Jiujiang Ziyang Academy

Jiujiang Ziyang Academy

Ziyang Academy is located to the east of Bailudong Academy. It consists of four courtyards leading up to the main gate of the academy. Key sights include the gate tower, Chongde Shrine, and Xingtai, among others. This complex of courtyards is named Ziyang Academy after Zhu Xi’s courtesy name, Ziyang. The granite gate tower bears a plaque inscribed with the four characters “Zi Yang Shu Yuan” (Ziyang Academy), calligraphed by Mr. Feng Youlan. The entire compound is divided into two sections by a central gate. The front courtyard has stele corridors on both sides, collectively referred to as the eastern part of the Bailudong Academy.

The stele corridor. The small courtyard flower beds feature a variety of plants in diverse poses, including podocarpus, azaleas, winter sweet, plum blossoms, Bauhinia, cryptomeria, metasequoia, chrysanthemums, dahlias, as well as various potted plants. Directly to the north lies the Chongde Shrine. Passing through the central gate, there is another flower bed where flowering magnolia, osmanthus, littleleaf boxwood, holly, cypress, podocarpus, chrysanthemums, red peaches, pink peaches, michelia, roses, camellias, dahlias, and Liriope compete in beauty. Directly to the north is the Xingtai. Ziyang Academy lacks the solemnity of a sacrificial hall or the sternness of a lecture room; instead, it has study cubicles where scholars of the time stayed and rested.