Xingdao Academy

Xingdao Academy

Xingdao Academy is a cultural heritage site protected by Guangdong Province.

Xingdao Academy

Xingdao Academy is located southeast of Mianhu Town, fronting Yunhu Lake. On either side of the lake, there is a zigzag bridge and an arched bridge, each with its own charm. Along the lakeside, kapok trees stand tall, piercing the sky. Standing in front of the academy, one can see Lingdingpu on the opposite lakeside hill, resembling an inkstone. In the distance, layered mountains unfold, with Tieshan Mountain standing prominently in the center, reaching nearly 500 meters in elevation. The three mountains stand side by side, resembling a penholder. Truly, it is “three green mountains in a row, one clear blue stream.”

The main hall of the academy is 13 meters wide and 46 meters deep. The front gate tower is tall, with eaves soaring above. Above the main gate are stone-carved characters reading “Xingdao Academy,” accompanied by a couplet: “For 500 years, known and unknown, it has always been hailed as a distinguished place; the sixteen-character Way is passed down, among fellow students and fellow townsmen, today we all praise its teachings on character.” On the back of the gate is carved “Cultivate Virtue and Establish Renown.” Inside the gate tower is a courtyard, leading to the main hall where the seat of the God of Literature is enshrined. Passing another courtyard, there is a row of tall buildings. Below the building is one hall and two rooms, while upstairs, the beams and brackets crisscross, with painted rafters and carved beams, and majestic ridge eaves. The Hall of the God of Literature is enshrined here. A wooden plaque hanging in front of the building reads “Zao Feng Lou” (Phoenix-Creating Tower). Another couplet reads:

“Here in this tower, the master enjoys the views aided by the lake, bridges, and clouds; happily, the students of Mianzhong are like phoenixes and dragons...”

“The foundation of the pavilion and terrace is hereby laid.”

To the left of the academy is the Rui Zhi Ancestral Hall, which is 25 meters wide and 30 meters deep. At its center is a worship pavilion-style hall, exquisitely built, elegant and refined. Around it are more than 20 study rooms, facing the central hall, like a flock of birds paying homage to the phoenix.

Before and after liberation, the academy underwent several renovations. The gate tower was rebuilt into a two-story building, slightly altering its appearance, but its layout still retains the original design, making it a scenic spot worth visiting.

The Jieyang County Annals record:

“Xingdao Academy in Lintian District was rebuilt in the 11th year of the Tongzhi reign. Next to the hall are more than 20 study rooms, and 2,400 silver dollars were purchased for property.”

According to records, Xingdao Academy was built in 1872, but its history actually dates back to the early Qing Dynasty, making it “long-standing.”

The Jieyang County Annals point out: “Previously, the government office was located in Hukou Village. In the third year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, it was moved to Mianhu.” Hukou Village is now Zhouzi Guo Village in Dongyuan District. Since the early Ming Dynasty, Mianhu has become the capital of Lintian District. During the Qing Dynasty, a “left hall” was established, and the City God Temple was built, effectively making it a sub-prefecture city. As a result, after the Ming and Qing Dynasties, education in Mianhu developed particularly well, becoming a cultural center.

The Jieyang County Annals record that the oldest school in Jiexi District is Mianhu She School, commonly known as the Old Academy. It includes two inscribed steles. The stele by Wang Xiu (from Wuxi, a patrol officer) states: “Mianhu is 60 li from the county seat (Rongcheng) and is a major town in Lintian District. The land is fertile, the people are prosperous, and scholarly families, who value music and learning, are the best in the entire district.”

“A propitious site was chosen to the left outside Anding Gate, and nine zhang of land were purchased.”

“Construction began on the second day of the ninth month of the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign, and the school was completed on the sixth day of the fifth month of the following year.” This She School was founded in 1730, and the Wen Ci Primary School in the town today is its former site.

Mianhu She School operated for twelve years before moving to the current location of Xingdao Academy and being renamed Hongdu Academy. The Jieyang County Annals record: “Hongxi Academy, located at Hongxi, was built in the seventh year of the Qianlong reign by the successful candidate in the imperial examination Chen Yuancái.” Hongxi refers to Yunhu Lake. The county annals include the “Record of Hongxi Academy” by Chen Yuancái’s son, Zicheng (a successful candidate in the imperial examination of the district and magistrate of Yongnian), which states: “In Lintian’s Mianhu, there was a She School. In the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign, the local magistrate Chen Shuzhi from Xiangtan and the patrol officer Wang Xiu from Wuxi initiated it, entrusting my late father to complete the task. Subsequently, the morale of the scholars flourished, showing daily improvement. However, its location was adjacent to markets and official stations, and some would pass through or stay overnight, turning it into a transient inn. My late father often thought of finding a secluded place for scholars to study in quiet, but such a place could not be found easily. Later, while sightseeing at Hongxi, he saw three green mountains in a row and a clear blue stream, and he developed the desire to settle there permanently. It was also an ideal place for study and reflection, where both the heart and surroundings could be purified. Thus, after selecting an auspicious date, he built a refined residence by the river, naming the pavilion Wen Guang (Literary Light) to signify literature. It comprised three buildings with twenty side rooms, each 12 zhang in length and width, with kitchens and wells fully equipped. Although the scale was not grand, he was pleased that it did not encroach on the boundaries of the playground, and his long-held wish was thus somewhat fulfilled. Construction began in the year of Renxu in the Qianlong reign, costing approximately 600 taels of silver.” Hongdu Academy is the oldest recorded academy in the Jiexi region. Based on its recorded area, it is the same size as the current Xingdao Academy. Hongxi Academy operated for 130 years before being “rebuilt” as Xingdao Academy.

In March 1925, the headquarters of the Nationalist-Communist cooperative Eastern Expeditionary Army, the Huangpu Army, was stationed at Xingdao Academy. The residences of Chiang Kai-shek and others were within Xingdao Academy. On the 13th, the Eastern Expeditionary Army crossed the Rong River to the west and defeated the warlord Chen Jiongming at Dagong Mountain in Jinhe District. This was the renowned Mianhu Campaign, which shook both China and abroad.

From this perspective, Xingdao Academy has a history of 254 years since its origins as a She School and 242 years since it moved to its current location. From 1937 to 1945, the First Middle School of Jieyang County was relocated here. In 1945, Xingdao Academy was converted into the Second Middle School of Jieyang County. In 1965, it became the Second Middle School of Jiexi County. During the Cultural Revolution in 1967, it was renamed Dongfanghong Middle School. In 1978, it was renamed Mianhu Middle School, and school buildings were expanded on Lingding Ridge opposite the lake, with the old academy site still serving as dormitories for some teachers and students. In 1985, there were plans to rename the academy Xingdao Middle School, separating it from Mianhu Middle School to establish another independent educational institution.

The evolution of Xingdao Academy is a testament to the history of Mianhu and a record of the development of education. It is also a memorial site of the National Revolution.

Mianhu Town: Located on the eastern bank of the middle reaches of the Rong River’s southern branch, Mianhu Town is an ancient town on the eastern plain of western Guangdong. Established during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, it has a history of over 1,000 years. The town covers a total area of 33 square kilometers, with a built-up urban area of 5.5 square kilometers. It governs 10 neighborhood committees and 14 village committees (30 natural villages). The town has 1 secondary specialized school, 5 middle schools (1 under construction), and 19 primary schools (1 under construction). In the year 2000, the town had a total population of 97,884, including 55,435 non-agricultural residents and 42,449 agricultural residents... More detailed information about Mianhu Town++