Former Site of National Southwest Associated University

In 1937, with the fall of Peking, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Nankai University suffered devastation. They initially relocated to Hunan and merged into the Provisional Changsha University. With the Japanese invasion and Changsha in imminent danger, the three universities relocated to Kunming, Yunnan, to form the National Southwest Associated University, a university that remained entwined throughout the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Its former site is located within Yunnan Normal University. In the film "Never Gone," the words of Tsinghua University President Mei Yiqi, spoken at Southwest Associated University: "Born and raised here, I love my home." These words still resonate today. In today's era of declining moral standards, it's a fitting opportunity to reminisce the integrity and patriotism of the intellectuals of that era.

National Southwest Associated University was a comprehensive university established in Kunming during the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. In April 1938, the National Changsha Temporary University, formed by National Peking University, National Tsinghua University, and private Nankai University, relocated westward from Changsha to Kunming and was renamed National Southwest Associated University.

The old site and museum are now located in the old campus of Yunnan Normal University. The campus is not big but small and quiet, with a lake and a lawn. The old site of the United Nations University is now almost gone, but the museum that preserves many cultural relics and photos has been completed and is open to the public free of charge. The campus is very green and suitable for a leisurely stroll. When you are tired, you can take a break in the nearby dessert shops and snack shops. It is very pleasant.

After reading "Never Gone" and Yue Nan's "Southward Journey, Northward Return," I finally visited the former site of Southwest Associated University. While the restored buildings seem somewhat out of place among the surrounding buildings, the museum is rich in content and definitely worth the trip. The former site of National Southwest Associated University and the museum are located within Yunnan Normal University, making transportation very convenient, both by bike and by bus.

For a university to have the words "National" written on its gate truly carries a profound legacy. Don't worry, you can enter freely. Truth be told, in recent years, 985 universities have tightened their controls, with only two or three external gates allowed. Visiting Southwest Associated University after reading "Southward Journey and Northward Return" is even more deeply moving. The last group of 20th-century Chinese masters, facing national ruin, sought refuge in the southwest, struggling between fate and scholarship, reflecting and growing through circumstantial encounters and personal entanglements. Reading this story is both enlightening and heartbreaking. Visiting this place in person can easily bring nostalgia and sadness to the present.

At the site of Southwest Associated University, you can see statues of the presidents of three prestigious universities: Zhang Boling, Mei Yiqi, and Jiang Menglin. Even someone as unfamiliar with history as me has heard of these three names, which speaks volumes about how influential Southwest Associated University was back then. Besides these three figures, the names of Deng Jiaxian, Zhu Ziqing, Wen Yiduo, and Hua Luogeng can be seen everywhere.



There is also the Southwest Associated University Museum in the school. Through this museum, I have a clearer understanding of the entire history of Southwest Associated University, from its founding to its later name change to Yunnan Normal University. From the various historical documents in it, we can see the glorious history of Southwest Associated University.

Compared with Yunnan University, the Normal University (the former site of National Southwest Associated University) is a little smaller, but you can still feel the difference between "young" and "old". It may be because it was renovated to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the school, it looks quite new!

Lush green grass, blue and quiet sky, "abundant talent and beautiful scenery" is the most appropriate description of the students here. The stone statue of Wen Yiduo is awe-inspiring, and there is also a list of great men's photos and brief introductions.

The academic atmosphere here is very strong!

There are basketball, football and baseball fields in the center of the campus. There are many people watching and the atmosphere is lively. There is also an abandoned railway lying in the middle, which makes the scenery unique!

There is also a snack street outside the campus, which sells local specialties, but they seem a bit expensive!

National Southwest Associated University is a towering monument in Chinese education. Formed after the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, it was formed from the merger of National Peking University, National Tsinghua University, and the private Nankai University. In 1937, it relocated to Changsha before eventually moving to Kunming. During the eight years of war, Southwest Associated University produced two Nobel Prize laureates, five recipients of the National Highest Science and Technology Award, eight recipients of the "Two Bombs and One Satellite" Medal of Merit, and 172 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Tsinghua University President Mei Yiqi said: "A university is not a place with big buildings, but a place with great masters."

