Zhu Family Ziyang Academy

Zhu Family Ziyang Academy

Ziyang Academy — Zhu Family Village, Xiushui Town, Lechang City, Guangdong Province.

Ziyang Academy stands on the southern bank of the river beach in Zhu Family Village, Xiushui Town, Lechang City, and is one of the larger ancestral halls in the area. The academy was first built in the early 1940s and was converted into the Zhu Family Ancestral Hall in the 1950s. It faces north and overlooks the murmuring Liao River, with the lush, emerald-green Xianren Peak rising behind it.

It is said that “Ziyang” refers to “Zhu Xi’s teachings.” Zhu Song, the father of the great Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi, once studied diligently at Ziyang Mountain in Anhui. Later, Zhu Xi used the place as his “reception hall,” naming it “Ziyang Study Hall.” The Zhu family adopted this name for the academy to promote the scholarly spirit of their ancestors.

The ancestral hall is approximately 30 meters long, 15 meters wide, and covers an area of 1,716 square meters, standing majestically. The main structure is aligned along the central axis of the hall, consisting of a front building — central hall — upper chamber, flanked by wing rooms and suites, spanning two floors with a total of 34 rooms. The front building’s second-floor roof ridges curve upwards in an arc, gradually decreasing in height, adorned with relief carvings, including carved dragons on both sides. The main ridge features naturally flowing wave patterns. The upward-curving corners are adorned with carved birds, exuding extraordinary grandeur. The rooftop edges are decorated with tooth-like patterns, square pillars, and eaves, with flat scoops set below. The door lintel bears a plaque inscribed with “Ziyang Academy,” while the center of the roof top is inlaid with a stone plaque reading “Tifeng Pavilion.” The upper chamber (rear hall) shares the same decorative style as the central hall, with small stone lions crouching at the bases of the pillars — delicate and charming. The lower part features relief-carved couplets: “The family’s virtue soars higher than the sun and moon; the scholarly lineage endures as long as the mountains and rivers,” carrying profound meaning. The rear wall holds a wooden carved shrine, with a plaque hanging that reads “Filial Piety Hall.”

The entire structure is simple yet dignified, with exquisite decorations, making it a fine example of Republican-era architecture that blends Chinese and Western styles. Though now weathered with age, it remains stately and profound, exuding enduring charm.

In 2012, it was designated as part of the seventh batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province.

Xiushui Town: Located in the northwest of Lechang City, Xiushui Town borders Guanxi Township and Liyuan Town of Yizhang County, Hunan Province, to the west, and adjoins Meihua, Yunyan, and Shaping to the north, east, and south respectively. It is a typical limestone region. The town covers a total area of 56 square kilometers, with 629.33 hectares of arable land, including 355.2 hectares of paddy fields and 274.13 hectares of dry land. The town government administers 10 village committees and 77 natural villages, with a total population of 21,700. In 2016, the town’s total industrial and agricultural output value reached 267.9 million yuan, including 183.09 million yuan from agriculture. … More details about Xiushui Town++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units