Ziyun Academy

Ziyun Academy

Ziyun Academy is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

In Xiangcheng County lies Ziyun Mountain, where the Ziyun Academy—bestowed its name by decree of Emperor Chenghua of the Ming Dynasty—lies hidden within. During the Ming era, Ziyun Academy was renowned across the Central Plains and gained national fame, becoming another prestigious academy following the Song Dynasty's Four Great Academies. Today, standing within the academy nestled in the mountain, visitors are surrounded by picturesque scenery and immersed in tranquility. The legacy of 500 years feels poetic and serene.

In the fourth year of the Chenghua reign (1468), Li Min, a native of Xiangcheng County who then served as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and Minister of Revenue, returned home to observe a three-year mourning period after his mother’s passing. During this time, he often strolled through Ziyun Mountain. Admiring its serene and beautiful scenery, he built a three-room study where he read and lectured. In the eighteenth year of Chenghua, the emperor bestowed the name "Ziyun Academy" by decree, after which the complex was expanded with halls and study rooms, making it one of the four major academies in the Central Plains at the time.

The existing structures—including the gate tower, Dacheng Hall, east and west side halls, and left and right wing rooms—are all built with blue bricks and red stones in a flush-gable style. They cover an area of 704 square meters. The academy currently spans 6,825 square meters in a rectangular layout, featuring a three-courtyard design. It stretches 105 meters from north to south and 65 meters from east to west, with walls 3 meters high. From south to north, there are the Two Cypresses (or Hundred) Three Stones (or Ten) One Arch Bridge, remnants of the main gate, the bell and drum towers, and the site of the Wenchang Pavilion. Well-preserved structures include the Lingxing Gate, Dacheng Hall, the Xuan Sheng Tang (Hall of Confucius) and Chong De Tang (Hall of Virtue) on the left, and the Zhu Xian Tang (Hall of Sages) and Guang Ye Tang (Hall of Vast Endeavors) on the right, along with seven bluestone steles and four bluestone plaques. The beams are supported by two tiers, with six 3.9-meter-high pillars made of red stone in a drum shape, while the rest are of flush-gable architecture. The inscriptions on the steles were penned by figures such as Li Min of the Ming Dynasty and the imperial envoy eunuch Dai Yi. Among them, the inscription “Ziyun Academy” was conferred by Emperor Chenghua of the Ming. Ziyun Academy is a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit and was included in the 1981 edition of the Chinese Scenic Spots Dictionary, compiled by the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

Originally, the academy was grand in scale with logically arranged halls and facilities. In addition to the aforementioned structures, it also featured a Scripture Depository, Ink Fragrance Spring, Bamboo Grove, Lotus Pond, Farewell Pavilion, Moon-Viewing Pavilion, Herbal Garden, and Waterfall Cave. Nestled among surrounding mountains and surrounded by tens of thousands of hectares of oak forests, the academy boasts breathtaking scenery, with mountains on three sides. Danxia Peak, Ziyun Peak, and Academy Mountain encircle the site, while the lush oak woods create a sea of green in spring and summer, alive with birdsong. In autumn, the hills are ablaze with red foliage, a spectacular sight, and in winter, they are blanketed in silvery snow, presenting an especially enchanting view.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Henan Province