There is another unique memory of old Kunming, which is Southwest Associated University. Everyone should be familiar with this history. After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Nankai University moved west to Kunming and became the National Southwest Associated University of that year.



After the three schools were demobilized and returned to the north, Southwest Associated University Normal College remained on the site of the former UNU and became the current Yunnan Normal University. Even now, it is still part of Yunnan Normal University, and the Southwest Associated University sign can still be seen at the entrance of Yunnan Normal University. Due to the epidemic, the school is closed, so I can't visit the UNU site and museum, which is a bit regrettable.

On the campus of Yunnan Normal University, it is recommended that you watch the documentary "Phoenix Big Vision - Looking Back at the 75th Anniversary of Southwest Associated University" before visiting to learn about the history of Southwest Associated University.

My two days in Kunming were all about cultural exploration. I used the GPS and took the bus to Yunnan Normal University. Not far from the campus, I saw the two rows of low-rise buildings that form the ruins of Southwest Associated University. I felt the spirit of the scholars of those days, amidst the wandering times of clouds and moon. It's hard not to admit that most of the scholars and writers of that time had genuine ideals and integrity, much less the so-called presidents and gurus of today.

I saw the types of part-time jobs that students of Southwest Associated University did during the difficult period of the Anti-Japanese War, and there was a "foreign film translator". Isn't this today's subtitle group?

Anyone with a deep affection for Chinese higher education and Chinese universities deserves a visit to this campus, one of the most special in modern Chinese history, to reminisce. Located in the northeast corner of Yunnan Normal University's old campus, besides the iconic gate, several old classrooms, either preserved or rebuilt, resemble the thatched bungalows seen in the film "Never Gone." Nearby are two small memorial halls, one dedicated to Southwest Associated University itself, the other to the "December 1st Movement." It seems our organization still manages to keep things clearly organized. As I wandered around, the theme song from "Never Gone" played in my head.

When I visited in February 2019, the National Southwest Associated University Memorial Hall was still in the old, small building in the northeast corner. By the time I visited again in July, it had moved to a new building on the south side, with two exterior floors and three interior floors. The larger space seems to have expanded the exhibits. It was also the first time I noticed that the Southwest Associated University campus was designed by Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, who were hired as consultants.

Located inside Yunnan Normal University, there are many attractions, where you can recall the three schools' eight years in Kunming.

A place where we pay homage to our predecessors and wise men is of greater significance than anything else.

A place full of history, jointly established by Peking University, Tsinghua University and Tianjin Nankai University

Looking at history, Chinese intellectuals are so unyieldingly patriotic.

There is a Southwest Associated University Museum inside, which tells the origin of the school, the stories of the masters, and many outstanding alumni, such as Nobel Prize winners Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen-Ning Yang.

I must go and see the old campus of my alma mater. All the majors have moved to the new campus, and only the majors for upgrading from junior college to undergraduate are left in the old campus. So I went to see it, and it was amazing that the classrooms were in the same building as the cafeteria, and the building was tall.

Without further ado, let me just post the pictures.

If you read the history when you come to a place like this, you will feel deeply moved. The people of that era were very religious, which makes people feel awe!!!

Southwest Associated University, whose full name is National Southwest Associated University, was a comprehensive university established in Yunnan during the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression by the merger of Peking University, Tsinghua University and Nankai University. It lasted throughout the war.

As soon as I entered the school gate, I was attracted by the flourishing magnolias. In the former site of Southwest Associated University, azaleas were blooming unrestrainedly.

Walking to the back, I stumbled upon a path that was as beautiful as a botanical garden. There was even a themed cultural and creative exhibition, but it was closed.

