Houle Pavilion

Houle Pavilion

Houle Pavilion is located on the left side of Tongcheng High School campus. It is an octagonal, four-pillared pavilion with flying eaves. To its left stands a memorial monument dedicated to the great communist fighter, proletarian revolutionary, and esteemed alumnus of Tongcheng High School, Comrade Huang Zhen. The inscription on the monument was written by Zhang Kaifan, a veteran provincial-level official and calligrapher from Anhui, while the plaque inscribed with “Houle Pavilion” was personally penned by Huang Zhen.

Huang Zhen (1909–1989), a native of Tongcheng (now part of Tongcheng County, previously under Zongyang), was a graduate of Tongcheng High School. He later studied at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts and Shanghai Xin Hua Art University. In 1931, he joined the revolution, and in 1932, he became a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He held key positions such as propaganda minister and political commissar in the Red Army corps, and participated in the Long March. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, he dedicated 27 years to the diplomatic front, serving successively as the Chinese ambassador to Hungary, Indonesia, and France, as well as the director of the Chinese Liaison Office in the United States. He later transitioned to the fields of propaganda and culture, holding positions including First Deputy Minister of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee, Minister of Culture, and Standing Committee Member of the Central Advisory Commission. Huang Zhen visited his alma mater for inspection in 1958, 1980, and 1988. During these visits, he donated the precious revolutionary historical materials "Long March Sketchbook," created during the Long March, and raised funds to establish an alumni library fund. He personally inscribed the plaque for “Houle Pavilion” to inspire students and teachers to aim high, serve the nation, and dedicate themselves to the country.