Yuexiu Academy and Luofeng Temple

Yuexiu Academy and Luofeng Temple

Yuexiu Academy and Luofeng Temple are designated as cultural heritage sites protected at the provincial level in Guangdong Province.

The Yuyan Academy at the foot of Luofeng Hill was once the study and lecture site of Zhong Yuyan, a scholar-official from Nanjing during the Song Dynasty. It houses inscriptions and calligraphy by notable figures from the Song Dynasty onwards. Key pieces include the "Loyalty, Filial Piety, Integrity, and Principle" inscription by the Confucian scholar Zhu Xi of the Song Dynasty, as well as woodblock carvings said to be of four quatrains handwritten by Wen Tianxiang, and ink carvings of bamboo representing the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—painted by Zheng Banqiao of the Qing Dynasty.

I. Geographic Overview

Yuyan Academy is located in Luogang Subdistrict, Luogang District (formerly Luogang Town, Baiyun District). Originally named Luokeng Jingshe, it was established in the 12th year of Jiading during the Southern Song Dynasty (1219) by Zhong Qichu, a local scholar-official and gentry. After the Yuan Dynasty was established, Zhong Fuchang (or possibly Zhong Zhangyi—the identity remains uncertain), a descendant of the Zhong family, expanded the academy. Since Zhong Qichu’s courtesy name was Yuyan, the academy was renamed “Yuyan Academy.” The Zhong family expanded the academy, invited renowned scholars, and promoted Confucian teachings, aiming to revitalize their local community. During the Ming Dynasty, as private academies declined, Yuyan Academy gradually fell into disuse and was transformed into the Buddhist temple Luofeng Temple. A Mahavira Hall and side halls were built east of the original academy, separated by a single wall but connected by a shared gate, creating a structure where temple and academy coexisted yet remained distinct. The entire complex is nestled against a hillside and stretches along a valley in a linear layout. It has two levels, with three main sections—east, west, and center—arranged horizontally. The compact structure and ingenious design are notable. On the west side are the Yuyan Hall and Qingyu Tower, with a square stone pool between them. A mountain stream on the east side of the temple winds down through the surrounding area, flowing around and into the pool with a pleasant tinkling sound. The water level in the pool remains constant, clear to the bottom, greatly enhancing the temple’s charm.

II. Historical Background

Yuyan Academy is situated in Luogang Subdistrict, Luogang District, Guangzhou (formerly Luogang Town, Baiyun District). Yuyan Academy and Luofeng Temple are located in the northeastern suburbs, within Luogang Cave. Luofeng Temple, also known as Luokeng Temple, was formerly called Zhongde An. In his youth, Zhong Qichu (courtesy name Shengde, alias Yuyan) of the Southern Song Dynasty studied in a hut west of the temple. In 1205, the first year of the Kaixi era, he passed the imperial examination and rose to the position of Cenzhi Zhongshu Sheng and concurrently head of political affairs. In 1219, the 12th year of Jiading, he retired to his hometown and built Luokeng Jingshe on the site where he used to study. At that time, Cui Yuzhi had also resigned from office and lived in Zengcheng, just over 10 li away. The two frequently visited each other and gave lectures at Luokeng Jingshe. During the Yuan Dynasty, Zhong Fuchang, a descendant of Yuyan, expanded Luokeng Jingshe and renamed it Yuyan Academy, erecting a statue of Yuyan there. Fang Xianfu, a grand secretary of the Ming Dynasty, inscribed the plaque “Fangdai Chongzhan” (Admired Through the Ages). Every year on the 15th day of the first lunar month, only literate members of the Zhong clan were permitted to conduct ancestral worship here. After the ceremony, they would compose essays or poems before departing, a tradition upheld for generations. In the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, the scholar Zhong Fengqing changed the custom so that essays and poems were composed every 15th day of the lunar month, a practice that continued into modern times. This makes it one of the earliest academies in Guangzhou’s history.

III. Structural Features

Yuyan Academy is adjoined to Luofeng Temple, forming a single complex covering a total area of 1,348 square meters. The academy’s Yuqing Tower, Yuyan Hall, Luokeng Jingshe, and east and west study rooms, together with Luofeng Temple’s Guanyin Hall, Tianzun Hall, Weituo Incense Stand, monks’ quarters, and storage rooms, are all connected by corridors, creating a serene and elegant atmosphere.

