Chinese Academies at a Glance

Author: Deng Hongbo / Peng Aixue (editors)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-10-01
Features: The academy was a cultural and educational organization where scholars gathered around books to engage in various activities such as collecting, reading, teaching, lecturing, proofreading, writing, and printing books, thereby accumulating, creating, and disseminating culture. In the early Tang Dynasty, it first emerged in the (folk) sector and gained official recognition in the middle Tang period. With the advocacy of Emperor Xuanzong and his courtiers in promoting "extending learning and establishing academies," it gradually became popular. From the Tang Dynasty to the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, over a thousand years of development, academies spread across towns and villages in all provinces except Tibet, with a number of at least 7,000. They made significant contributions to the development of Chinese education, academia, culture, publishing, and book collecting, as well as fostering folk customs, shaping national thinking habits, and cultivating ethical concepts. Starting from the Ming Dynasty, academies also spread beyond China's borders, reaching countries in Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, and even regions in Europe and America such as Naples, Italy, and San Francisco, U.S., contributing to the spread of Chinese civilization and the development of local cultures. In modern times, with the inclusion of "new learning" and "Western learning," it became a bridge connecting Chinese and Western cultures. In 1901, an imperial edict by Emperor Guangxu reformed all academies into primary, secondary, and higher schools, marking its transition from ancient to modern times and integrating it into the bloodstream of Chinese education. This book provides a detailed introduction to the major scenic spots of academies in provinces and cities across the country, including Hebei and Shanxi.