Southwest United University was formed by the joint efforts of Peking University, Tsinghua University and Tianjin Nankai University. Now only a few thatched huts remain here.

It's now part of Yunnan Normal University, a prestigious institution of higher learning during the Anti-Japanese War that surpassed Tsinghua University and Peking University. Originally formed by the relocation and consolidation of several universities, it holds a prominent place in the history of Chinese education. Yunnan Normal University's scenery is similar to Yunnan University, but I feel Yunnan University has a more retro feel.

I stayed at the former site of Southwest Associated University for more than half an hour. There weren't many tourists coming to pay their respects, but it wasn't a small number either.

Southwest Associated University was arguably the most powerful university during the Republican era. Who could rival Tsinghua, Peking University, and Nankai University combined? If these three universities were to merge again, they would become an even more powerful force. As for whether a single Tsinghua or Peking University could rival Southwest Associated University, it's difficult to say for sure due to the different eras.

Influenced by the novel "Wu Wen Dong Xi," I'm a fan of that period of history. The building had long been renovated, and the signs of artificiality were obvious. Inside was a museum, but unfortunately I didn't have time to explore it. Behind the house, a few early cherry blossoms were in full bloom, creating a unique and picturesque scene on the hillside. I met a group of university-looking people listening to a young woman dressed in Republican-era style explain the meaning of each stone tablet.

In fact, they are just a few renovated thatched houses, but for readers, they are full of emotions. You have to go and take a look at them anyway.

If you know the history of Southwest Associated University, I recommend you watch a five-episode documentary "Southwest Associated University" jointly recorded by the Propaganda Department of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and the China News Film Group.

The equilateral triangle memorial pavilion symbolizes the integration of the three schools.

The original appearance of the UN University building was shown in the movie "Never Gone".

It is worth going there for this period of history, to see the school gate, to see the instructions left by the master to the young people, and to see what kind of rich and colorful things they have left behind in the difficult environment.

Southwest Associated University, also known as the United University, is the Mount Everest in the history of education.

The former site of Southwest Associated University is now incorporated into the Yunnan Normal University campus and can be visited without a ticket. After leaving Kunming Changshui Airport, take the subway airport express line to the city center, and then transfer to the bus to get directly to the entrance of the Normal University. Transportation is very convenient. There are also buses directly from Kunming Railway Station and Guandu Ancient Town, so you don't have to worry about transportation.

When you walk to the entrance of the ruins, the first thing you see is the black and white UN University gate. After entering, you will see the former UN University teaching campus.

Today, the former site of Southwest Associated University is beautifully renovated, but buried beneath it lie the bodies and souls of countless students. In that era, when daily bombings were a constant worry, students not only studied but also considered how to survive.

The ruins exist as a tourist attraction, but there are only a few tourists. Maybe people don’t care about this small place. After all, there are many tourist attractions in Kunming. But fortunately, we can walk through this place quietly.

To the left of the ruins are restored classrooms, with neatly arranged desks and chairs. Honestly, the buildings are so overly beautiful that they seem a bit distorted. To the right is the museum, displaying items used by Lianda teachers and students, as well as teaching materials from those days. After the visit, you'll realize how these extremely simple teaching aids and outdated equipment created a legend.

The thatched huts of Southwest Associated University's classrooms are still preserved. When Lin Huiyin designed them, funding was insufficient for a tin roof, so they were covered with thatch. Today, efforts have been made to preserve their original appearance, as if the scene from "Listening to the Rain" is still vivid in our minds.

It was already around 8:30 when we arrived, and it was almost dark. Yunnan Normal University is located right in front of 121st Street. The classroom roofs used to be covered with tin sheets.

I always feel a little heavy after leaving Southwest Associated University.

"Born and raised here, I love my home." These are the words spoken by Mei Yiqi, President of Tsinghua University, at Southwest Associated University in the poem "No Matter East or West". Today, we finally arrived at the former site of Southwest Associated University, and let the two girls experience the beauty of Yunnan University and Yunnan Normal University.

