Sun Yat-sen University

Sun Yat-sen University

Sun Yat-sen University, originally named Guangdong University, was founded in 1924 by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the great democratic revolutionary. In 1926, it was renamed Sun Yat-sen University in his memory.

In 1931, Sun Yat-sen University had five disciplines: Arts, Law, Science, Agriculture, and Medicine, which were renamed as colleges in the same year. The Engineering College was established in 1934, and the Graduate School was set up in 1935 to begin enrolling graduate students. By 1937, the university had expanded to seven colleges—Arts, Science, Law, Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine, and Teachers—and one Graduate School, comprising 31 departments. During the War of Resistance against Japan, the university was relocated successively to Luoding in Guangdong, Chengjiang in Yunnan, Pingshi in Guangdong, Dongjiang, and Lianxian. It returned to Shiqi in Guangzhou in 1945. Following the national restructuring of higher education institutions in 1952, the Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine, and Teachers colleges were separated from Sun Yat-sen University, transforming it into a comprehensive university focused on the arts and sciences. Its campus was also moved from Shiqi in Guangzhou to Kangyuan Garden.

In September 1999, Sun Yat-sen University signed an agreement with the Zhuhai Municipal People’s Government to jointly develop the Sun Yat-sen University Zhuhai Campus. Covering an area of 3.3 square kilometers, the Zhuhai Campus laid a solid foundation for the university’s development in the new century and expanded its educational space. Building on this, the university has been able to scale up its operations, elevate its academic standards, and embark on a path of rapid growth.

Sun Yat-sen University is located on the banks of the Pearl River in Guangzhou, covering a campus area of 4.5 square kilometers. Kangyuan Garden features lush trees and verdant lawns, while the Zhuhai Campus, nestled against mountains and facing the sea, offers a serene and pleasant environment—an exceptional setting for study and research.

Mailing address: No. 135 Xingang West Road, Guangzhou, Postal Code: 510275, Tel: 020-84112828

Huai Shi Tang (Huai Shi Hall) is located in Kangyuan Garden (the South Campus of Sun Yat-sen University). It is a YMCA building constructed for Lingnan School with funding from Ambrose Swasey, president of Warner & Swasey Company in Cleveland, Ohio, USA (a manufacturer of machine tools and astronomical instruments). Construction began in 1915 and was completed in 1916. It was named Huai Shi Tang in honor of the donor.

Also known as the “Little Auditorium” of Sun Yat-sen University, Huai Shi Tang is situated along the central axis of Kangyuan Garden in the South Campus. To its west is the Graduate School (formerly the second student dormitory of Lingnan University), and to its east is the University Staff and Workers’ Union (formerly the second Ma Kinmo House). Huai Shi Tang was funded by Ambrose Swasey, president of Warner & Swasey Company in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, for Lingnan School as a YMCA building. Construction started in 1915 and was completed in 1916. It was named “Huai Shi Tang” in honor of the donor.

The Seven Jinshi Archway was originally located on Zhonghua Middle Road (now Jiefang Middle Road), formerly known as the Sipailou Zhongxian Archway, consisting of four archways, one of which was the Yichou Seven Jinshi Archway. In the 36th year of the Republic of China (1930), during the road expansion, the Yichou Seven Jinshi Archway was relocated to its current site at Sun Yat-sen University. Historical records indicate that the Yichou Jinshi Archway was erected to honor seven individuals who passed the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty (1625): Li Siju, Liang Shiji, Luo Yiru, Wu Zhihan, Cen Zhibao, Yin Mingyi, and Gao Kui from Guangdong.

Blackstone House (BLACK STONE HOUSE), located in Kangyuan Garden of Sun Yat-sen University, is one of the oldest buildings on campus, dating back to the Lingnan University period. It features a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles, combining classic simplicity with refined elegance, and stands as an outstanding example of the fusion between Lingnan style and Western architectural art. Constructed in 1914 with funding from Mrs. Isabella Blackstone of Chicago, USA, for Mr. Zhong Rongguang, then academic dean of Lingnan College (later Lingnan University), construction began that year. It was later named “Blackstone House” in honor of its donor and is now primarily used for hosting distinguished guests.

The former residence of Chen Yinke is located on the second floor of Building 309 in the northeast area of Sun Yat-sen University’s campus. This two-story building faces south and was donated in 1911 by Mrs. Ma Kinmo of the United States, hence the name “Ma Kinmo House.”

