When traveling to Xiamen, Fujian, if you have time, you must visit the famous Jimei Village. Because this is a prestigious institution at home and abroad founded by the famous patriotic overseas Chinese Mr. Chen Jiageng with huge sums of money. The reporter once visited this place and left behind an unforgettable memory.

Gate of Jimei School Village (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

On the morning of November 4, 2006, the reporter and his party drove away from Xiamen Island, crossed the Xiamen Bridge and arrived at Jimei Xuecun. The reason why Jimei is famous in the world is not for its beautiful scenery or its historical heritage. Its fame is entirely due to the famous overseas Chinese, Mr. Chen Jiageng. Integrating universities, middle schools and primary schools, the unique Jimei School Village was built by Mr. Chen Jiageng with huge sums of money for the people in his hometown.

Jimei Primary School (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Jimei Xuecun is located in Jimei District, Xiamen. Jimei is an administrative district of Xiamen City, located on the mainland. It is separated from Xiamen Island by a shallow trench, but is connected by a seawall. In recent years, a spacious and magnificent bridge has been built. Not long after the car crossed the Xiamen Bridge, it arrived at Jimei Xuecun.

Jimei Middle School Building (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Jimei Xuecun is not only a place with beautiful scenery, but also a tourist scenic spot that gathers beauty. The most distinctive one is the Dragon Boat Pond. By the dragon boat pool, there are dragon ridges and phoenix eaves, carved beams and painted buildings, and green rings surrounded by red; there are two water pavilions in the center of the lake, with wings spread on the waves; in the dragon boat pool, every Duanyang Festival, a sizable folk activity-dragon boat racing is held. At that time, the golden drums will sing together, the southern song will be melodious, the waves will be colorful, and the voices of people will be full of a unique style.

Xuecun Dragon Boat Pond (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Jimei School Village is the general name for various schools and cultural institutions in Jimei. It was founded in 1913 by Mr. Tan Jiageng and cost more than 100 million yuan before and after, making it famous throughout Southeast Asia. After decades of development, Jimei School Village currently has a total construction area of more than 100,000 square meters and has more than 10,000 teachers and students.

Street in Xuecun Village (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Jimei Village includes Xiamen Fisheries College, Jimei Navigation College, Fujian Institute of Physical Education, Jimei Normal College, Jimei Finance College and other universities, as well as technical secondary schools, primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, and nurseries. In addition to the school buildings, there are auditoriums, swimming pools, dragon boat ponds, gymnasiums, cinemas, hospitals, sailing clubs, etc. The grand scale and perfect equipment are still rare in China. The current Jimei School Village in Xiamen has been approved by the State Education Commission to become "Jimei University".

Corner of the architectural landscape (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Walking into Jimei Village, the reporter first visited Chen Jiageng's former residence. The high-rise buildings in Jimei Xuecun are scattered in every corner and are majestic, but Mr. Tan Jiageng's former residence is ordinary and simple. This former residence, built in June 1918, is located in the center of Jimei Xuecun and is now north of the "Daonan Tower". It is an ordinary courtyard with two buildings.

Former Residence of Mr. Chen Jiageng (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

In this former residence of Chen Jiageng, Mr. Jiageng had been living here to plan the establishment of Xiamen University and the expansion of Jimei School Village. In the third year of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the former residence was destroyed by incendiary bombs from the Japanese plane, leaving only ruins. However, Mr. Kageng was concerned about the restoration and expansion of Jimei School, and never agreed to repair his house first. It was not until 1955 that the school building was completely renovated that the people's government funded the restoration of Mr.'s house. After that, he lived here again and did not leave until he was seriously ill and went to Beijing for treatment.

Conference room of the former residence (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

After leaving Tan Jiageng, tourists pass by in front of the Return Hall. The Return Hall to the south of Tan Jiageng's former residence was built in 1962. Mr. Tan Jiageng had a wish during his lifetime: in order to summon relatives overseas to remember their hometown and love the motherland, they would have a place to gather when they returned. He wanted to build a "Return Hall" in front of his former residence. The construction cost would not exceed 30,000 yuan.

Photo taken by the reporter's former residence (Photo: Wang Shuhong)

Premier Zhou Enlai learned of this situation after the death of Mr. Chen and thought it was of great significance. He instructed that Mr. Chen's wishes should be realized and the scale of the construction should be expanded as a permanent commemoration. In 1962, on the first anniversary of Mr. Tan Jiageng's death, the "Return Hall" with a total construction area of more than 4000 square meters was completed, consisting of a hall, a worship pavilion, a living room, a wing and a courtyard.

