Qia Tongxue Shaonian

In 1913, Mao Zedong, 19 years old, was admitted as the top student to Hunan No. 1 Normal School in Changsha, where principal Kong Zhaoshou led educational reforms and hired notable teachers like Yang Changji. Mao formed close ties with fellow students such as Cai Hesen and Xiao Zisheng. Female students from Hunan Private Zhounan Women's Normal School, including Tao Siyong, Xiang Jingyu, and Yang Kaihui, joined them through shared academic and intellectual interests. A student reading club became central to their studies and discussions. However, political unrest disrupted their studies. During an anti-Sino-Japanese friendship movement, warlord Tang Xiangming pressured Kong to resign, and Mao nearly faced arrest. This experience caused Mao to question his commitment to reform and education as a means to save the country.