Dai Meng Academy

Dai Meng Academy

Dai Meng Academy is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Dai Meng Academy (Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit)

Era: Qing Dynasty

Announcement Date: March 16, 2005

Dai Meng Academy is located in Xikou, Yongjia, and was jointly established by Dai Meng, a Neo-Confucian scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty, his son, and the philologist Dai Tong. After resigning from his official post as imperial tutor, Dai Meng returned to his hometown and founded Dai Meng Academy to train scholars. Owing to its outstanding success, Emperor Guangzong of the Song Dynasty bestowed an imperial plaque inscribed with the characters “Ming Wen” (明文, meaning “Brilliant Literature”). Hence, it is also known as “Ming Wen Academy.” The existing foundation of the academy still dates back to the Song Dynasty, while the above-ground structures are in the Qing Dynasty style, having been rebuilt during the Qianlong era. The carved wooden panels and decorations in the buildings are exquisitely crafted. It is said that just the carvings on the window lattices, door lintels, and columns took over three years to complete during the original construction.

Dai Meng Academy is a historical testament to the farming-and-scholarship culture along the Nanxi River, reflecting the local aspiration to “bring honor through learning and prosperity through farming.” The academy and the former residence are largely intact, with their layout and beam structures showcasing distinctive regional traditions. The architectural carvings are finely detailed, making this one of the higher-quality architectural structures from the mid-to-late Qing period in the Nanxi River Basin, with notable historical and artistic value.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units