The main entrance of Zhang Jian School in Tongzhou district, Nantong. [Photo/WeChat account: wxtzfb]

Zhang Jian (1853-1926), a pioneering industrialist and educator in modern China, founded over 370 schools throughout his life. More than 200 of them are located in today's Tongzhou district, Nantong. These schools remain operational today, serving as living proof of his great ambition to build industries and promote education to serve local development.

Zhang Jian School

Located in Jinxi Sanxing Street, this school was founded by Zhang in 1906. As a young man, Zhang suffered extortion during the imperial exams because he was not a local, which gave him a deep understanding of the hardships faced by poor students. After achieving success, his first priority was to provide educational opportunities for the underprivileged.

Today, the school preserves traditional activities such as imperial exam reenactments and poetry competitions, while also incorporating Zhang's educational philosophy into its daily teaching and management.

Xiting Middle School

Xiting town is the ancestral home of the Zhang family. Zhang's grandfather settled here, and the main hall once bore a plaque with the words "Dunmu Hall", meaning harmony and kindness. Xiting Middle School adopted this name as its motto to honor the ancestors and inspire students.

Tongzhou Experimental Primary School

This school was founded by Sun Jing, who was both a mentor and a close friend to Zhang. When the school opened, Zhang personally created its motto — "Learning cures ignorance" — which is still carved on the stone at the main entrance today.