Porcelain Capital for a Millennium, Colorful Liling (V): Lüjiang Academy

Located on the west bank of the Lüjiang River, Xishan is a sacred cultural site. Walking through the stone path and ascending the steps, one encounters the ancient camphor tree of the academy, which is over a thousand years old, and its lush green shade immediately brings a sense of coolness to both body and mind. The ancient camphor is more than 1500 years old; its thick branches and leaves block out the harsh sun, yet a gentle breeze filters through the mottled light. Light and shadow fall on the stone steps, evoking a sense of historical weight and the passage of time. Liling can be described as a 'city of academies.' From the Southern Song Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty, nine academies were established here: Lai Mountain Academy, (Li Family's) Lai Mountain Academy, Jinsi Academy, Zhaowen Academy, Xishan Academy, Jiangdong Academy, Tianshan Academy, Chaoran Academy (later renamed to Wencheng Academy), and Lüjiang Academy. Among them, Lüjiang Academy holds the most significant historical and cultural status. As a cultural landmark of Liling, Lüjiang Academy is the longest-standing, largest, and most influential academy in Liling, and it is also the only academy that has been preserved to this day. Lüjiang Academy was founded in the second year of the Chunxi era of the Song Dynasty (1175), originally known as Xishan Academy. After several damages, in the eighteenth year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1753), it was rebuilt by the county magistrate Guan Yue at the foot of Qingyun Mountain's Ladder Cloud Pavilion. In the ninth year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1829), the county magistrate Chen Xinbing moved the academy to the site of the former Xishan Academy and built the current Lüjiang Academy. The main buildings include the front gate, lecture hall, ritual hall, dormitory, Jingxing Temple, and the shrine of famous Song Dynasty officials, covering a total area of 4,123 square meters. In 1904, the academy was transformed into a school, beginning the promotion of new education. Lüjiang Academy has a tradition of having famous people in charge of teaching, such as Zuo Zongtang, who once served as the head of the academy. The academy has a unique educational philosophy and method, contributing to the revitalization of education and the cultivation of talent. Renowned figures such as Ning Taiyi, Fu Xiongxiang, Li Lisan, Zuo Quan, Cai Shenxi, Zhu Kejing, Song Shilun, Li Minghao, and Chen Mingren once studied here. In March 2013, Lüjiang Academy was listed as a 'National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit'.