Outside the temple, on the main road, stands an “Enter the Scenic Realm” memorial archway. Passing through it, you gradually enter a lush, idyllic landscape.

The two-story south-facing gate tower of the academy—Yuqing Tower—stands majestically on the hillside. Dozens of stone steps lead up to the grand platform base, lending it an imposing and spectacular presence. The east and west wings are single-story buildings that slightly protrude forward, featuring two opposing gates named “Luofeng” and “Zhongde.” The central section is higher than the wings, emphasizing hierarchy and adding grandeur to the gate tower.

The Yuqing Tower has a concave floor plan, with a fish-viewing pond in the center, surrounded on three sides by corridor-style rooms. It connects to the rear Yuyan Hall. The Yuqing Tower features a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof with barrel-tiled roofing. The front façade is five bays wide (16.7 meters) and one bay deep (3.8 meters). It uses a five-rafter system spanning the full width with just two columns. The columns are fitted with bracket arms. The wooden plaque above the gate inscribed with “Yuyan Academy” bears a Jiajing-era mark.

The Yuyan Hall is built on a raised platform of the same height as the second floor of Yuqing Tower. It is three bays wide (15.2 meters) and three bays deep (8.7 meters), using a 13-rafter system supported by three columns plus the rear wall. It has a barrel-tiled, flush-gable roof in a modest traditional style. The front porch features half-round arches, with the upper beams supported by intricately carved wooden brackets, including designs such as ruyi (scepter). Stone pillars at the eaves bear a clerical script couplet: “Jade railings float auspicious mist; the clear pool shimmers with pure light.”

The Guanyin Hall, Tianzun Hall, and Luokeng Jingshe are all Qing Dynasty structures with flush-gable roofs in a modest traditional style. Each has three bays in width and depth, using a 13-rafter system supported by three columns plus the rear wall. The walls, column bases, and floors have mostly been replaced with granite, giving the interiors an ancient, simple aesthetic. The entire building largely retains the style of its mid-to-late Qing Dynasty renovation.

The overall layout is cleverly designed and rich in variation. With Yuqing Hall as the focal point, the auxiliary buildings on either side complement it, maintaining a clear hierarchy without rigid symmetry. Instead, the structures follow the contour of the hill, arranged at varying heights and spread horizontally, all interconnected by long, winding corridors that create endless charm. Everywhere you look, there are exotic flowers and trees, filling the air with fragrance. The indoor and outdoor greenery blends seamlessly, while clear mountain springs flow into a gourd-shaped stone “Heart-Washing Pond,” then into the fish-viewing pond. The entire complex harmonizes beautifully with the mountain forest setting.

The site houses a large collection of couplets and wooden plaques with calligraphy and paintings, many of which were damaged to some extent during the Cultural Revolution. Surviving calligraphy and paintings (mostly reproductions) include: four seven-character quatrains attributed to Wen Shan (Wen Tianxiang), a couplet by Hai Rui reading “Crystal springs flow as if the mountains long for peace; clouds veil cave entrances casting daylight in shadow,” inscriptions by Zhu Xi, and Zheng Banqiao’s paintings of seasonal bamboo. Carved inscriptions include “High Mountains and Long Waters” by Zhan Ruoshui, “Remaining Blessings” by Hengyang Prince of the Ming royal family, and the academy’s gate couplet “Inheritance of music and books through generations; fame etched in sacred mountains” by Lao Zhaoguang. Other attractions include ?? Pavilion, the two-courtyard Wenchang Temple, the “Heavily Veiled Cloud Path” stone archway, the Immortal-Waiting Terrace, thousand-year-old lychee trees, and unique rock formations. Luogang Cave is embraced by verdant hills, and in the depths of winter, plum blossoms bloom like snow.

Yuexiu Academy and Luofeng Temple were designated as part of the fifth group of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province in 2008.

Luofeng Community: Luofeng Community…… Luofeng Community detailed information++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites