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The ''Shuyuan'' (), usually known in English as Academies of Classical Learning or simply Academies, were a type of school in
Imperial China
The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the '' Book of Documents'' (early chapte ...
. Unlike national academies and district schools, ''shuyuan'' were usually private establishments built away from cities or towns, providing a quiet environment where scholars could engage in studies and contemplation without restrictions and worldly distractions.
History
The ''shuyuan'' originated in 725 during the
Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
. They were places where scholars could teach and study the classics, and where books collected from around the country could be preserved. By the late Tang dynasty, private academies had appeared all over China.
During the
Northern Song (960–1126), many academies were established with government encouragement. Each academy had its own teaching and administrative structure and was economically independent.
The bestowal of a calligraphic signboard by the emperor was an extremely important symbol of an academy's status during the Northern Song period. The following academies received this honour:
*997:
Taishi Academy
Taishi may refer to:
Names
*Taishi (surname), Chinese family name
*Taishi (given name), Japanese given name
Ranks
*Grand Preceptor, ancient Chinese top civilian position: ''taishi'' () in Chinese
*Taishi, an alternate name of the Japanese Daijō ...
(Songyang Academy), bestowed by the
Emperor Taizong of Song
*1009:
Yingtianfu Academy Yingtian Fu may refer to:
* Yingtian (Song Dynasty) (应天府), ancient name of Shangqiu in Song Dynasty
* Yingtian (Ming Dynasty) (应天府), ancient name of Nanjing in Ming Dynasty
{{disambig ...
, bestowed by the
Emperor Zhenzong
*1015:
Yuelu Academy
The Yuelu Academy (also as known as the ''Yuelu Academy of Classical Learning'', ) is on the east side of Yuelu Mountain in Changsha, Hunan province, on the west bank of the Xiang River. As one of the four most prestigious academies over the last ...
, bestowed by Emperor Zhenzong
*1035:
Shigu Academy Shigu may refer to:
*Stone Drums of Qin, also known as Shigu (Stone Drums), the oldest known stone inscriptions in China
*''Lost and Love'', a 2015 Chinese film, also known as ''Shigu''
*Shigu, Ghana, a community in Tamale Metropolitan District, No ...
, bestowed by
Emperor Renzong of Song
Emperor Renzong of Song (30 May 1010 – 30 April 1063), personal name Zhao Zhen, was the fourth emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned for about 41 years from 1022 to his death in 1063, and was the longest reigning Song dynasty empe ...
Besides signboards, emperors also bestowed books. In 977, the Taizong Emperor bestowed on the
White Deer Grotto Academy
The White Deer Grotto Academy (, Gan: Pak-Luk-Tung Su-yon, sometimes translated as White Deer Cave Academy or White Deer Hollow Academy) is a former school at the foot of Wulou Peak in Lushan, now in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province. It was one of th ...
a copy of the Nine
Chinese classics
Chinese classic texts or canonical texts () or simply dianji (典籍) refers to the Chinese texts which originated before the imperial unification by the Qin dynasty in 221 BC, particularly the "Four Books and Five Classics" of the Neo-Confucian ...
printed by the
Guozijian. The Yuelu Academy, the Songyang Academy and other academies also received books from the Emperor on a number of occasions.
However, academies had begun to decline by the twelfth century. The White Deer Grotto Academy, which had fallen into ruin, was rebuilt by the prominent neo-Confucianist
Zhu Xi
Zhu Xi (; ; October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200), formerly romanized Chu Hsi, was a Chinese calligrapher, historian, philosopher, poet, and politician during the Song dynasty. Zhu was influential in the development of Neo-Confucianism. He con ...
in 1179–80 during the
Southern Song (1127–1279) and reopened in 1180. It became an important centre of Confucian thought during eight centuries.
Zhu Xi
Zhu Xi (; ; October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200), formerly romanized Chu Hsi, was a Chinese calligrapher, historian, philosopher, poet, and politician during the Song dynasty. Zhu was influential in the development of Neo-Confucianism. He con ...
himself taught here during the Southern Song as did
Wang Yangming during the Ming. As a result of Zhu Xi's efforts, the ''shuyuan'' became a permanent feature of Chinese education, taking up major responsibilities of local education.
The system of academies was dismantled under the
Yuan dynasty
The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fifth ...
(1271–1368) and all academies were placed under government control to become preparatory schools for the
imperial examination
The imperial examination (; lit. "subject recommendation") refers to a civil-service examination system in Imperial China, administered for the purpose of selecting candidates for the state bureaucracy. The concept of choosing bureaucrats by ...
s. However, the system was revived under the
Ming
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
(1368–1644) and the
Qing
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...
(1644–1911).
In the Ming dynasty, academies devoted to discussing political issues appeared, such as the
Donglin Academy, often resulting in political repression. According to one study, 40% of the 1239 known Ming academies were built during the
Jiajing era
Jiajing () (28 January 1522 – 8 February 1567) was the era name of the Jiajing Emperor, the 12th emperor of the Ming dynasty of China.
Comparison table
Other eras contemporaneous with Jiajing
* China
** ''Tianyuan'' (天淵, 1546): Ming peri ...
(1522–1566).
[Education in Traditional China: A History, Thomas H. C. Lee, p. 100. .] During the Qing, thousands of academies were created for the purpose of preparing students for the Imperial Examination, although there were still some that functioned as centres of study and research.
