Northwest University

essential information

School history

1902-1914

Northwest University was founded in Shaanxi University in 1902 by Emperor Guangxu of Qing Dynasty. On April 12, 1902, the governor of Shaanxi Province gave a memorial to Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu on the establishment of Shaanxi University. Among them, the Emperor Guangxu wrote his own criticism that "the work is to supervise, to handle seriously, to ensure the effectiveness of running schools, and to develop schools simultaneously". The contents of the memorial show that as early as the 27th year of Guangxu (1901), Shaanxi had allocated 20000 taels of kuyin to build Shaanxi University, and the first batch of 40 students admitted to the University began their classes on March 25, 1902. In March 1912, the founding Association of Northwest University was established with Zhang Fengdan as its president, and Qian Hongjun, the former president of Shaanxi law and politics school, was promoted as its president to actively prepare for the establishment of Northwest University.

Northwest University was originally named "Guanzhong University", which was changed to its present name in October 1912. Its predecessor was Guanzhong university founded in 1902, Shaanxi law and politics school, Shaanxi agriculture school, Shaanxi industry school, Sanqin public school, etc. Among them, Guanzhong University (which was changed into Shaanxi University in 1905, and then Shaanxi University) is located in the former site of Xianyang and Chang'an County Examination Institute (now the east gate of Xi'an city), which is the historical source of today's Northwest University; Shaanxi law and politics school (which was established in the 33rd year of Guangxu reign of Qing Dynasty, and is located in the Shizi Wanshou Palace of laoguanmiao in Xi'an city), which was founded by Cao Hongxun, governor of Shaanxi Province On the other hand, according to the rules of Beiyang School of law and politics, Northwest University was established to cultivate officials, legal and commercial talents before the Republic of China. It became the foundation of the early school building, professional setting and faculty composition of Northwest University, while the site of agricultural school became the permanent foundation of today's Northwest University. During this period, Northwest University had University Department, preparatory and liberal arts department, law department, business department, frontier affairs department, agriculture department and other special departments, which opened in the spring of 1912. By 1913, the total number of students in the school had reached 1484 (excluding class a graduates transferred from the school of law and politics, students from the simple class of silkworm and mulberry science and students from the attached middle school). From 1912 to 1915, two groups of foreign students were sent to Japan. In addition to a few former Qing Ju people, most of the teachers were Japanese returned students. Northwest University also has a publishing department and founded the academic journal xuecong. Xuecong monthly, founded in 1913, is only later than xueluo monthly of Soochow University and becomes one of the earliest comprehensive university journals in China.

When Northwest University began to take shape and everything was on the right track, the political situation in Shaanxi changed dramatically. In June 1914, Yuan Shikai transferred Zhang Fengdan to Beijing with the rank of General Yang Wei, and sent his close confidant Lu Jianzhang to lead his troops to Shaanxi. He seized the post of Zhang Fengdan, governor of Shaanxi and President of the founding Association of Northwest University. In the winter of that year, Lu Jianzhang sent troops to arrest Qian Hongjun, the president of Northwestern University, and put him in prison. He sent Yin song huancai, the Guanzhong Dao, to take over the post. By the spring of 1915, there were only more than 100 students. Soon after the beginning of the school, Lu Jianzhang announced that it would be abolished and changed into a public Shaanxi law and politics special school (now the site of Xi'an No.20 middle school). The key to the change is that law and politics is the main discipline of Northwest University, which actually retains the foundation and blood of Northwest University. And the person who presided over the school administration was also closely related to Northwestern University.

1915-1923

From 1915 to the end of 1923, Zhou Yong (Shisheng), the first president, was the former supervisor of Shaanxi University; Xi Chaojun, the third president, was the former member of the founding Committee of Northwest University and the head of agricultural science, the former university's Bachelor of law in Japan, who was appointed professor of Law Department of Northwest University since August 1946, focusing on constitution; CAI Jiangcheng (Ping fan), the fourth president, was born in 1923 That is, he was appointed as the preparatory Director for the reconstruction of national Northwest University, the director of communication and the director of the special department of law (later reformed law department), and a member of the faculty Council. Shaanxi special school of law and politics not only retains the discipline of Northwest University, but also retains its fine revolutionary tradition.

In 1923, Liu Zhenhua, governor and warlord of Shaanxi Province, conformed to the situation and rebuilt Northwest University. Fu Tong and Li yizhixiang succeeded the president. Kang Youwei, who is lecturing in Xi'an, wrote the school name for Northwest University. The school site was selected as the original site of Shaanxi law and politics special school, which was founded in 1912, and the Provincial Education Department of dongdajie (the former site of Shaanxi daily) in the city was added as a new preparatory school building. In 1923, on the eve of Cao Kun's bribery to elect president, Northwest University was officially approved by the Beiyang military government. After that, Shaanxi law and politics school, Shaanxi water conservancy engineering school, water conservancy and road engineering school attached to Weibei Water Conservancy Bureau and class a commercial school were merged.

