Former Site of Shanxi Imperial University

Former Site of Shanxi Imperial University

The Former Site of Shanxi Imperial University is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Former Site of Shanxi Imperial University

Former Site of Shanxi Imperial University (Third Batch of Provincial-level Protected Sites)

Era: 1902

Address: No. 9 Houjia Lane, Yingze District, Taiyuan City

Shanxi Imperial University was one of the earliest modern universities established in China. It was founded in the 28th year of the Guangxu reign (1902) by the British missionary Timothy Richard, who utilized the "Boxer Indemnity" funds from the Qing government. The former site of Shanxi Imperial University features a grand scale, neat layout, and an architectural style that blends Chinese and Western elements, serving as a tangible example of the integration of Chinese and Western cultures in modern times. The main surviving structure is the university’s Grand Auditorium.

The Grand Auditorium was the only beamless and pillar-free modern building in the entire province at the time. The auditorium consists of a main building flanked by two wings. The main building is three bays wide, with an arched doorway, and has a two-story upper section topped with a platform that supports a square clock tower. Each of the two wings is ten bays wide, two stories high, with arched door and window openings on the lower level and square windows above, adorned with Western-style pilasters. The roofs are gabled and symmetrical, giving the structure a rhythmic and balanced aesthetic.

In May 2013, the Former Site of Shanxi Imperial University was listed as part of the Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units