Changhua Dao Dong Academy

Changhua Dao Dong Academy

Academies were key institutions of private education in Taiwan during the Qing Dynasty, tasked with preserving the teachings of poetry, literature, and Confucian ethics. Dao Dong Academy was once the center of learning in Hemei, Changhua. The name “Dao Dong” signifies welcoming the king’s virtuous rule from the east and promoting the teachings of Zhu Xi. The main hall enshrines Zhu Xi and is also known as the Confucian Temple. It is the only academy in Taiwan listed as a second-class historical site.

The academy was built in the 7th year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1858) and covers an area of 2,500 pyeong. It is a traditional Min-style quadrangle complex with majestic dragon ridges and phoenix tails. The architectural layout is divided into front and rear sections, surrounded by walls, a screen wall, and a crescent-shaped pool, forming a complete complex. The first section serves as the entrance hall, while the second houses the lecture hall and the main ancestral shrine. The east and west wing rooms were used as dormitories for students, and there are also brick round gates on both sides leading to side rooms at the back. In the lecture hall hangs an ancient plaque from the Guangxu era inscribed with “Ladder to Rare Learning,” and the left and right walls feature inscriptions chronicling the academy’s history. The gable decorations above the lecture hall are exquisitely crafted, rivaling those of the Longshan Temple in Lukang.

Strolling through the grounds, one can almost hear the resonant voices of scholars of old, vividly evoking the scholarly elegance of the past. In addition, local community groups frequently hold folk and cultural events here, adding vitality to this century-old structure.

Transportation Directions: Take a Changhua bus from in front of Changhua Railway Station bound for Hemei, and get off at the terminal. Walk along Zhongshan Road, turn left onto Ren’an Road at the market, proceed past the roundabout, and continue for 5 minutes along the road next to Hemei Elementary School to reach the academy.