Fenglong Academy

Fenglong Academy

The southern side of Fenglong Mountain lies within Yuanshi County, and I had long harbored the urge to hike up the southern part of Fenglong Mountain. This longing stemmed from a dispute over the location of the "Fenglong Academy" — you say it's in your hometown, I say it's in mine. No one argues over something worthless. The earliest recorded predecessor of Fenglong Academy dates back to the year 41 AD, during the 17th year of the Jianwu era in the Eastern Han Dynasty. It is the earliest academy in Hebei’s history and, by the Northern Song Dynasty, stood alongside Zhongxi Academy, Xixi Academy, and Lianchi Academy as one of the Four Great Academies north of the Yangtze River, rivaling the four renowned institutions of southern China at the time.

Fenglong Academy had begun to take shape, but unfortunately, it was not yet officially open when I visited. It was said that Han Dynasty steles would be moved to the academy — truly a treasure worthy of being the academy’s centerpiece. Centered around Fenglong Academy, the surrounding natural scenery and cultural landscapes also possess unique charm. After leaving the academy and walking up the mountain path, I snapped various photos and realized it was quite a sight. I couldn’t help but marvel at the beautiful scenery here — the quiet trails and the chirping of birds.

A newly built Fenglong Academy in Luquan is situated on the northern side of the mountain. It established a fait accompli first by securing a prime location (within a scenic area), gaining fame in the surrounding region, leading most people in Shijiazhuang to believe this is the only academy. However, Yuanshi’s later development, leveraging its tangible advantages, took a steady approach. Investigations identified the actual site of the academy ruins, supported by physical evidence such as the Study Cave, Meng Spring, Ink Pond, Han Dynasty steles, the Western Grotto Temple, and the Pagoda of Monk Zhigong. These firmly established Fenglong Academy’s “Yuanshi origin.” Furthermore, the poignant love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, said to have unfolded at Fenglong Academy — especially the scenes of studying together and the farewell at the Eighteen Farewells — added undeniable weight to the academy’s identity.