Gongda Mountain Villa

Gongda Mountain Villa

The full name of Gongda is the Communist Labor University (abbreviated as Gongda), unique to Jiangxi. Gongda was a work-study school established in accordance with Mao Zedong’s educational philosophy. Founded in 1958 and restructured in 1980, it operated for 22 years, training over 220,000 construction professionals ranging from junior technical school graduates to junior college graduates for the country. It explored a set of experiences combining education with productive labor, becoming a model for schools implementing the Party’s educational policy and the work-study education system, leaving a profound impact on the history of education in China.

On the third anniversary of Gongda’s founding, Mao Zedong wrote a congratulatory letter with great delight: “Your cause has my full support. The work-study program and diligence in both work and study, requiring not a single cent from the state, with schools at the primary, secondary, and university levels scattered across the mountains of the province, with a few on flat land—such schools are indeed excellent. Most students are youths, along with some middle-aged and young cadres. I hope that such schools will exist not only in Jiangxi but also in every province. Each province should send capable and insightful comrades to Jiangxi to study and draw lessons, then go back and try setting up similar schools. Initially, keep the number of students small, then gradually increase it, until reaching as many as 50,000 like in Jiangxi.”

This is the letter later widely referred to as Chairman Mao’s “July 30 Directive.”

The former Shangrao Gongda has now been transformed into Gongda Mountain Villa. To preserve the original layout, style, and authentic features of the old Gongda buildings, the operators invested a great deal of thought and funding. For example, the guest rooms at Gongda were converted from former classrooms. Although the rooms have been remodeled into standard layouts, the windows still retain their original wooden frames. To restore these wooden windows, the operator, Mr. Xu, spent far more in cost and effort than he would have if he had simply removed the wooden frames and replaced them with new aluminum ones—the cost was nearly three times that of installing new windows.

Perhaps, in the not-too-distant future, Gongda Mountain Villa will gradually allow visitors to experience the cultural essence and the spirit of the students from the original Gongda through the restoration of buildings and other facilities.