As China’s first brick-concrete structure, the Martin Hall holds an important place in the history of Chinese architecture and serves as a significant reference for the study of modern Chinese architectural development.

Martin Hall, designated as Building 334 in the northeast area of Sun Yat-sen University (formerly Building 61), is located east of the Xing Ting Pavilion and the bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen on the central lawn of the campus. In 1905, at the founding of Lingnan College, the board of directors sold securities and, following the design of a young foreign architect named Stuart, constructed a three-story building. Construction began in 1905 (the 31st year of the Guangxu reign) and was completed in 1906. Initially called the East Wing, in contrast to the West Wing, it was later renamed Martin Hall in honor of Mr. Henry Martin, an American industrialist from Cincinnati who made the largest donation toward the establishment of the college.

Glan Hall, also known as the Big Bell Tower, currently houses administrative departments such as the Career Guidance Center, Undergraduate Admissions Office, Alumni Association, and Teaching Evaluation Center. Construction began in 1915 and was completed in June 1916. Due to its resemblance to a bell tower, it is often referred to as the Big Bell Tower; the original Big Bell Tower of the university was part of the old Shiqi campus complex.

Yongfang Hall was built in 1992 with a donation of 10 million RMB from Mr. Yao Meiliang in 1990. It was completed in November 1992. Facing west and overlooking the lush central lawn, the hall features a collection of bronze statues of 18 modern Chinese sages on either side of its front. Its location was originally at the westernmost end of four former Lingnan University middle school dormitories. Yongfang Hall now houses the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the Department of History.

The South Gate of Sun Yat-sen University features a traditional Chinese archway with green tiles and upturned eaves, standing out with dignified elegance amidst the bustling traffic of Xingang West Road. In old photographs, the original south gate consisted only of two pillars. It was rebuilt into an archway style in 1965 and reconstructed again in the 1980s to its current appearance.

The largest structure atop Magangding is the library at Building 335 in the northeast area. Nestled among dense greenery, the three golden seal script characters for “Library” are prominently displayed above the main entrance. The bold strokes showcase the expressive flair of the “caterpillar head and swallow tail” brushwork.

Southwest of Huai Shi Tang stands a simple, square yellow-brick building. Located at Building 487 in the southwest area, it is Liang Qichao Hall. Above the front façade is a grayish-white stone horizontal plaque inscribed with the four characters “Liang Qichao Hall” written by Shang Chengzuo in the winter of 1983, using his unique Qin clerical script style—bold, simple, rich yet elegant. On the lower right side of the building is a cornerstone plaque from the autumn of 1982, inscribed with “Liang Qichao Hall” in neat regular script.

Building 475 in the southwest area is a rather eye-catching structure. Its white ceramic tile façade is accented with sapphire blue glass curtain walls, and at its center hangs a golden bronze plaque inscribed with the black-ink running script “Ma Wenhui Hall,” gifted in 1996 by Yang Shanshen—one of the “Four Masters” of the Lingnan School of Painting. The calligraphy on the plaque soars and dips with dynamic vigor, forming a striking contrast with other more conventionally styled plaques.

Just inside the South Gate, on the east side of Yixian Road, stands a square building housing the School of Foreign Languages. Since its founding, Sun Yat-sen University has offered departments in English and foreign literature. Over the next 90 years, the Foreign Languages Department was retained during the 1952 restructuring, merged into Guangdong Institute of Foreign Languages in 1970, reinstated in 1973, became a full-fledged school in 1992, and has since developed into a key hub for talent cultivation and academic research focusing on foreign languages, literature, culture, and translation.

Gaolishi House, also known as Gaolishi House, is located at Building 313 in the northeast area of Sun Yat-sen University on Magangding. This exquisite house was built in 1927 and donated by Dr. Gaolishi of the United States for Dr. Lin Anda of Lingnan University. It once served as the residence of Professor Xia Shuzhang, the pioneer of Chinese public administration and the “Father of Chinese MPA.”

Xing Ting is now one of the well-known stories on the South Campus of Sun Yat-sen University. Facing the library to the east and the statue of Sun Yat-sen to the south, it hosts an English corner every Wednesday evening for English enthusiasts.

“Zhang Bishi Hall” was constructed with donations from Mr. Zhang Bishi, a renowned historical figure, influential businessman, and founder of the Changyu Wine Company in Yantai, Shandong. Primarily funded by his wife Zhu Lanzhi and son Zhang Zhijun, it was built as an overseas Chinese school and named “Zhang Bishi Hall” according to the donors’ wishes. Construction began in 1921, and it is a four-story building (including a basement). Zhang Bishi Hall now houses the School of Sociology and Anthropology at Sun Yat-sen University (it was previously the university’s archives).

