Within these walls, Pui Ching Middle School History Museum safeguards a legacy. It is a story that began not far from here. Pui Ching Middle School was founded in 1889 in Guangzhou. Local Chinese Baptists established it. It was the first Christian school in China founded by local Christians. This was in contrast to those founded by foreign missionaries.
However, war disrupted Pui Ching’s progress. In 1938, the Guangzhou school closed. Students moved to Macau to escape World War II. After the war, the Guangzhou school reopened. Pui Ching Middle School persevered through difficult times.
Pui Ching’s influence spread beyond Guangzhou. Branches opened in Hong Kong and Macau. Each branch carries the school’s spirit. The Hong Kong branch started in 1933 with just a primary school. Junior high and senior high sections followed in 1935 and 1940.
During the Pacific War in 1941, the Hong Kong school shut down. Japanese forces occupied the land. After the war in 1945, the school temporarily used Kowloon Tong School. In 1946, it returned to its original site. In 1950, it officially became Hong Kong Pui Ching Middle School.
Pui Ching Middle School valued academic excellence. The school only admitted good students. It graduated only the best. One alumnus recalls that his class started with eight classes but ended with four. Weak students were weeded out each year.
Teachers at Pui Ching Middle School were exceptional. A Grade 7 math teacher was a famous mathematician. He later became a professor at the University of Hong Kong. Lo Kang Lei taught Tang Poetry. He inspired students with eloquent recitations.
The school produced many notable alumni. Daniel C Tsui won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1998. Shing-Tung Yau received the Fields Medal in 1982. Alfred Y Cho invented molecular beam epitaxy and quantum cascade lasers. Chia-wei Woo founded the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. King-fai Chung was the first Dean of the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts.
Life lessons extended beyond academics. One student learned about the transiency of life. He observed a tree with purplish-red flowers. He realized time’s constant march forward. Another student learned to fight for what he believed. He defended a friend and faced the consequences.
Pui Ching Middle School instilled strong values. These values included virtue, grit, and faith. The school cultivated Christian faith and character development. Alumni associations exist worldwide. They help maintain the Pui Ching spirit. The Pui Ching Middle School History Museum stands as a testament to these values. It preserves the stories of perseverance, academic excellence, and spiritual growth.