Yuxi Building of Shishan Middle School

Yuxi Building of Shishan Middle School

The Yuxi Building of Shishan Middle School is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Anhui Province.

Shishan Middle School (now known as Shangtushi Middle School) was founded in the 14th year of the Republic of China (1925), making it the earliest established formal middle school in Huoshan County. Originally named Huoshan County West Town Junior High School, it is located at the southern foot of Shishan Mountain in Shangtushi, hence it is commonly referred to as Shishan Middle School.

The school lies against the majestic and elegant Shishan Mountain and faces the long-flowing Manshui River. With beautiful waters and green mountains, the environment is serene and picturesque, making it an ideal educational setting. The old school buildings were constructed in the 11th year of the Republic of China (1922). The structures are brick-and-wood, totaling 38 rooms, featuring a simple yet grand design. The rotating corridor embraces the main building, complemented by pools, terraces, pavilions, and terraces, making it one of the grandest architectural complexes in the mountainous region, and it has been listed as a county-level cultural heritage site. Since the school’s reopening in 1956, with the development of education, its scale has gradually expanded. It now covers an area of about 100 acres, divided into a teaching area and a residential area, separated by a sports square of over a thousand square meters, connected by “1, 2, 9 Road.” The roadside trees along the road are neatly arranged, casting dense shade that creates a tranquil atmosphere. Exiting the school gate leads to Shangtushi, a bustling market town in the mountainous border area of Huoshan known for active commodity economy and culture. The Huo-Ying Highway, a major route connecting Anhui and Hubei, runs through the town. In the teaching area, two newly built teaching buildings stand majestically opposite the old original teaching building, resembling a true academic institution.

In the inaugural year of the school in the 11th year of the Republic of China (1922), local prominent figures from West Town, including Li Qingfeng (a member of the Tongmenghui who served as captain of the First Regiment, Third Brigade, First Division of the National Revolutionary Army during the Northern Expedition), along with Huang Genfu, He Guoyou, Sun Futing, and more than ten others, proposed using the Zhiyuan Society as a funding source. They initially began constructing school buildings at the southern foot of Shishan Mountain (with 10 acres of land donated by the Zhang family). However, due to a lack of startup funds, the construction was delayed. After multiple consultations, the county decided to shut down the Second Higher Primary School located in Huanglimiao and use its funding to support the establishment of Shishan Middle School. Upon approval from the Provincial Department of Education, the school officially opened in the autumn of the 14th year of the Republic of China (1925). Initially, there were two classes, enrolling 84 students and 10 teaching staff. The first principal was Wang Shuzi, followed by He Guoxuan. At that time, Xu Yusang, a member of the Communist Party, returned from studying in Anqing and was hired to teach at the school. He collaborated with like-minded individuals from the “Pingmin Gongjue She” (Common People's Awakening Society) and “Xinheng Bookstore,” along with other party members such as Xu Xuanji (who later served as the academic director of Shishan Middle School), Wu Shuhe, and Wei Yanbin, to establish the Marxist Study Group in Huanglimiao. This group connected with the Marxist Study Group at Yanxi Primary School in Wenjiadian, supporting each other. Under the guise of teaching, they promoted progressive ideas among teachers and students, spread revolutionary theories, and criticized the evils of imperialism and feudal warlords. They proposed “using the school as an organization, party members as the backbone of teaching staff, recruiting qualified teachers and students into the Party and the Youth League, and gradually expanding into the vast rural areas.” In October 1927, they first developed progressive teacher Liu Renfu into the Party and established the first Party branch in West Town. The progressive publication "Awakening Lion" was circulated within the school, guiding teachers and students toward the revolutionary path and laying the foundation for later mobilization efforts in West Town. Therefore, Shishan Middle School is considered the birthplace of the worker-peasant revolution and the Liuhuo Uprising, often referred to as the “cradle of revolution.”

In the winter of the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929), after the victory of the Liuhuo Uprising, some teachers and students joined the revolutionary ranks to establish Soviet areas, leading to the closure of the school. In the autumn of the 26th year (1937), to facilitate the enrollment of students from both Huoshan and Lihuang (now Jinzhai) counties, an agreement was reached between the two sides to transform the school into a joint venture between the two counties. Upon approval, it was officially named Huoshan-Lihuang Two-County West Town Junior High School (abbreviated as Huo-Li Joint Middle School). It had seven classes, with 379 students (including 21 female students) and 17 teaching staff (including one female). The principal was Wang Xingxu (also known as Yanwu), followed by Li Xiabi and Zheng Xingbo. Teachers were recommended by both counties, most holding college degrees or higher, with rich teaching experience. Students were highly motivated, creating a strong academic atmosphere. The school’s ethos and teaching standards were highly regarded at the time.

In September of the 29th year of the Republic of China (1940), the stubborn faction of the Kuomintang blatantly undermined the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party in resisting Japan and persecuted Communists. Members of the Huoshan County Mobilization Committee, instructor Wang Zhaoquan (who had previously served as deputy head of the 20th Regiment of the Anti-Japanese Propaganda Work Troupe), and Ma Hongfan, deputy head of the 19th Regiment, secretly came to the school to teach. Among the teachers and students, they exposed the so-called “indirect salvation of the nation” tactics of the stubborn faction, opening the eyes of those who had been misled and revealing their schemes.

In 1948, as Huoshan approached liberation, Shishan Middle School, which had a 23-year history, came to an end. During these 23 years, the school indeed trained many talents for society, some of whom embarked on the revolutionary path. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, most of them made outstanding contributions to the nation’s construction. In 2000, the school was declared a provincial-level key cultural heritage protection unit by the county government.

Protected area: 10 meters outside the surrounding wall foundations on the east, south, west, and north sides.

Construction control zone: 20 meters east to campus residences, 35 meters south to the square, 30 meters west to the Huo-Ying Highway, and 20 meters north to Shishan Mountain, beyond the protected area.