Former Site of Fudan University

　　The western campus of Fudan University was situated in Xiaba, Dongyang Town, Beibei. The most prominent building on campus was "Denghui Hall," named after the university’s former president. This structure was built with a brick-and-wood frame, consisting of one-and-a-half floors — a two-story main building flanked by single-story wings, covering an area of 605 square meters. The main building has been relatively well preserved.

　　During the War of Resistance against Japan, Fudan University relocated from Shanghai to the west. Faculty and students traveled over 2,500 kilometers and chose Xiaba in Dongyang Town, Beibei as their new site in February 1938. Despite harsh conditions, they persisted in teaching and studying diligently. The university had five colleges, twenty-two departments, and two special programs, with over 2,400 faculty and students. Led by renowned professors such as Zhang Zhijiang, Chen Wangdao, Zhou Gucheng, Hong Shen, Sun Hanbing, Zhang Jin Yi, and Cao Yu, the progressive faculty and students united closely around the Chinese Communist Party. They upheld the banners of resistance, unity, and progress, actively engaging in various movements for national salvation, making Fudan a strong bastion of democracy in the rear area. In July 1938, the first CCP branch in Beibei was established at Fudan. In December 1944, China’s Student Guide was first published here. After Fudan University returned to Shanghai in 1946, its alumni in Chongqing founded the private Xianghui College of Arts and Law, which operated until the liberation.

　　The existing preserved parts of the Fudan University former site consist of two main sections: First, Denghui Hall, the first small auditorium built after the university’s westward relocation, was named after the former president and served as the iconic building of Fudan at the time. In front of Denghui Hall, a memorial stele inscribed with “Former Site of Fudan University During the War of Resistance” was erected in April 1987. The inscription on the front was written by Zhou Gucheng, and the text on the back was handwritten by Xie Xide, then president of Fudan University. Second, the Tomb of Sun Hanbing is located to the right rear of Denghui Hall. Professor Sun Hanbing, who served as the university’s academic dean and dean of the Law School, devoted himself to the cause of justice from the May Fourth Movement onward, pursuing truth unwaveringly throughout his life. In 1937, he founded China’s first Digest magazine, which published Snow’s biography of Mao Zedong — one of the earliest introductions of the book to people in Kuomintang-controlled areas. On May 27, 1940, during a Japanese air raid on Beibei, six Fudan faculty and students were killed, including Professor Sun Hanbing, who died at the age of 37. Cultural figures published articles mourning the loss of “a voice of truth.” The university president and others commemorated the tragedy with the Inscription for the Fallen Faculty and Students of Fudan University. On December 11, 1987, the People’s Government of Beibei District relocated Professor Sun Hanbing’s tomb from the hills behind Xiaba to the right rear of Denghui Hall, constructing a new memorial garden. The gravestone was inscribed by Zhou Gucheng and includes the Epitaph for Professor Sun Hanbing and the Record of the Tomb Relocation.

　　On March 19, 1992, the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government designated the former site of Fudan University during the War of Resistance as one of the second batch of key municipal cultural relics protection units.

　　In December 2009, it was announced as a municipal-level key cultural relics protection unit by the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government. During the 105th anniversary celebration of Fudan University in 2010, with strong support from the municipal government, district government, Shanghai Fudan University, and other social sectors, the exhibition content was updated. On April 6, local leaders were invited to reopen the site.

　　Address: Xiaba, Dongyang Town, Beibei, Chongqing