Former Site of the Liuzhuang Civilian Night School

Former Site of the Liuzhuang Civilian Night School

The former site of the Liuzhuang Civilian Night School is a cultural relic protection unit of Shangqiu City, a classic red tourism attraction, and a base for patriotic education.

The former site of the Liuzhuang Civilian Night School is located two kilometers west of the county seat, in the western part of Liuzhuang Village. In March 1928, Jiang Langshan, an early Communist Party member from Suixian County, mobilized local farmers in Liuzhuang to organize a Peasant Association, which was soon disbanded. Jiang went underground. He used his own assets to demolish four nearby temples and establish Liuzhuang Primary School, which had 40 rooms and covered an area of over 30 acres. The school’s gate bore the inscription “Awaken the Masses” in large characters, and the couplet on either side read: “Once overgrown and desolate, now vibrant with talent and glory.” In September 1929, Jiang Langshan founded the Civilian Night School at Liuzhuang Primary School. Teachers included Jiang himself as well as progressive intellectuals such as Li Shengsan and Li Beiwu. Thirty to forty poor young adults from nearby villages attended. The main curriculum included literacy materials such as the Civilian Literacy Textbook and current affairs knowledge. The civilian night school operated for more than two years. Farmers who attended not only learned to keep accounts and read newspapers, but some even mastered letter writing. Through their studies, these underprivileged farmers significantly raised their political awareness.

In the 1950s, with approval from the People’s Government of Henan Province, the Liuzhuang Civilian Night School was designated as a national second-class cultural relic protection unit. In 2002, it was listed as a key cultural relic protection unit by the Shangqiu Municipal People’s Government and recognized as a youth patriotic education base by the Suixian County Party Committee and County Government.