Former Site of Datong Middle School in Qixian County

Former Site of Datong Middle School in Qixian County

The former site of Datong Middle School in Qixian County is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

The former site of the Private Datong Middle School in Qixian County is located in the middle section of Jincheng Avenue in Qixian County town. In early 1920, progressive intellectuals Meng Zhaopu and Meng Zhaoqu took advantage of their father Meng Guangyue’s (courtesy name —) position as an official in charge of the Confucius Temple (academy), and opened a private school at the Qixian Confucius Temple. It specialized in enrolling progressive primary and secondary school students aged 13 to 18 and other private school students. Most of these students later went on to study in Beijing, Nanjing, Kaifeng, and other places.

In the summer of 1924, Ma Peiyi, a former private school student who was studying in Nanjing, joined the Communist Youth League through the introduction of Yun Daiying and soon became a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He returned to Qixian to carry out the work of establishing the League. In late May 1925, the Special Branch of the Communist Youth League in Qixian was established, with Zhang Haifeng as secretary, directly under the leadership of the Central Committee of the League. In August, Zhang Haifeng, Jin Yujui, and others joined the CCP, establishing the Special Branch of the CCP in Qixian. Later, the Qixian District Committee and the Qixian County Committee were also formed. On February 1, 1926, the Qixian Peasants' Association was established. In May 1927, Xiao Renhu, Chairman of the Henan Provincial Peasants' Association, Zhang Haifeng, Special Commissioner for Eastern Henan, Wu Zhipu, Secretary of the Qixian District Committee, and Han Dasheng, among others, launched the Eastern Henan Peasant Armed Uprising in Qixian and Yongcheng respectively, capturing five county towns — Qixian, Suixian, Tongxu, Chenliu, and Yongcheng — in one fell swoop. With the support and help of the Party organization, Professor Wang Yizhai of Henan University founded the Private Datong Primary School in Qixian in September 1932, located on the south side of Wuying on the west gate street of Qixian County town. In the summer of 1934, the Party organization sent Wang Guoquan (original name Kang Wusheng) to assist Wang Yizhai in founding the Private Datong Middle School in Qixian inside the Tiandi Temple on the north side of Xiaoximenli in Qixian. The following summer vacation, it was relocated to the Minglun Hall in the backyard of the Confucius Temple. Most of the teachers at Datong Middle School were underground CCP members, Youth League members, and progressive young intellectuals from Peking University, Peking Normal University, Henan University, and other institutions. Notable figures included Gao Bingtan, Zhou Xiya, Zhao Yiping, Liang Lei, Zhang Haifeng, Guo Xiaotang, Shi Yumin, Duan Peiming, Du Shengwu, Wang Hengru, Zhang Zhenhuan, Fu Mingdi, Lian Zhiyi, Xu Hongjiu, and the renowned contemporary writer Yao Xueyin. The Private Datong Middle School in Qixian spread Esperanto and the New Writing Movement across regions, launched vigorous anti-Japanese salvation movements, and established the Qixian Division of the Chinese National Liberation Vanguard. In May 1938, more than ten student members of the Vanguard, including Mu Yacai (Mu Qing), Liu Hanyi (Liu Ying), Wang Enpu (Wang Haiming), and Wang Jiaxian (Tian Chou), secretly left the school and separately went to Yan’an and Shanxi to join the Eighth Route Army and the Anti-Japanese Death Squad. In November, Peng Xuefeng and Wu Zhipu led the New Fourth Army guerrilla detachment through Suixian, Qixian, and Tai, recruiting some Datong Middle School students to join the Dawn Drama Troupe of the detachment. Liang Lei, a CCP member and teacher, went to the anti-Japanese front in Shanxi to establish resistance bases and served as Commander of the Northern Shanxi Guerrilla Forces, sacrificing heroically on the battlefield. Zhao Yiping served as Secretary-General and head of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Western Shandong Regional Committee, also giving his life in the flames of the war. According to incomplete statistics, over 160 teachers and students joined the revolution, 28 of whom sacrificed their lives for it. Many others became key leaders and experts in the Party, government, military, and various fields, such as Mu Qing, former President of Xinhua News Agency and member of the CPC Central Committee; Lieutenant General Li Xuanhua, Political Commissar of the Lanzhou Military Region; and Xu Shulin, Commander of the Shandong Provincial Military Region. On February 26, 1986, the People’s Government of Henan Province announced the Confucius Temple — “Former Site of the Private Datong Middle School in Qixian County” — as a key cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

Address: No. 56, Jincheng Avenue, Qixian County

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Henan Province