School Growth & Development
WISS was granted approval by the Ministry of Education in Beijing in 2004 and opened its doors on September 6, 2006. The school campus is spread across a 16 acre site which has been designed by Weimar Architects of the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany.
(For more information, see our facilities section for detailed descriptions)
Future plans for WISS include the construction and opening of boarding facilities.
Our School EmblemOur school emblem is a white tiger or "bai hu", which represents the direction of the west. Our school's Chinese name Shanghai Xihua Guoji Xuexiao which signifies the understanding and exchange between Chinese and Western cultures. Therefore the tiger is a most fitting symbol of the strength and wisdom that can be found in both Chinese and Western philosophical traditions.
Since at least the second century BC, four animals have represented the 4 different directions in China:
East "dong": Dragon "long"
South "nan": Bird "que"
West "xi": Tiger "hu"
North "bei":Tortoise "gui"
The white tiger of the west is also associated with the natural element of metal and is sometimes presented as a counterpart to the dragon of the east. The two animals represent the yin and the yang, the natural balance of opposites according to Taoist philosophy. The tiger is a respected animal in Chinese culture and has been described as an animal that possesses bravery, strength and dignity." The flower on the tiger's back is a white magnolia, which is the official flower of Shanghai.
Information extracted from "Chinese Mythology: An Encyclopedia of Myth and Legend" by Derek Walters
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