Tracing Xuying: Beijing Women’s Normal School 北京女子师范学校

In the 34th year of Qing Emperor Guangxu’s reign (1908), in July, the Capital Teacher’s Training School for Women was established on Shifuma Street (now Xinwenhua Street in Xicheng District). The building covered an area of approximately 4,500 square meters, consisting of four buildings. In 1913, the school was renamed Beijing Women’s Normal School. In 1924, it was changed to National Beijing Women’s Normal University, and in July 1928, Beiping University was established, becoming the Women’s Teacher Training College of Beiping University. In 1931, it merged with Beiping Normal University, becoming the precursor to today’s Beijing Normal University.

Li Xuying was admitted to the Capital Teacher’s Training School for Women in 1916, at about 13 years of age. Although the school eventually evolved into a higher education institution, it likely had a vocational school nature at its inception. The school was government-funded, providing free education, board, and lodging. At that time, Xuying’s father worked in Tianjin, and her relationship with her stepmother was not good. She rarely went home, making full use of the school’s resources to develop her passion for literature and painting.

清光绪三十四年（1908年）七月，设立京师女子师范学堂， 位于石驸马大街（今西城区新文化街）。建筑面积约4500平方米，校舍由四座楼组成。1913年京师女子师范学堂改称北京女子师范。1924年改为国立北京女子师范大学，1928年7月设立北平大学，学校改为北平大学女子师范学院。1931年并入北平师范大学，成为今天北京师范大学的前身。

李旭英考入北京女子师范学校是1916年，约13岁。该校虽然最终演化成高等学府，成立之初应当是中专性质。学校为公费，吃住也不花钱。旭英当时父亲在天津工作，与继母关系不好，所以很少回家，尽情地利用学校资源发展自己热爱的文学和绘画。