The academies were finally abolished under the
Hundred Days' Reform in 1898 at the end of the Qing dynasty.
There were more than 7,000 academies recorded. In the late Qing dynasty, some became universities, middle schools, public libraries and museums.
In Korea, which also adopted Confucianism, the ''shuyuan'' were known as
Seowon.
Shuyuan as a modern term
In the late Qing dynasty, schools teaching Western science and technology were established. Many such schools were called ''Shuyuan'' in Chinese. Despite the common name, these ''shuyuan'' are quite modern in concept and are quite different from traditional academies of classical learning.
Notable academies
In discussing the ''shuyuan'', it is common to speak of the "Four Great Academies" (四大书院; ''sì-dà shū-yuàn'') of ancient China. Usually the "Four Great Academies" refers to the Four Great Academies of the Northern Song. However, sources give a number of different lists, sometimes expanded to Six or Eight Great Academies. Only one, the
Yuelu Academy
The Yuelu Academy (also as known as the ''Yuelu Academy of Classical Learning'', ) is on the east side of Yuelu Mountain in Changsha, Hunan province, on the west bank of the Xiang River. As one of the four most prestigious academies over the last ...
(later become
Hunan University), appears in all lists. Each school went up or down the list in different periods.
White Deer Grotto Academy
The White Deer Grotto Academy (, Gan: Pak-Luk-Tung Su-yon, sometimes translated as White Deer Cave Academy or White Deer Hollow Academy) is a former school at the foot of Wulou Peak in Lushan, now in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province. It was one of th ...
had long been important. As for the impact on the politics of China,
Donglin Academy in the
Ming Dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
is especially notable.
The Four Great Academies
Also known as the Four Great Academies of the Northern Song or the Four Northern Song Academies.
*Songyang Academy (in modern
Dengfeng
Dengfeng (; postal: Tengfeng) is a county-level city of Henan Province, South Central China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou.
Dengfeng has an area of and a population of 630,000. It occupies the southw ...
) - founded in 1035
*Yingtianfu Academy (in modern
Shangqiu) - founded in 1009
*
Yuelu Academy
The Yuelu Academy (also as known as the ''Yuelu Academy of Classical Learning'', ) is on the east side of Yuelu Mountain in Changsha, Hunan province, on the west bank of the Xiang River. As one of the four most prestigious academies over the last ...
(in modern
Changsha
Changsha (; ; ; Changshanese pronunciation: (), Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is the capital and the largest city of Hunan Province of China. Changsha is the 17th most populous city in China with a population of over 10 million, an ...
) - founded in 976
*
White Deer Grotto Academy
The White Deer Grotto Academy (, Gan: Pak-Luk-Tung Su-yon, sometimes translated as White Deer Cave Academy or White Deer Hollow Academy) is a former school at the foot of Wulou Peak in Lushan, now in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province. It was one of th ...
(in modern
Jiujiang
Jiujiang (), formerly transliterated Kiukiang or Kew Keang, is a prefecture-level city located on the southern shores of the Yangtze River in northwest Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China. It is the second-largest prefecture-level city ...
) - founded in 940
Sometimes the Shigu Academy is substituted for the Songyang Academy.
The Four Great Academies of the Early Song
*Shigu Academy (in modern
Hengyang) - founded in 810
*Jinshan Academy (in modern
Jurong, Jiangsu
Jurong () is a county-level city under the administration of Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, China.
In 129 BC, the then Prince of Changsha Liu Fa's son, Dang became the Marquis of Jurong. As he died soon, the lands enfeoffed to him became Jurong cou ...
) - founded in 1024
*
Yuelu Academy
The Yuelu Academy (also as known as the ''Yuelu Academy of Classical Learning'', ) is on the east side of Yuelu Mountain in Changsha, Hunan province, on the west bank of the Xiang River. As one of the four most prestigious academies over the last ...
*
Culai Academy
Culai Academy or Culai Academy of Classical Learning (徂徕书院 ''cúlái shūyuàn'') was built by the Northern Song scholar Shi Jie during the time of his mourning (1038–40). Beside the academy was the "Duyi-tang" (读易堂 ''dúyì-táng ...
(in modern
Tai'an
Tai'an () is a prefecture-level city in Western Shandong Province of the People's Republic of China. Centered on Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng to ...
) - founded in 1038
The Four Great Academies of the Southern Song
*Lize Academy
*Xiangshan Academy
*Yuelu Academy
*
White Deer Grotto Academy
The White Deer Grotto Academy (, Gan: Pak-Luk-Tung Su-yon, sometimes translated as White Deer Cave Academy or White Deer Hollow Academy) is a former school at the foot of Wulou Peak in Lushan, now in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province. It was one of th ...
The Six Great Academies
*Songyang Academy
*Yingtianfu Academy
*Yuelu Academy
*White Deer Grotto Academy
*Shigu Academy
*Maoshan Academy (renamed Jinshan Academy)
(An alternative list of "Six Great Academies of the Northern Song" contains the same academies in a different order.)
The Eight Great Academies of the Northern Song
*Shigu Academy
*Yingtianfu Academy
*Yuelu Academy
*White Deer Grotto Academy
*Songyang Academy
*Maoshan Academy
*Longmen Academy
*Culai Academy
See also
*
Donglin Academy
*
Dongpo Academy
*
Seowon, the Korean equivalent of Shuyuan
References
{{commons category, Shuyuan
*
Confucian education
Chinese philosophy
History of Imperial China
History of education in China