The origins of Renmin University of China date back to Shanbei Public School (simplified Chinese: 陕北公学; traditional Chinese: 陝北公學; pinyin: Shǎnběi Gōngxué), established in 1937 by the Communist Party of China in order to "bring up hundreds of thousands of revolutionary comrades to meet the needs of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression."[7] Later it was renamed as the North China United University and North China University. Several institutions were merged to form a single Renmin University of China in 1950. Wu Yuzhang, Cheng Fangwu, Guo Yingqiu, Yuan Baohua, Huang Da, Li Wenhai, Ji Baocheng, Chen Yulu had successively held the position of principal.