Huaiyin Two-Level Primary School

Huaiyin Two-Level Primary School

Huaiyin Two-Level Primary School is a cultural heritage site protected by Shanxi Province.

Huaiyin Two-Level Primary School is located in the center of Huaiyin Village, Dongye Town, Wutai County. In the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934), Zhao Chengshou, a native of Huaiyin Village and then Commander-in-Chief of the Cavalry of Yan Xishan's Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, founded the school to improve the conditions of local public education. Facing south and situated to the north, it covers an area of 10,700 square meters.

The school had a unified uniform, established school rules, set mottos, and hired distinguished teachers. It was known as the top school in North China at the time and produced outstanding revolutionary cadres of the Communist Party such as Li Lian and Cheng Fei. A pair of stone lions stands inside the school gate. Ascending twenty-five steps, the school is built across three natural terraces. The first terrace has sixteen classrooms in stone-arched cave dwellings, with a central staircase leading up to the second terrace. The middle section features three stone-arched doorways topped with stone railings, and the central plaque reads “Huaiyin School.” The second terrace includes thirteen brick-structured classrooms with flush gable roofs covered in gray tiles. The middle section has a doorway, with small side doors on the far left and right leading to corridors. From the second terrace, seven steps lead up to the third terrace, where the main hall is located. In front is a five-bay-wide and eight-bay-deep front porch with a hip-and-gable roof, supported by brackets and featuring painted decorations. On both sides are stone steps leading up, and today the front porch houses several display panels. The rear section has several stone steps, and today the upper level hosts a small stage, while the lower level has decorative archways. The Wenchang Pavilion is the highest point in the entire Huaiyin Village. It is surrounded by a brick flower-patterned wall, with the pavilion itself featuring three bays in width and six rafters in depth, with a hip roof, colorful glazed ridge ornaments, green-tiled central panels, wooden carvings around the openings, and bracket sets. There is also a stone staircase on one side, and the upper level houses...

Huaiyin Two-Level Primary School was funded and built by Zhao Chengshou in 1934. It has a neat layout, intact structure, and remains well-preserved to this day without major alterations or demolitions, making it a rare and precious heritage.

Source: Xinzhou Net

Huaiyin Village: Nestled against Longshan Mountain and fronted by the Hutuo River and Xiaohuanghe River, where the two waterways converge, Huaiyin Village boasts uniquely beautiful scenery, a mild and moist climate, and an elevation of 740 meters. Spring arrives especially early here, earning it the title “Early Greening of Huaiyin in Spring.” The entire village faces south and is situated to the north, with a long, narrow terrain stretching 4 kilometers from east to west. Villager homes are scattered across high ridges and deep valleys, among which are numerous residences built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as many cultural relics and historic sites. Notably, the school, built as early as 1934, is located in the center of the village. The school is divided into five levels according to the terrain, comprising seven courtyards with varying elevations, creating a charming, well-arranged layout typical of traditional Ming and Qing architecture. 201… More detailed information about Huaiyin Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Shanxi Province