The development of higher education in China is closely related to the development of modern China. Many famous universities have a long history. Some of them were born in the war-torn Republic of China, some were born in the decadent and dark late Qing Dynasty, and the history of universities can be traced back. To the Song Dynasty more than a thousand years ago. So do you know the oldest university in China? This post will introduce you to the 10 oldest universities in China.

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1. Hunan University (founded in 976)

Hunan University originated from the Yuelu Academy, founded in 976 AD. Through the changes of Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, it has always maintained the continuity of cultural education and teaching. In 1903, it was restructured into Hunan Higher School. In 1926, it was named Hunan University. In 1937, it became one of the 16 national universities under the Ministry of Education of the National Government. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Li Da, a representative of the “First National Congress of the Communist Party of China” and educator, became the first president of Hunan University in New China, and Comrade Mao Zedong wrote the name of the school. In 2000, Hunan University merged with Hunan University of Finance and Economics to form the new Hunan University.
Address: No. 1, Lushan South Road, Yuelu District, Changsha City, Hunan Province

2. Sun Yat-sen University (founded in 1866)

Although Sun Yat-sen University was founded by Dr. Sun Yat-sen in 1924, the history of Sun Yat-sen University can actually be traced back to the Boji Medical School established in 1866, which is the earliest Western Medical School established in my country. Sun Yat-sen University is a national key university jointly established by the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province. It is a national “Double First Class” Class A, “985 Project”, and “211 Project” key construction universities. It is also a “Everest Plan”, “111 Plan”, The “Excellent Legal Talent Education and Training Program” and the “Excellent Doctor Education and Training Program” are implemented by colleges and universities, which are important cities for scientific research, culture, academics, and talent training in southern China.
Address: No. 135, Xingang West Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province

3. Central China Normal University (founded in 1871)

Central China Normal University is an institution of higher learning with a long history. Its origins began in 1871, the Wenhua Academy founded by the American Episcopal Church in Tan Hualin, Wuhan. After inheritance and evolution, Wenhua Academy was changed to Wenhua Academy in 1903. Department, and was renamed Chung Hwa University in 1912. In 1951, the state established the public Huazhong University, and in 1952 it was restructured into Huazhong Higher Normal School. In 1953, it was named Huazhong Normal University. In 1985, it was renamed Huazhong Normal University and has been in use today. The current Central China Normal University is a comprehensive research-oriented national key university, ranked among the national key construction institutions of the “211 Project” and “985 Project Advantage Discipline Innovation Platform”, and it is also the first batch of “double first-class” world-class discipline construction universities in the country.
Address: No. 152, Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province

4. Wuhan University (founded in 1893)

Wuhan University can be traced back to the Ziqiang Academy founded by the Qing government by Zhang Zhidong, the Governor of Huguang in the late Qing Dynasty in 1893. After inheritance and evolution, it was named the National Wuhan University in 1928. It was the first batch of national universities in modern China. In 1946, the school has formed a school-running pattern in which six colleges of liberal arts, law, science, engineering, agriculture, and medicine go hand in hand. After the founding of New China, Wuhan University was highly valued by the party and government. In 1958, Chairman Mao Zedong visited Wuhan University in person. In 1993, on the occasion of the centennial anniversary of Wuhan University, Jiang Zemin and other party and state leaders wrote congratulations. Since the reform and opening up, Wuhan University has taken the lead in carrying out education and teaching reforms among domestic colleges and universities, various undertakings have developed vigorously, and the overall strength has risen significantly.
Address: No. 299, Bayi Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province

5. Hebei Medical University (founded in 1894)

Hebei Medical University was first named Beiyang Medical School. It was founded in Tianjin in 1894 by Li Hongzhang, Governor-General of Zhili Province, and Beiyang Minister Li Hongzhang. It was the first government-run western hospital school in modern China. After the Revolution of 1911, Peiyang Medical School was renamed Zhili Public Medical College in 1913 and began to recruit undergraduate students. The school moved to Baoding in 1915. On July 7, 1937, the Anti-Japanese War broke out and the school was forced to close. Enrollment was resumed in January 1946. In April 1949, it was renamed Hebei Medical College. In 1958, the school moved from Baoding to Shijiazhuang. In 1995, the former Hebei Medical University, Hebei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Shijiazhuang Medical College merged and renamed Hebei Medical University. In 2013, Hebei College of Traditional Chinese Medicine resumed its independent organizational system.
Address: No. 361, East Zhongshan Road, Chang’an District, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province

