Yan Fu Academy

Yan Fu Academy

Yan Fu Academy is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Fujian.

Among the academies in Fuzhou, Yan Fu Academy is rather unique. Integrated with the Yan Fu Calligraphy and Painting Museum and the Yan Fu Life Exhibition Hall, this academy has also taken on the characteristics of a professional museum.

At the entrance of the academy, there is a couplet that reads: “A scholar’s calligraphy preserves refined elegance; the former garden of the Min King resonates with new voices.” This speaks to the origins and present-day role of Yan Fu Academy—the site was once the sleeping quarters of a consort of the ancient Min King; today, it serves as a platform for the exchange between traditional culture and modern civilization. It prominently displays original printed editions of Yan Fu’s translated works, authentic calligraphy by Yan Fu himself, as well as posthumously published writings about Yan Fu, making it a public cultural venue for learning about Yan Fu’s life and spreading his ideas.

The “youthful” character of Yan Fu Academy is due, first, to its establishment and opening in 2014, and second, to the creation of several cultural and creative brands here such as “The Stories of Principal Yan,” which promote traditional culture in fashionable ways like postcards.

Yan Fu Academy is also an academy that actively “goes out.” Its cultural outreach extends to communities and schools. In December last year, the academy’s team visited 10 universities in Taiwan to give lectures on Yan Fu’s life. Many courses developed by them enable students to learn about Yan Fu through various activities.

The academy is also committed to spreading traditional culture and preserving and restoring local culture. At Yan Fu Academy, there are almost weekly cultural lectures, forums, and artistic gatherings, along with occasionally passionate poetry recitals.

The academy also provides a space for the practice of nearly extinct traditional arts. Nanyin, the court music of the Tang and Song dynasties preserved in Fujian, is rarely seen on public stages, but members of the Nanyin Society gather every Tuesday evening at Yan Fu Academy for practice. This thousand-year-old “old tree” may just sprout new shoots here.

Nanjie Subdistrict: Located in the central-western part of Gulou District, Nanjie Subdistrict is bordered by Dongjie Subdistrict to the east along Bayi 7th North Road, adjacent to Antai Subdistrict to the south at the foot of Wushan Mountain, reaching Xiaoliu and Henan Xincun to the west where it connects with Hongshan Town, and bounded by Hujie Road, Xian South Road, and Yangqiao Road to the north, neighboring Huada Subdistrict and Guxi Subdistrict. It covers an area of 1.56 square kilometers, with 16,000 households and a population of about 50,000. The subdistrict office is located at No. 28 Huangxiang. In 2000, the area had 338 collective enterprises and 1,147 individual businesses; it includes the communities of Wenru, Nanjie, Taxiang, Nanhou, Anmin, Mingshan, Yi... More detailed information about Nanjie Subdistrict++