Wenchang Xibei Academy

Wenchang Xibei Academy

Wenchang Xibei Academy is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Located in Puxian Town, Wenchang City, it is one of the renowned academies of the late Qing Dynasty in Hainan. Well-preserved, it now houses the Wenbei Middle School. The academy faces south and is grand in scale, covering an area of over 20 acres. Its southern entrance, commonly known as the First Gate, has three bays. There are brick side rooms on both sides topped with a rolled shed roof covered in glazed tiles.

The plaque above the gate bears the four large characters “Xibei Academy,” written by Yang Shoujing, a famous calligrapher of the late Qing Dynasty. The academy was built in the 19th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1893), initiated by Pan Cun, a renowned calligrapher of the time, and funded with the support of Zhu Cai, the Governor of the Lei-Qiong Circuit, and Zhang Zhidong, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi. From its completion until the 3rd year of the Xuantong reign (1911), many scholars were invited to lecture here, nurturing a large number of talents. After the Xinhai Revolution, it has been used as a school ever since. Here, orthodox Confucianism merged with the broad and profound maritime civilization, forming a unique culture rich in heritage. It cultivated generations of intellectuals and gave rise to the Wenchang spirit—deeply concerned with the world and bold in forging ahead.

With red walls and green tiles, the academy extends from one section to the next, dense and bustling. From afar, the ancient Xibei Academy features red glazed flying eaves, dark red lacquered walls, and green vines creeping along the walls, exuding an exquisite beauty amid historical vicissitudes.

Pan Cun, styled Zhongmo, also known as Cunzhi and Ruchu, was originally from Gangtou Village in Puxian Town but later moved to Baishayuan Village. Born in 1818 (the 22nd year of the Jiaqing reign in the Qing Dynasty), he began reading at the age of seven, often reading several lines at a glance, which astonished his teacher. When he picked up the brush to write, his words flowed continuously, earning him the title of child prodigy. He consistently ranked first in annual examinations but had to wait until the age of 34 to pass the imperial examination for the juren degree due to two periods of mourning. Soon after, he served in the Fujian Department of the Ministry of Revenue. He excelled in poetry, classical prose, and calligraphy, and could even write tiny regular script with his arm suspended. Japanese scholars and dignitaries highly prized his calligraphy, competing to purchase it at high prices. He authored the book *Tracing the Origins of Calligraphy*, exploring the roots of the Six Scripts and correcting errors found in the works of various schools.

Zhang Zhidong, known as Zhang Xiangshuai and self-styled as the Old Man Holding Ice, was from Nanpi. He was the founder of the Sanjiang Normal School, the predecessor of Southeast University, the pioneer of higher normal education in China, and the founder of China’s kindergarten system. Zhang Zhidong reformed academies, promoted modern schools, and advocated study abroad, helping the three towns of Wuhan, including Hankou, establish a relatively complete modern education system. Traditional academy teaching focused mainly on the study of Confucian classics. Zhang Zhidong was committed to reforming the academies, making significant adjustments to the curricula of Jianghan Academy, Jingxin Academy, and Lianghu Academy, each with its own emphasis, aiming to cultivate true talent for practical use.

An academy, gathering and dispersing because of books, needs a certain spirit to sustain it. Literati gather around the academy with reverence, using unrestrained ingenuity and wisdom to conceive grand cultural works. Whether the builders of the academy, the procurers of books, or the managers of the library, all inscribe their chapters in their own way.

On October 7, 2019, Wenchang Xibei Academy was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Puxian Town: Located in the northernmost part of Wenchang City, Puxian Town covers an area of 134.7 square kilometers. It is surrounded by sea on the east, west, and north, with a coastline of 38 kilometers, and borders Jinshan Town and Luodou Farm to the south, facing Meilan Airport across the sea. The town has 4 market towns, 12 village (residential) committees, and 154 natural villages, with a total population of 38,000, including 47,000 overseas Chinese. It is the hometown of overseas Chinese and a land of fish and rice in Wenchang City.

1. Land Resources. The town has a total of 38,000 mu of arable land and 90,000 mu of coastal sandy land. The land is fertile with ample water supply, suitable for growing rice, fruits, melons, vegetables, tropical cash crops... More details about Puxian Town ++