6. Tianjin University (founded in 1895)

Tianjin University (Tianjin University), abbreviated as Tianda, was formerly known as Beiyang University and was founded on October 2, 1895. The school has become a high-level research university with strong faculty, distinctive discipline characteristics, first-class education quality and scientific research level in the country, and greater international influence. In 1959, it was designated by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China as the first batch of national key universities. After the reform and opening up, Tianjin University was one of the first batch of key universities in the “211 Project” and “985 Project”, and was selected as a category A university in the country’s “World-Class University Construction”.
Address: No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin

7. Shanghai Jiaotong University (founded in 1896)

Founded in 1896, Shanghai Jiao Tong University was originally named Nanyang College, which is one of the many sources of higher education in China; it was renamed Nanyang University Hall in 1911, National Jiaotong University in 1929, and Jiaotong University in 1949; in 1955, The school moved to Xi’an and was divided into two parts: Shanghai Jiaotong University and Xi’an. In 1959, the two parts were independently established, and the Shanghai part adopted the name of “Shanghai Jiaotong University”; in 1999, the former Shanghai Agricultural College was merged; Two medical universities merged.
Address: 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai

8. Xi’an Jiaotong University (founded in 1896)

Xi’an Jiaotong University is one of the earliest institutions of higher learning established in China. It started as Nanyang College in Shanghai in 1896. It was renamed Jiaotong University in 1921. In 1956, the State Council decided that Jiaotong University should be moved to Xi’an as the Xi’an part of Jiaotong University in 1959. Named Xi’an Jiaotong University. In the 1920s and 1930s, the school formed a famous university with unique “science and engineering management” characteristics and was known as the “MIT” of the East. The school is a key construction unit of the “Seventh Five-Year Plan” and “Eighth Five-Year Plan”, and was among the first to enter the national “211” and “985” project construction schools. In 2017, it was selected as a category A construction university in the national “double first-class” construction list, and 8 disciplines were selected as first-class construction disciplines.
Address: No. 28, Xianning West Road, Beilin District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province

9. Sichuan University (founded in 1896)

Sichuan University was formed by two mergers of three national key universities, the former Sichuan University, the former Chengdu University of Science and Technology, and the former West China University of Medical Sciences. The original Sichuan University was founded in 1896 by Sichuan Governor-General Lu Chuanlin under the special decree of Guangxu. It is the earliest modern university in Southwest China; the former Chengdu University of Science and Technology is the first batch of multi-disciplinary establishments established during the adjustment of the new Chinese faculties. The former West China University of Medical Sciences originated from West China Union University established in Chengdu by the Western Christian Church in 1910. It is the earliest Western-style university in Southwest China and one of the earliest universities in China to train graduate students. In 1994, the former Sichuan University and the former Chengdu University of Science and Technology merged into Sichuan Union University, which was renamed Sichuan University in 1998. In 2000, it merged with the former West China University of Medical Sciences to form the new Sichuan University.
Address: No. 24, South Section, First Ring Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province

10. Southwest Jiaotong University (founded in 1896)

Southwest Jiaotong University began as the Shanhaiguan Beiyang Railway Official School in 1896. Since then, it has repeatedly moved to the school site and changed its name several times. Tangshan Jiaotong University has become famous at home and abroad and is known as the “Oriental Cornell”, especially in civil engineering, mining and metallurgy. The two disciplines are unique. In 1952, it was renamed Tangshan Railway Institute after the adjustment of the departments and schools, specializing in the training of rail transit talents. The school moved to Emei in 1964, and was named Southwest Jiaotong University in 1972. In 2000, it was placed under the management of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.
Address: No. 111, North Section, Second Ring Road, West Park, Chengdu High-tech Zone, Sichuan Province