Wenying Academy

Wenying Academy

Wenying Academy is a cultural heritage site protected at the Guangdong provincial level.

Wenying Academy is located in Jinwan Community, Dawan Town, Yingde — established in 1898, it faces south and backs onto Golden Mountain, enjoying a beautiful environment, a uniquely structured layout, and a grand and magnificent scale.

Built in the 24th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty, Wenying Academy faces south and is built of brick and wood. The structure consists of a three-courtyard complex with one main hall and two wing rooms, spanning 24.6 meters in width and 22.6 meters in depth, covering a total area of 555.96 square meters. At the time, other academies built in Yingde during the Qing Dynasty included Longshan Academy, Nanshan Academy, Huiying Academy, and Wenlan Academy. After enduring the test of time, Wenying Academy in Dawan Town became the only surviving ancient academy. While the imperial examination system was still in place, Wenying Academy served as an elegant gathering place where students from Dawan studied classics and exchanged scholarly ideas. It was also the examination venue for students from various townships such as Jiaogang, Shilian, Gudao, Sanshan, and Shanmu. After the abolition of the imperial examination system, the academy was repurposed as a private school, nurturing generations of talents for the development of Dawan.

The entire structure is built with blue bricks and topped with glazed tiles. The front courtyard is 5.5 meters high, featuring a raised-beam construction with seven-curved bracket sets on three tiers extending beyond the eaves, each with a carved mythical dragon-fish resting on it. The main gate is inlaid with granite slabs, with its outer edges carved in the shape of writing brushes, tips pointing downward. Above the lintel is a granite slab inscribed in relief with the regular-script characters “文英书院” (Wenying Academy), each character measuring 80 cm square. On the right is inscribed “Guangxu Year of Wuxu, Early Spring, Auspicious Day,” and on the left, “Respectfully inscribed by Zou Yiqing of southern Guizhou.” The corridor ceiling features the four Chinese characters “同志努力” (Comrades, Strive Onward), built from blue bricks during the Republic of China period, arranged from left to right. The second courtyard is 1.6 meters higher than the first, with the hall open at the front and enclosed at the back. Between the hall and the wing rooms is a 1.6-meter-wide stairway leading to the third courtyard. The third courtyard is level with the rear eaves of the second and is 4 meters higher than the second, with the main hall featuring a loft. The corridor railings are constructed with blue-and-white ceramic vases as pillars, with a coffered ceiling that arcs gently at the front. The entire building is richly adorned with murals and carvings, featuring exquisite relief work, making it one of the best-preserved academies in Yingde.

Wenying Academy is one of the five historically renowned academies in Yingde.

Jinwan Community: Jinwan Community…… More details about Jinwan Community++

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units