Harvard Bixi

Established in 1636 and being the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, Harvard University and Harvard Yard at the center of campus has many historic buildings and statues. However, one structure stands out amongst the rest, a 17-foot, 27-ton stone stele on top of a Chinese style dragon. This monument is significant both in Chinese history but also helps tell the story of a long and rich partnership Harvard University has with China spanning over a century. 

In Chinese mythology, the Bixi is one of the nine sons of the Dragon King depicted as a dragon with the shell of a turtle. Sculptures of the Bixi have been used in China for hundreds of years as a decorative plinth for commemorative steles and tablets. The Harvard Bixi was created around 1820 and was originally a gift from Emperor Jiaqing to Governor-Genral Songyun of Jiangsu and Jiangxi. The original inscription has been lost to time as it was originally kept at the Old Summer Palace in Beijing until the complex was destroyed in 1860 by British and French forces during the Second Opium War. With the inscription gone, the detailed carvings of dragons and pearls were the only indicators left of the stele’s imperial origins. 

In the 1930s, there were around five Harvard Clubs in China. Various members got together to donate the stele to commemorate the university’s tercentenary and at least two were present during the ceremony; Dr. J. Heng Liu, president of Harvard Club of Nanking and Fred Sze, the president of Harvard Club of Shanghai. New inscriptions were carved and prominent academic Hu Shih who was invited to receive an honorary doctorate, is believed to be the calligrapher. The Bixi was dedicated and placed outside north of Boylston Hall and west of Widener Library in September 1936. Over the years, acid rain and winter weather had eroded much of the original inscription and several attempts were made in the 1980s and 1990s to move the stele into an indoor location. The financial cost to move it and trying to find a suitable place has been major hindrances and at the moment, the stele remains outside in Harvard Yard. However, restoration work and digitization of the structure has been proposed and is ongoing. 

Harvard has a long and rich history of intellectual engagement with China. In 1879, a scholar from Ningbo named Ge Kunhua became the university’s first instructor in Mandarin and in 1880, Ding Chongji, also from Ningbo, became the first Chinese student to enroll at Harvard. The number of students gradually increased over the years and by the early 20th century, hundreds had graduated with many of them becoming professors, doctors, scientists, writers, and diplomats in China. Today, Harvard has close to 2,000 students from China making up a significant portion of their international student body. 

The Harvard Bixi is not only an important artifact from Imperial China but also serves as a symbol for the special academic connection shared by Harvard and the Chinese people. It has endured for over a century and will most likely continue to exist for many more years to come. If you have an interest in Qing Dynasty Chinese history, the stele is definitely worth taking a look.