Shiuyou Hall, located at Building 537 in the northwest area, features Western arched windows paired with Chinese roof tiles, adorned with sapphire blue stained glass, presenting an elegant and rustic charm. On the north wall is a vertical marble plaque inscribed with the regular script characters “Shiuyou Hall” by Rong Geng, the strokes subtle and composed, exuding dignity and serenity.

A heavy and simple brick building, the Java Hall at Building 555 in the northwest area has withstood nearly a century of history, carrying its own legacy. The north-facing wall features a marble plaque inscribed with the golden characters “Java Hall” in regular script, written by the renowned paleographer and our university professor Rong Geng. The calligraphy is graceful and clean, with a concise signature simply reading “Rong Geng” in black, without a seal or date.

At Building 565 in the northwest area stands another elegant and classic building that blends Chinese and Western styles—Lu You Hall. The wooden plaque under the eaves on the north side of the building is now faded and barely legible, making the building’s name difficult to discern. However, in the university archives, we found handwritten inscriptions by both Rong and Shang, a “privilege” not enjoyed by other structures. Both calligraphers infused their work with the spirit of “merging metal and stone into calligraphy”: Rong Geng’s regular script is upright and vigorous, while Shang Chengzuo’s small seal script retains an ancient charm. Observations suggest that the original wooden plaque likely featured Shang’s inscription.

Zheseng Hall, named after the courtesy name of Sun Ke, son of Sun Yat-sen, was a College of Engineering building funded by the Ministry of Railways during Sun Ke’s tenure as Minister of Railways. Completed in 1931, although not donated by an individual, it was still named after a person. It now houses the School of Information Science and Technology at Sun Yat-sen University.

Chen Jiageng Hall, located at Building 341 in the northeast area, is currently used by the Coastal Ocean Research Center. Unlike most other buildings where plaques are placed above or beside the main entrance, Chen Jiageng Hall’s plaque is embedded in a small wall in front of the west entrance. Similarly made of white marble with dark green inscriptions, the plaque bears the characters “Chen Jiageng Memorial Hall” in Qin clerical script written by Qi Zhai (Shang Chengzuo), whose powerful strokes reveal a sharpness within the primitive style.

No. 388, Northeast District. A red-brick building with arched doors and windows was once the “newest and most splendid guesthouse.” Above the main entrance is a white stone plaque inscribed with several barely legible ancient Chinese seal characters. The elegant, refined calligraphy features a well-balanced structure, uniform stroke thickness, and the simple yet lively charm of pictographs. This is the “Ma Yingbiao Guesthouse,” inscribed by Mr. Shang Chengzuo.

A student dormitory donated by a group of Lingnan University alumni including Mok Kon-sang and Lam Chik-ho. Completed in 1924. Later named “Wing Kwong Hall” in honor of Dr. Chung Wing-kwong, the first Chinese president of Lingnan University. Originally a four-story building (including the basement), an additional floor was added in the 1970s.

The North Gate Plaza of Sun Yat-sen University is located in front of the university’s north gate (facing north), extending all the way to the Pearl River bank. Covering an area of 17,000 square meters, it consists of the Sun Yat-sen University Memorial Archway, the university emblem, the motto, and elements of the school’s history. The archway bears the six characters “National Sun Yat-sen University” written in Sun Yat-sen’s own handwriting. The plaza not only highlights the charm of Guangzhou as a historic city but also retains the riverside character of Sun Yat-sen University, preserving the spirit and traditions of the university.

Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925), given name Wen, courtesy name Zai-zhi, art names Rixin and Yixian, childhood name Dixiang, alias Zhongshan Qiao, often used the name Zhongshan. Born into a farming family in Cuiheng Village, Xiangshan County (now Zhongshan City), Guangdong Province. In his youth, influenced by the revolutionary traditions of the people of Guangdong, he admired the revolutionary cause of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He was a pioneer of China’s modern national democratic revolution, a great forerunner of the Chinese democratic revolution, the founder of the Republic of China and the Kuomintang, an advocate of the Three Principles of the People, and the creator of the Five-Power Constitution. He was the first to raise the banner of complete anti-feudalism... More details about Sun Yat-sen ++