Jinri Building in Kunming is well-known by all people in Kunming, even the foreign students in Kunming. However, when you study in China, you should know it has a long history. As early as in Ming Dynasty, Hongwu Emperor established Chief Secretary in the bordering Yunnan and Muying was appointed as the guard. Some of the foreign learners who come to study in China may hear that the building was constructed with large black bricks around the city walls of old Kunming. It was named Xiangming Building, carrying the meaning of respecting Ming Dynasty.

When it came to Qing Dynasty, the viceroy of Yunnan and Guizhou Fan Chenxun felt it was not proper to respect Ming Dynasty in Qing period. Then, foreigners who learn Chinese in China may know the reason of the name changing. At very beginning, it is very difficult for them to figure out a good name. However, the fact was that the building was 60 meters in length and 40 meters in width, with a height of 20 meters. Foreigners who study in China should know it was very high at that time. People thought it was so high that it was easy to reach the sun. Then the name Jinri was formed, meaning reaching the sun.