Chang Poling, sub-lieutenant of Imperial Chinese Navy, resigned after he witnessed the historic event of transferring the Chinese territory from Japan to UK. In complete shock, irritation, and disappointment, he realized that nothing but education could change China. He then started teaching in His Excellency Yen Hsiu's home school, where his career as educator began.

Yen Hsiu and Chang Poling, after their educational trip to Japan, established the Private Middle School by combining the home schools of Yen family and Wang family. There began the 120 years history of Nankai School.

The school relocated to Nan Kai, literally an open field in the south, thanks to a donation of a parcel of land by Mr. Zheng Juru. The new building was made possible by the donation from Yen Hsiu, Wang Yi-sun, and Hsu Shih-chang. Four years later, the school was renamed after its location.

Yen Hsiu and Chang Poling, after their educational trip to US, opened Nankai University. In its infancy, Nankai University comprised only three schools of Art, Science, and Business. Mr. Chou En-lai, later PM of China, was one of its first students.

A group of girls appealed to Chang Poling for equal rights of secondary education.

The initial purpose of an experimental Nankai Elementary School was to reform the entire Nankai School. President Chang Poling hoped to implement pragmatism on his campus, and invited Marjorie Rankin from Columbia University, a student of William H. Kilpatrick, to be the supervisor of experiments in Nankai Elementary School.

"Yu" is an alias for the city of Chongqing in Southwest China, the temporary capital of China during WWII, and "Nan Yu" stands for "Nankai in Chongqing". The school succeeded the name Nankai Middle School in 1938 to show the determination Nankai is unconquerable. An elementary school and affiliated kindergarten followed.

In July 1937, Japanese Army bombarded all campuses of Nankai in Tianjin, including the University, the Middle School, and the Girls School. Meanwhile, Peking University and Tsinghua University both lost their campuses in Beijing. The three universities united in Changsha and later moved to Kunming in the name of National Southwestern Associated University that lasted for the next 9 years.

The board of Zigong Shu Kwang Middle School, a school since 1924 by local salt producers, entrusted the school to Nankai. Under Nankai's operation, the school became one of the best in Sichuan province, and opened its elementary school and kindergarten.

Nankai Middle School reopened in Tianjin soon after the war. Nankai Girls School and National Nankai University followed in 1946. Nankai Elementary School was permanently lost though. President Chang Poling was ambitious to open four more middle schools nationwide.

All private schools in China at that time, including those operated by Nankai, became nationalized if not closed, with immediate change of names. Mr. Wen Jia-bao, later PM of China, enrolled in Nankai Middle School after its nationalization.

Mr. Li Ping-li of Tianjin Nankai High School, together with his teammates, won China's first gold medal on the 27th International Mathematics Olympiaid.

Nankai University hosted the ICM 2002 satellite conference Differential Geometry and Integral Analysis. This event acknowledges Nankai's prolonged contribution to the international mathematics community.

The founding members of this international event include Tianjin Nankai High School and five other prestigious shools worldwide. Member schools host annual conference on rotation.

Six teenagers from Chongqing, including Liao Xi-ning from Chongqing Nankai High School, recited in Chinese the poems by atomic bomb survivor Kurihara Sadako and made their wish to peace on the 65th Hiroshima Anniversary.

Mr. Wang Yuan from Chongqing Nankai High School spoke as representative of China on United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum.

SNSA is the highest award to scientific research in China. This award honors the leading role of Nankai researchers in the field of chemistry.