The old site is located in the current Yunnan Normal University campus. Various relics are still well preserved, and the mottled handwriting vaguely records the grand occasion when the celebrities of the Republic of China gathered in Kunming during the revolutionary war.

The former site of Southwest Associated University is a place we have always wanted to visit. Wearing the graduation T-shirt with the words "Never Gone", we recalled the scenes in the movie "Never Gone", followed the footsteps of our predecessors, and left an important mark in the photo album of our lives.

To be honest, there is nothing special about it. It is not what I imagined. Maybe my knowledge is not enough and I cannot understand many buildings with stories.

After reading "Reflections on Southwest Associated University," I went to the former site of Southwest Associated University. There are many universities near the site. There's a memorial hall next to the site, which closes at 5 p.m. If you're planning to go, be sure to get there early.

This place is now an educational center. Before entering, the gatekeeper urged me to look carefully. So I carefully examined every picture and read every line of text. I came across many familiar names from textbooks, and a faint sense of longing filled me. The power of role models lies in the fact that remembering them makes me want to read one more book, write one more line. Life is short, but knowledge is enduring.

As a significant cultural relic, Southwest Associated University boasts an irreplaceable historical heritage. Visitors and students flock to the site endlessly. While small in size, the site exudes a rich cultural atmosphere. Within the Yunnan Normal University campus, traces of numerous educators who have had a significant impact on contemporary education, such as Wen Yiduo and Mei Yifang, can be seen throughout. Transportation is highly convenient, making it a must-see for those interested in history and humanities.

I think those who can come here to take a look are all cultured people. I have been here too.

The former site of Southwest Associated University is located on the campus of Yunnan Normal University. It's quite small and can be explored in less than half an hour, but it's well worth a visit. There's also a small memorial hall on campus where you can learn about the history of Southwest Associated University. For those interested in history, it's worth a visit.

National Southwest Associated University, a history that cannot be forgotten.

I went there at night, knocked on the door in a hurry, and walked around inside randomly.

A place that must be visited, especially if you are looking for a place that is not far away, you must come here to understand the historical background and historical events of that time. At that time, many masters of the United Nations gathered here, and the scholars at that time were all the most idealistic, with their own true ideals and pursuits, and were not compromised by the world! Highly recommended

The former site of Southwest Associated University is located inside today's Yunnan Normal University.

After the July 7 Incident of 1937, the country was shaken, and Tianjin and Beijing fell. Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Nankai University relocated inland. After a brief stay in Changsha, they merged in Kunming to establish National Southwest Associated University, beginning a "Cultural Long March."

From August 1937 to July 1946, during those eight years and eleven months, Southwest Associated University achieved the status of "the Mount Everest of Chinese educational history." It brought together the nation's top professors and scholars, nurturing generations of leading figures. Zhang Boling, Mei Yiqi, Jiang Menglin, Zhu Ziqing, Wen Yiduo, Chen Xingshen, Hua Luogeng, Yang Zhenning, Li Zhengdao, Deng Jiaxian, and Zhu Guangya, among other great educators, writers, and scientists, all taught or studied at Southwest Associated University.

In that war-torn era, they continued the light of science and democracy in China and tried their best to illuminate that dark era.

After visiting Southwest Associated University, I was still quite shocked. It is well worth a visit.

This is arguably the most prestigious university in Chinese history! Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Nankai University, each individually a top-tier institution, are truly remarkable, let alone all three combined! The former site, located on the campus of Yunnan Normal University, is a designated National Key Cultural Relic Protection Site. From its founding in April 1938 to its closure on July 31, 1946, Southwest Associated University existed for a total of eight years and three months. It preserved important scientific research capabilities during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and cultivated a large number of outstanding students, making significant contributions to the development of China and the world.

