Former Site of Taowu Middle School

Former Site of Taowu Middle School

The former site of Taowu Middle School is a Suzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The former site of Taowu Middle School, located at No. 8 Baochengqiao Street, Taohuawu, was designated as a Suzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1991.

Taowu Middle School was founded in 1902 (the 28th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty) by the American Episcopal Church’s Missionary District and was officially named in 1908 (the 34th year of Guangxu). Between the establishment of the Republic of China and the eve of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Principal Mei Naikui (an American) was dedicated to the school’s development. He introduced new equipment, strengthened the teaching staff, and successively built a series of Western-style school buildings constructed with brick and wood structures. These included a chapel, gymnasium, laboratories, offices for the principal and teachers, as well as teachers’ residences. Except for the gymnasium and chapel, which have been demolished, the other buildings remain largely intact.

In the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, a number of missionary schools were established in Suzhou, such as the private Yancheng Middle School and Hui Ling Middle School on Xieyafang, and the private Cuiying Middle School on Yici Lane. The former site of Taowu Middle School is the one with the most surviving original school building structures among them.