Qingyun Academy

Qingyun Academy

Qingyun Academy is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangzhou City.

Qingyun Academy is located at No. 389, Huifu East Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, also known as the Ancestral Temple of the Liang Clan’s Thousand-Chariot Marquis. Originally built in the 38th year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty and completed in the 40th year, it was a clan ancestral hall jointly funded by the Liang families from the then-Guangzhou Prefecture and Zhaoqing Prefecture. It provided lodging for Liang clan members who came to Guangzhou to take the imperial examinations, handle lawsuits, pay taxes, and conduct other official business.

Originally designed with three parallel sections, three bays, and three courtyards, only the central section of Qingyun Academy remains today. The entire structure faces south, featuring grey brick walls, a flush-gable roof, and a grey plastered decorative ridge. Covering an area of 449 square meters, the wooden beams with uniquely carved brackets are still well-preserved. It is said that Liang Shiyi, a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations during the Guangxu reign, once studied here. He later became a Hanlin Academician and was involved in Yuan Shikai’s campaign to force the Qing imperial family to abdicate. He held positions such as Secretary-General of Yuan Shikai’s Presidential Office, President of the Bank of Communications, Vice Minister of Finance, and Premier of the Beiyang Government.

After the establishment of the Republic of China, the Guangzhou municipal government focused on urban development, accelerating the widening and construction of city roads. Qingyun Academy happened to be within the planned demolition zone. “Seeking connectivity over directness,” in the 7th year of the Republic of China (1918), Guangzhou began tearing down its city walls to build roads. The newly planned Weixin Road (now Qiyi Road) was set to cut through both Qianqing Academy and the neighboring Qingyun Academy (then known as the Ancestral Temple of the Thousand-Chariot Marquis), extending all the way to the Pearl River. At the time, Liang Shiyi and Liang Qichao telegraphed the Guangdong government, requesting the preservation of the “Liang Thousand-Chariot Marquis Temple,” which was ultimately spared. In the 9th year of the Republic of China (1920), after failing to negotiate with the municipal authorities, Qingyun Academy was partially demolished, ceding nearly half of its area, including three major structures such as the West Study Hall and Changhou Hall.

Due to its long history and lack of maintenance, Qingyun Academy suffered severe damage with overgrown weeds on its roof. In recent years, the Yuexiu District Government of Guangzhou has carried out a comprehensive restoration of the academy. Historical records indicate that Qingyun Academy was part of the Beijing Road Academy Cluster. Historically, the cluster of Qing-era academies in the Yuexiu District area, along the Beijing Road Pedestrian Street, served as a cradle for nurturing talent and contributed a splendid chapter to the educational legacy of the Cantonese region. Centered around the Guangzhou Prefecture government office and within a radius of 3.2 square kilometers, the area housed 3 Confucian schools, 5 provincial-level academies, 1 prefectural-level academy, 2 county-level academies, and hundreds of clan-based ancestral hall academies. These institutions formed a rare, high-density historical and cultural landscape in China. According to the book *Guangzhou Yuexiu Ancient Academies*, the number of academies in Guangzhou during the Qing Dynasty ranked first in the nation.

Dachang Village: Located in the central Shanxi plain, Dachang Village lies in the southeastern corner of Jiyi Township, Qingxu County, bordering Cheyu in Yuci District to the east and facing Nanzhuang in Taigu County across the river to the south. It is the second-largest village in Jiyi Township. The village currently has 858 households, with a population of 2,889—1,442 males and 1,447 females. It includes one Party branch, eight Party subgroups, eight villager groups, 98 Party members, and 26 villager representatives. The village covers 5,610 mu of arable land, with 4,230 mu planted in grain and 4,200 mu in vegetables. As of 2010, the total grain yield was 1,541... More details about Dachang Village++

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Guangzhou Cultural Heritage Protection Units