The predecessor of Yunnan Normal University can be traced back to the National Southwest Associated University Normal College, which was founded in 1938 (the Year of the Tiger); in 1950, the National Kunming Normal College was renamed Kunming Normal College; and in 1984 it was renamed Yunnan Normal University.

If you have a nostalgic feeling, it is worth a visit. There is also a small museum on the campus of the Normal University.

The former site of Southwest Associated University is also the birthplace of the December 1st Movement. In the center of the square is a sculpture commemorating the December 1st Movement.

To the north are the tombs of Yu Zai, Pan Yan, Li Lulian, and Zhang Huachang, four martyrs who died in the December 1st Movement. In front of these tombs is the cenotaph of Wen Yiduo. Behind them is the tomb of Li Gongpu. Both Li Gongpu and Wen Yiduo were executed by the Kuomintang for their pursuit of freedom and democracy and their opposition to autocracy.

Next to it are the 121 Movement Memorial Hall and the National Southwest Associated University History Exhibition Hall. Behind the Southwest Associated University classrooms, the library of the university is being rebuilt.

Located on Beimen Street in the old city of Kunming, Yunnan Province. Inside the old site is a monument to the National Southwest Associated University, inscribed in seal script by Wen Yiduo. The inscription was written by Feng Youlan.

This is a great attraction. As a former history student, I am always interested in historical attractions every time I travel. This old site is located in the current Yunnan Normal University and is open to the public free of charge. When I went there, there happened to be a guide with several university teachers on a tour. We took advantage of the free tour, which was great.

After returning to my friend's house in Kunming from Dali, I saw a travelogue of Kunming written by a local Yunnan friend who ran an inn in Dali on Fengwo. In the travelogue, he mentioned the former site of National Southwest Associated University. Only then did I know that China once had such a great university. It was a combination of Tsinghua University, Peking University and Nankai University, and people like Lu Xun taught there. There is not much left of the former site now. I remember it is in a corner of Yunnan Normal University. You can go there to feel the changes of time. It is on the same line as Yunnan University.

I stumbled upon National Southwest Associated University—a stroke of luck, I guess. The campus is rich in cultural heritage, so I came to experience it. Seeing the statue of Wen Yiduo was awe-inspiring, and I also learned about the December 1st Movement. It's a truly cultural experience.

In 1938, Southwest Associated University (Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Nankai University) relocated west to Kunming. In 1946, the three schools returned north, retaining their original location and establishing a separate campus, now known as Yunnan Normal University. If you're interested in these cultural relics, if you'd like to travel back to that era, or if you're bored in the city, you can still visit.

In the afternoon, we went to the former site of Southwest Associated University, located in a remote corner northwest of what is now Yunnan Normal University. Southwest Associated University is a place I deeply admire, as it produced more talented graduates during those eight years of war than Tsinghua University and Peking University did in the decades following the founding of the People's Republic of China. Among its greats were Chen Yinge, Zhu Ziqing, Shen Congwen, Zhang Boling, and Wen Yiduo.

I've been there, it's a bit small and most of the road is under construction.

Located in Yunnan Normal University, it is worth a visit.

The former site of Southwest Associated University has few remaining buildings, save for a former classroom, likely a replica. However, this is understandable, as school conditions were extremely difficult during the Anti-Japanese War, and classrooms were rows of bungalows. Therefore, it's unlikely they've survived to this day. Even if they were, they would undoubtedly be in a dilapidated state. The former site of Southwest Associated University houses the December 1st Incident Memorial Hall, the Southwest Associated University Memorial Hall, the cemetery for students killed in the incident, and the Southwest Associated University Monument, all worth a visit.

National Southwest Associated University, on my last day I just wanted to go see it.

It was Tuesday, and it was class time when I went there. There were a lot of students.

I feel like they are really simple and don’t dress up much.

Southwest Associated University is also trying to develop in the direction of commemorating revolutionary martyrs, which is quite good.

