Former Site of Hunan Provincial Third Middle School

Former Site of Hunan Provincial Third Middle School

The former site of Hunan Provincial Third Middle School is a cultural relic protection unit of Hunan Province.

The former site of Hunan Provincial Third Middle School is located in Yuehan Subdistrict, Zhuhui District, Hengyang City, dating back to 1904.

Abbreviated as “Provincial Third Middle School,” the site is located on Lai Zi Shi along the east bank of the river, facing the Lai Yan Pagoda across the water. In 1904, the Qing government established Hengzhou Prefecture Middle School at Lianhu Academy, with Xiang Legu as its first supervisor. That same year, school buildings were rebuilt on Lai Zi Shi on the east bank, and the school subsequently moved in. After the Xinhai Revolution, it was renamed “Hengjun United Middle School.” In 1917, it became known as “Hunan Provincial Third Middle School.” In September 1926, the Provincial Third Middle School merged with the Provincial Third Normal School, and the site was taken over by Zhenxiang Middle School at the time. The original school gate, walls, corridors, playground, office building, and dormitories still remain, with traces of their original appearance. It was listed as a provincial key cultural relic protection unit in 1973.

Provincial Third Middle School has a glorious revolutionary history and served as an important base for revolutionary activities in southern Hunan. Mao Zedong, He Shuheng, Guo Liang, and others visited the school to guide revolutionary movements. During the Great Revolution period, the CPC Southern Hunan Special Committee was once stationed here, where various training classes such as “Peasant Movement,” “Women’s Movement,” “Rural Education,” and “Normal Education” were held. These efforts trained revolutionary cadres including Deng Zhonghai, Huang Yizao, Xie Handong, Chen Fen, Dong Tianyu, Tang Tianji, and He Jianchu, greatly advancing the democratic revolution movement in counties across southern Hunan.

In 2019, the former site of Hunan Provincial Third Middle School was approved as part of the tenth batch of provincial cultural relic protection units in Hunan Province.

Yuehan Subdistrict: Located in the urban-rural fringe of Zhuhui District, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, Yuehan Subdistrict borders the Xiang River to the west and the Lei River to the north, covering an area of approximately 1.8 square kilometers. It governs five community committees: Binjiang, Yuehan, Anjuli, Xiangrongli, and Airport. The subdistrict currently has a total of 5,628 households and a population of over 18,000. Transportation is very convenient, with major roads such as Xiangjiang East Road, Dongfeng North Road, Yong’an Road, Jiangxi Road, Yuexin Road, and the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway running through the area. It boasts rich cultural heritage, being home to early activity sites of revolutionary figures like Mao Zedong, such as the Southern Hunan Student Federation and Fuqiao Guild Hall. Other notable sites include Qiaotou Park, Peng Mansion, and Qing Dynasty-era residences... More details about Yuehan Subdistrict ++

Further Reading:

· Tenth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Hunan Province