao Higher Normal School” with the approval of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education. The former site of the school holds significant historical, artistic, and scientific value, and was designated as a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1995.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units