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Jiujiang Tongwen Academy

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Tongwen Academy is located in Jiujiang, Jiangxi. In the sixth year of the Tongzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1867), American missionaries Erli Taoli, Wu Kegui, and others, with the approval of the Qing government, established it outside the city at Tujiao, naming it "Bulang Primary School." Later, as the school expanded, it relocated to a new site by Gan Tang Lake near Nanmenkou in the city proper and, drawing inspiration from The Doctrine of the Mean’s phrase “Throughout the land, wheels share the same tracks, and books share the same writing,” renamed itself “Tongwen Academy.” It became the first church-run school in Jiangxi Province. In addition to teaching modern cultural and scientific knowledge, the academy also emphasized religious education. In 1906, while digging the foundation for new construction, then-principal Kuh Sifei unearthed three large jars of ancient Kaiyuan-era coins from the Tang Dynasty. He took these coins to the United States and exchanged them for a substantial sum. Together with funds raised by the American church, he built a teaching building (now the Experimental Building of Jiujiang No. 2 Middle School) and renamed the institution Nanweilie University in honor of his father. In 1917, the university was discontinued, and efforts were focused solely on running Jiujiang Nanweilie Middle School. In 1929, “Nanweilie Middle School” was renamed Jiujiang Tongwen Middle School. On June 11, 1951, it was renamed Jiangxi Provincial Xunyang Middle School. Between 1959 and 1962, Jiujiang University was briefly housed here. It is now a Jiangxi provincial-level cultural relics protection building and the site of Jiujiang No. 2 Middle School (Tongwen Middle School).

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Jiujiang Tongwen Academy is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Tongwen Academy is located in Jiujiang, Jiangxi. In the sixth year of the Tongzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1867), American missionaries Erli Taoli, Wu Kegui, and others, with the approval of the Qing government, established it outside the city at Tujiao, naming it "Bulang Primary School." Later, as the school expanded, it relocated to a new site by Gan Tang Lake near Nanmenkou in the city proper and, drawing inspiration from The Doctrine of the Mean’s phrase “Throughout the land, wheels share the same tracks, and books share the same writing,” set its name as “Tongwen Academy,” becoming the first church-run school in Jiangxi Province. In addition to teaching modern cultural and scientific knowledge, it also placed emphasis on religious education. In 1906, principal Kuh Sifei, while excavating the foundation, discovered three large jars of ancient Kaiyuan coins from the Tang Dynasty. He took these to the United States and traded them for a large sum of money. Together with funds raised by the American church, he constructed a teaching building (currently the Experimental Building of Jiujiang No. 2 Middle School) and renamed the school Nanweilie University in memory of his father. In 1917, the university was closed, and focus shifted entirely to operating Jiujiang Nanweilie Middle School. In 1929, “Nanweilie Middle School” was renamed Jiujiang Tongwen Middle School. On June 11, 1951, it was renamed Jiangxi Provincial Xunyang Middle School. From 1959 to 1962, Jiujiang University was temporarily established here. It is now a Jiangxi provincial-level cultural relics protection structure and houses Jiujiang No. 2 Middle School (Tongwen Middle School).

The academy was divided into four departments: primary school, middle school, theology, and university. The course durations were three years for primary school, four years for middle school, two years for theology, and two years for university. In the early years, the academy had four foreign teachers, eight Chinese teachers, and over 80 students. Each student's annual tuition and living expenses totaled 60 yuan. Aside from student fees, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions provided an annual subsidy of twelve thousand yuan to support operations.

In May 2013, the State Council (State Council Document [2013] No. 13) announced Jiujiang Tongwen Academy as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.