1924-1936

The school officially opened in March 1924. There are four academies in the University: College of Arts (Department of Chinese literature, Department of Foreign Literature); Academy of Social Sciences (Department of history, Department of philosophy, Department of education, Department of law); Academy of Natural Sciences (Department of mathematical chemistry, Department of Biology); Academy of Applied Sciences (Department of agriculture, Department of forestry, Department of Engineering). Later, according to the situation of teachers and students, there were special departments of law, engineering, Sinology and Mongolian Tibetan. Luo Changpei, a famous linguist (member of the Department of philosophy and social sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences after the founding of the people's Republic of China), Li Yizhi, a famous water conservancy scientist, Wu Fangji, a famous poet, and Hu Xiaoshi, a famous litterateur, were all employed as professors. The most sensational was the summer vacation in 1924, when Lu Xun and other celebrities were invited to give lectures in Northwest University. Also invited are Xia Yuanyu, a Chinese student of Einstein and former dean of the school of science of Peking University; Wang Tongling and Lin Liru, professors of Peking Normal University; Jiang Tingfu and Chen dingmo, professors of Nankai University; Chen Zhongfan and Liu Wenhai, professors of Southeast University.

In January 1927, after the liberation of the National Union army into the city, in the name of the general headquarters, it ordered: "to set up Zhongshan University with all the funds of the University (Northwest University)". The Preparatory Committee for the admission of Northwestern University and the re establishment of Zhongshan University is composed of five members: Wang Fengyi, Li shouting, Zhao Baohua, Liu hanchu and Li Zizhou. Among them, Wang Fengyi was the acting president of Northwest University after Li Yizhi left Shaanxi during the siege of Xi'an (winter of 1925 to January 18, 1927). During the preparation for the establishment of Sun Yat sen University, it properly dealt with the accommodation of the junior students of Northwest University, the letters sent by senior students to the government for examination, and the wages and foreign debts owed to the staff of Northwest University. Then it was formally established on March 10, 1927, which showed the new continuity. Many students continue to study in the school, and many progressive teachers continue to stay. Because Sun Yat sen University was jointly organized by the National Alliance command and the Communist Party, Deng Xiaoping and others who were teaching in Xi'an Sun Yat Sen military Northwest University often took part-time courses in Sun Yat sen University.

1937-1948

After the July 7th incident broke out in 1937, a large area of land fell under the iron hoof of the Japanese aggressors, and some famous universities in Pingjin area suffered unprecedented catastrophe, so there was a move to set up two temporary universities in Changsha and Xi'an, southwest and northwest. On September 10, 1937, the national Xi'an temporary University was established with Peking University, Peking Normal University, Beiyang Institute of technology and Peking Research Institute as its backbone. Wang Shijie, Minister of education, was appointed as the chairman, and Li Shuhua (not present), Xu Shengming, Li Shen, Li Shutian, Tong Guanxian, Chen Jian, Zhou Bomin, Zang Qifang and Xin Shuzhi were appointed as the preparatory committee members. Later, Xu Shengming, President of Peking Northwest University, Li Shen, President of Peking Normal University, Li Shutian, President of Beiyang Institute of technology, and Chen Jian, special commissioner of the Ministry of education, were appointed as standing members of the Preparatory Committee to decide the affairs of the University. Northwest University has 6 colleges and 24 departments, including arts and science, law and business, education, engineering, agriculture and medicine. At the beginning of the freshman year, it encountered great difficulties. After many efforts, the whole school only lived in the three place of Northeastern University, the Northeastern University (today's Northwestern University campus) and the North Street Tongji square, which was moved back to the 4 back street in Town God's Temple, Xiaonan. After more than two months of preparation, the school officially opened on November 1, 1937, which was the beginning of the reconstruction of Northwest University. According to the statistics on February 10, 1938, the total number of students in school is 1472. Li Jinxi, Cao Jinghua, Xu shoushang, Zhao Jinyi, Fu Zhongsun, Zhang Yihui, Zhang Yidong, Liu Tuo, Yue jiliheng, Jin Shuzhang, Huang Guozhang, Huang juefei, Zhang Youjiang, Shen Zhiyuan, Ji Taoda, Cun Shusheng, Ma Shiru, yuan Dunli, Dong Shouyi, Yu Hongzheng, Li Yizhi, Zhang Bosheng, pan Chengxiao, Xiao LianBo, Li Xianzhou, Wu Xiangfeng and other famous professors were employed to teach in the University.

At the end of 1937, the Japanese invaders approached Tongguan, and planes bombed Xi'an frequently. The Ministry of education ordered Xi'an Linda to move to southern Shaanxi. He left Xi'an on March 16, 1938. The teachers and students walked more than 250 kilometers, crossed the Weihe River, crossed the Qinling Mountains and crossed chaiguan. It took more than half a month to reach Hanzhong. The whole school is located in three counties and six places respectively, and its headquarters is located in Chenggu County. On April 3, 1938, the Ministry of education changed the name of Xi'an temporary university to the national northwest United University according to the plan for the reorganization of Northwest University with junior college or above in Pingjin and Shanghai areas adopted by the 350th executive yuan of the national government. There are 6 colleges and 23 departments in the University, including the College of Arts and science, the College of law and business, the College of education, the College of agriculture, the College of technology and the College of medicine. In July 1938, by order of the Ministry of education, the Institute of technology of national northwest United University, the Institute of technology of Northeast University (now Northeast University) and Jiaozuo Institute of Technology (now China Mining University) were established

Chinese PinYin : Xi Bei Da Xue