High School of Peking University - History

History

In 1951, the authorities started building a school for workers and farmers in an attempt to expand their horizons. In 1957, the facility was reorganized and designated as Beijing No. 104 High School. Three years later, the school was renamed to High School of Peking University under the direction of Peking University, serving as the second-stage rocket in its parent university’s four-staged educational sequence, the first, third and fourth stages being primary school, university and graduate school respectively.

Since the reformation led by Luping, the principal of Peking University in 1960, Peking University has attached high importance to improving the school. The then-School Counselor of Peking University Yin Qizhuo was appointed the first principal of the High School and 43 teaching staff from the university were seconded to the High as academic reinforcements. With the main support from the University, the High School of Peking University soon came to be regarded as one of the top schools in Beijing. At that time, it was one of the only two schools in Beijing to accept foreign students, one of them being the second son of King Sihanouk of Cambodia.

After the launch of the Cultural Revolution, the High School became the epicenter of the political storm because of its special political position. Motivated young students began to gather around the High School attached to Tsinghua University, forming the very first groups of Red Guards. Reportedly, people were found dead on campus of the High School during the period of the Cultural Revolution.

Having undergone the chaos of the early phase of the Revolution, the High School was gradually restored to peace. Dedicated teachers went on to provide the best education possible for the students in the circumstances, and graduates from the high school took the crowns in many provinces soon after the resumption of the National Higher Education Entrance Examination (gaokao) in 1978.

The educational system returned to normal after the Cultural Revolution. In the last three decades the school has seen significant changes on its faculty and campus, and it has also earned a high reputation in the academic circle. Current Principal Wang Zheng has made it a priority to rid China of poor running 'franchised' versions of the high school which were built due to a great deal of corruption that plagued the school since 2000.