Former Site of the Buli Work-Study School in Gaoyang, Hebei

The Former Site of the Buli Work-Study School in Gaoyang, Hebei, is the location of China's first preparatory school for the work-study program in France. It is situated south of Buli Village, Xiyan Town, Gaoyang County, Baoding City, Hebei Province. The school was founded by Li Shizeng in the summer of 1917. It was originally named the "Buli Village Work-Study Preparatory School" and was renamed the "Buli Village Work-Study School" after the new school buildings were completed in 1918. Cai Yuanpei once inscribed the plaque "Diligence Leads to Excellence" for the school. Between 1917 and 1920, the school enrolled three cohorts of students, training over 200 individuals, more than 70 of whom went to France for the work-study program. In October 1918, Cai Hesen led more than 30 students from Hunan to the school, forming the "Southern Class," with Cai Hesen serving as the class teacher and Chinese language instructor. Mao Zedong once made a special trip to Baoding to greet these students. The school closed in 1920 due to the economic downturn in France. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the school buildings were damaged by the Japanese army, and they were renovated twice, in 1950 and 1980. The former site is a south-facing square courtyard covering an area of about 20 mu. It currently consists of two rows of 11 rooms, retaining the layout from when the school was founded in 1917. It features a blend of Chinese and Western styles, with a French-style pointed brick spire on top, symbolizing "progress and hope," and Chinese-style arched gates and polished brick walls below. The main buildings include classrooms, workshops, Cai Hesen's office and dormitory, and an exhibition hall on the life of Li Shizeng. On the north side of the kitchen stands a large locust tree, a "black locust" planted by Cai Hesen and the students of the Southern Class. The site also houses the Museum of the Former Site of the Buli Work-Study School, which currently holds 303 items/sets in its collection. Key exhibits include original editions of "New Youth" and "Collected Works of Cai Hesen," as well as a Soviet-style sewing machine and a Soviet military watch used by founding general Tang Duo. It is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.