Xuecun "Return Hall"(Photo: Feng Ganyong)

In front of the "Return Hall" is also a 14-acre "Return Garden" built to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Mr. Chen Jiageng's founding of Jimei School. There is a copper statue of Mr. Chen Jiageng in the Return Garden. The bronze statue weighs about 1 ton, is 2.3 meters high, and the base is 2.6 meters high. The bronze statue stands leisurely in the center of the back of the "Return Hall" and the "Return Garden", looking forward to the return of relatives overseas. The background of the bronze statue is a granite screen portrait 3 meters high and 7 meters wide, engraved with Mao Zedong's inscription: "Overseas Chinese Leader, National Glory". It shines the glorious image of Mr. Tan Jiageng. There are green trees, grasslands and flower beds on the left and right sides of the bronze statue. In front of it is a road paved with square stone bricks, leading to the distance of return.

Statue of Mr. Chen Jiageng (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

After walking out of Guilai Garden, tourists head east along the road. Tourists go to Jiageng Park for sightseeing. The predecessor of Jiageng Park was called Aoyuan. Today's Jiageng Park has been expanded on the basis of "Aoyuan". Aoyuan is located on the sea in the southeast of Jimei. It is a small island that stretches into the sea. It turned out that there was once a temple on the island called "Aotou Palace", which was later destroyed by the Japanese army's aggressive war. In 1950, Mr. Tan Jiageng built the "Ao Garden" here as a tomb behind him.

Jiageng Park (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Jiageng Park was opened to visitors after its completion in October 1994 on the 120th anniversary of Mr. Tan Jiageng's birth. Walking into Jiageng Park, what comes into tourists 'eyes are pavilions and pavilions with red columns and cornices and glazed tiles. They are connected one after another to form a dragon shape along the winding corridors. Jiageng Park is mainly composed of Chinese-style courtyards. There are ponds, curved bridges, stone railings, grasslands, structures and other landscapes in the park. The beautiful environment is comfortable and pleasant.

Jiageng Park Landscape (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Not far from the north gate of the park, there is also an honorary monument of "respecting teachers and valuing education". A giant candle is sculpted, and the names of individuals and units who donated money to develop schools are engraved on the stone monument. The carpeted lawns, city trees and city flowers all over the park make the park particularly beautiful and make tourists linger.

Monument to Respect Teachers and Respect Education (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The current Aoyuan is located at the innermost end of Jiageng Park and is still the main scenic spot of the park. The most attractive things inside are the three-dimensional embossed on the corridor walls, monuments and Mr. Chen's tombstone. Those include ancient and modern historical figures and historical events, portrayal of southern Fujian customs, and vivid flowers, birds, fish and insects. These characters, flowers and plants are all vividly carved and lifelike. It can be called an art treasure. These carvings are divided into embossed, sunken carvings, round carvings, carved carvings, shadow carvings, etc., gathering most of the essence of southern Fujian stone carvings.

Aoyuan Landscape (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Mr. Chen Jiageng's cemetery is at the innermost end of Ao Garden, facing the sea. What is admirable is that the back of the tomb is not backed by green mountains like the tombs of previous emperors, but the towering "Jimei Liberation Monument". The golden characters "Jimei Liberation Monument" personally inscribed by the great man Mao Zedong are shining in the sunshine.

Jimei Liberation Monument (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Jimei Liberation Monument is the main building of Aoyuan. The monument is 28 meters high and symbolizes the victory of the Communist Party of China after 28 years of struggle. On the back of the monument is an inscription written by Mr. Tan Jiageng. The base of the monument has four steps: levels 13, 10, 8 and 3. Level 13 symbolizes the years when his career was at its peak, level 10 is the years when he encountered difficulties, level 8 is the eight-year War of Resistance, and level 3 is the three-year War of Liberation. In front of the monument is a wall with a height of 7 meters and a width of 30 meters. The word "Natural History" is engraved in the middle. There are 12 embossed pieces. Three maps of China, Fujian Province and Taiwan Province are embedded in the middle of the embossed, reflecting Mr. Chen's desire for the reunification of the motherland.

Chen Jiageng's Tomb (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

As the most beautiful outdoor landscape in Jimei School Village, the Dragon Boat Pond is a water area 800 meters long and 300 meters wide. There are seven pavilions and waterside pavilions of different styles in the dragon boat pond, standing tall by the dragon boat pond, known as the "Seven Stars Falling to the Ground". It and the two water pavilions in the center of the pool named "Lone Star Accompanying the Moon" were designed and built by Mr. Chen Jiageng himself. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, golden drums and drums sound, melodious southern songs, sparkling water shadows, and noisy voices. Colorful dragon boats cut the waves, giving rise to a sense of pride. Many international dragon boat races have been held here, attracting a large number of tourists from home and abroad. Mr. Tan Jiageng respected the patriotic poet Qu Yuan very much and hated the shameful title of "Sick Man of East Asia". He advocated that Chinese people should strengthen their health and serve the motherland. During his lifetime, he hosted dragon boat races many times.

lush coconut trees (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

After coming out of Jiageng Park, the reporter and his party went to the parking lot by the Dragon Boat Pond. Before getting on the bus, people stopped here one after another. With the last set of beautiful scenery pictures left in Jimei School Village, this wonderful experience will always be left in people's memory. (Photo and text: Feng Ganyong)