Young Men’s Christian Association in Kunming
Overview
The Kunming YMCA (昆明基督教青年会旧址) is a designated cultural heritage site in Yunnan Province (云南省). The YMCA was established on September 15, 1931, and completed in October 1933. Initially located on Wanzhong Street (万钟街), it moved to No. 4 Dingxin Street (鼎新街) in 1935. The facility consists of three buildings, with a central tower flanked by U-shaped structures.
The architectural style is a blend of Chinese and Western elements. The doors and windows exhibit traditional Chinese design, topped with European-style stone window and door frames. The roofs are tiled, and the interior features a mix of traditional Chinese wooden partition walls and European-style plastered wooden divisions.
Historical Significance
During the 1930s and 1940s, the Kunming YMCA was renowned for its tutorial school, which was led by Ye Chongji (叶崇基), a local from Kunming. The school employed teachers from various high schools and colleges in Kunming, offering high-quality education at reasonable fees with convenient accommodations. It provided assistance and tuition reductions to the underprivileged, attracting many students from diverse backgrounds, including those who were unemployed, out of school, or working.
This tutorial school was the largest and most comprehensive in Kunming from the 1930s to the late 1940s. It specialized in subjects like English and commercial accounting and gained a reputation both locally and beyond due to the involvement of teachers from Southwest Associated University (西南联大) and students who worked part-time or sought additional English training at the school.
In late 1958, following the merger of the city’s Christian associations, the YMCA site on Dingxin Street was handed over to the Municipal Housing Management Bureau, transforming it into the Kunming Youth Palace (昆明市少年宫). After the relocation of the Youth Palace, the site was converted into residential housing.
Cultural Heritage Status
Due to its unique architectural style and historical significance in the spread of Christianity in Kunming, the building was designated as a district-level cultural heritage site in 2002. It was upgraded to a municipal cultural heritage site in 2011 and further recognized as a provincial cultural heritage site in 2012.
Contact Information
- Address: Old YMCA Building, No. 4 Dingxin Jie (鼎新街4号), Kunming (昆明)
- Phone: (0871) 65181933