On the Yunnan Normal University campus, Wen Yiduo taught three courses at the Chinese Department of Southwest Associated University: Chuci, Ancient Mythology, and Tang Poetry. These courses were very popular among students, and there is a sculpture and cenotaph of him. There are also monuments to several movements and historical events related to the university.

The National Southwest Associated University (NSNU) is so renowned that it needs no introduction. Visitors should be sure to visit the memorial hall next to the old site, which offers a detailed introduction and photographs. You can also ask the dedicated volunteers from NTNU for guidance at the museum's service desk.

Located on the Yunnan Normal University campus, it's free to visit. Inside, you'll find the Southwest Associated University Memorial Pavilion and monument, as well as Red Candle Road, a statue of Mr. Wen Yiduo, and his cenotaph. Of the former site, only a row of classrooms and a well remain, but it was still Southwest Associated University. Groups of women walked by, as their dormitories were just across the old site. The 121 Memorial Hall is beautifully renovated, complete with martyrs' tombs and memorial trees. It's a truly awe-inspiring sight. The railroad tracks that Mr. Wang Zengqi once crossed to escape the alarm are still there, and the crossing has become a hub for affordable and delicious snacks. He'd surely be delighted to know.

The entrance to Southwest United University you see at Yunnan University was built later. The original one was burned down during the war, but some classrooms were preserved.

Walking down 121st Street, apart from Yunnan University, I think the National Southwest Associated University left the most profound impression on me. When you walk in, the atmosphere will make people awe-inspiring. You can go and have a look.

The alma mater of Chinese Nobel Prize winners, Southwest Associated University during the war, the pinnacle of masters and the innovation of universities, has not been matched to this day!

Abbreviated as Southwest Associated University, it was a university in Kunming, Yunnan during the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. It was jointly established by the then National Peking University, National Tsinghua University and private Nankai University. Its predecessor was the National Changsha Temporary University.

After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, Japanese imperialism launched a full-scale invasion of China. To preserve the essence of Chinese education from destruction, universities in many major cities in North China and along the coast relocated inland. During the eight years of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, more than ten universities relocated to Yunnan, the most famous of which was National Southwest Associated University.

I admired the memorial hall and old classrooms of the UN. It was a great experience to truly experience this special university in this special historical period!

Intellectuals must go and see it if they have the chance. This was the period when our country's academic research was initiated and flourished.

I wanted to go to the former site of Southwest Associated University, but unfortunately it was closed after 17:00. I took a quick look at the building from the outside and could see traces of history.

It's a great place to learn! It's open 365 days a year~~~

The former site of Southwest Associated University is located in Yunnan Normal University, but Yunnan Normal University is more modern. I personally recommend visiting the former site of Southwest Associated University.

The former site of Southwest Associated University, located on the campus of Yunnan Normal University today, consists primarily of a group of monuments, a memorial hall, and a restored building that mimics the original classrooms. While it's relatively small, anyone interested in the history of Southwest Associated University or harboring a special connection to this legendary institution should definitely visit and pay their respects.



To the side, a single-story building, a replica of the original classroom, remains. There's also the Southwest Associated University Memorial Hall, where I wandered inside and was transported to a journey through the history of the three universities' mass migration. There's also the December 1st Memorial Hall and another radio station memorial hall. The graves of Wen Yiduo, Li Gongpu, and several teachers and students who tragically died on December 1st are located on the hillside. If you're unfamiliar with December 1st, please research it yourself.

There is an area on the campus of Yunnan Normal University which is the former site of the famous Southwest Associated University. However, it has now become more of a patriotic education base, as evidenced by the memorial halls and various monuments in the former site.

It has a long history and a distinguished background. I believe that if you are a history student, you must know this place. Then take the time to visit it and learn more.



It is located on the campus of Yunnan Normal University, on No. 121 Street, and is easy to find.



It is well maintained and worth a visit;