The All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese has added the Yung Wing (Rong Hong) Museum to its eighth group of International Culture Communication Bases for Overseas Chinese.

The museum is located at 2 Lane 1, East Street, Nanping Town. It is housed in the Zhenxian (Select the Virtuous) School that was converted into a museum by the Xiangzhou District People's Government in 2018. The building is a provincial Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit that was constructed in 1871 for 500 taels of silver. The money was raised by individuals following the example of Yung Wing, who was named honorary schoolmaster. One of the earliest private schools in Guangdong, it earned fame for opening access to the outside world by abolishing imperial examinations and embracing western learning.

Yung Wing Museum [Photo courtesy WeChat account: zhxzql]

Born Nov 17, 1828, Nanping native Yung Wing (1828-1912) was a noted educator, diplomat, social activist, and the first Chinese student to receive a degree from an American university (Yale College in 1854).

The Yung Wing Museum opened May 17, 2019. In it, the display of more than 200 images and 100 historical documents takes up 600 sqm (6,458 sqft) out of 800 sqm (8,611 sqft) of floor space. Holographic projections of historical scenes, lessons, and videos also provide visitors with better understanding about the forefather of overseas Chinese students.

To date, the facility has received more than 280,000 official visits, of which over 1,350 were paid by overseas students and Chinese. As the sole China International Culture Communication Base for Overseas Chinese in Zhuhai, the museum will schedule many cultural activities to keep close contact with overseas Chinese, preserve culture, and promote international cultural exchanges.