Story of Yuelu Academy

Author: Zhu Hanmin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-09-01
Features: The cultural name "Yuelu Mountain" is derived from the mountain's name, and the mountain flourished due to the institute. Yuelu Academy was one of China's ancient "Four Great Academies" and was located at the foot of Yuelu Mountain. The ancients regarded Yuelu Mountain as one of the 72 peaks of the Southern Mountain, a foothill of Mount Heng, hence its name. Legend has it that as early as the ancient times, it was considered a "divine land for opening up territory" by the legendary ruler Yu the Great. Yuelu Mountain is close to the city but not noisy, with deep forests and sweet springs, providing an excellent natural environment for the development of culture and education. Famous mountains often have temples of Buddhism and Taoism, and Yuelu Mountain has long been a center for religious activities. Before the Western Jin Dynasty, it was a "blessed land" for Taoist cultivators. Under the Yu King Stele, in the tranquil Cangbi Valley, there is a quiet "Python Cave," also known as "Baohuang Cave," said to have been a place where Taoist cultivators practiced. Taoist buildings such as Wanshou Palace and Chongzhen Temple were once built there. Later, legends say that Taoist cultivators Deng Yu and his son, as well as Xu Lingqi, came here to practice, all of which indicate that Yuelu Mountain had a considerable scale of Taoist activities at that time. Since the introduction of Buddhism to the Western Jin Dynasty and the establishment of Lushan Temple, the Buddhist influence on Yuelu Mountain has gradually grown. One of the famous "Two Temples of Western Xiang" is Lushan Temple (originally Huiguang Temple), built in the fourth year of Taishi in the Western Jin Dynasty (268 AD). It was one of the earliest Buddhist temples in Hunan, known as the "Luxiang Daochang." In the 18th year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (730 AD), the renowned calligrapher Li Yong wrote the famous "Lushan Temple Stele." Li Yong (678–747) was skilled in literature and calligraphy, learning from the "Two Wangs" (Xizhi and Xianzhi) while forming his own style. The "Lushan Temple Stele" is his representative work, with elegant wording and vigorous script, enhanced by the skillful carving, earning it the name "Three Perfections of Beihai" (Li Yong once held the position of Beihai Prefect, hence also known as Li Beihai). The Dailin Temple, which is equally famous alongside Lushan Temple, originated in the Six Dynasties and flourished during the Tang Dynasty. The famous Tang Dynasty calligrapher Ouyang Xun once inscribed the gateboard of "Dailin Temple," and it was known as "Dailin with Three Hundred Monks." The poem "All neighbors are golden and green—Buddhist and Brahmanical households" truly describes the development of Buddhism in Dailin during the Tang Dynasty, which had already formed a scene of temples and monasteries standing in rows, with pavilions and towers overlooking each other. Yuelu has long been favored by scholars and literary figures. Since the time of Yu the Great opening up territory, literati have come to live in seclusion, roam, and study, adding brilliance to Lushan and creating cultural conditions for the establishment of academies. Notable figures such as Tao Kan, Ma Sui, Pei Xiu, Du Fu, Shen Chuanshi, and Liu Changqing established schools and lived in seclusion, shining like stars. During the Jin Dynasty, Tao Kan once resided in Shang'an on Lushan Mountain, and the site was within the academy. In the 15th year of the Daoguang era (1835 AD), Tao Fu, the Viceroy of the two rivers, built a Shang'an for Tao Kan and carved the Lushan Temple Stele inside as a memorial. Ma Sui, a Tang general (726–795), once built Dailin Jingshe near Dailin Temple as a place for scholars to gather. At that time, Dailin Jingshe was also referred to as an "academy" because it was a place for secluded study and also a venue for Confucian activities. The exchange and integration of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism paved the way for the new development of Yuelu culture and laid a cultural foundation for the establishment of Yuelu Academy. Of course, it was only after the establishment of Yuelu Academy that the cultural mountain of Yuelu entered a new stage of development, a new situation of Yuelu culture centered on Confucianism.
II. The Establishment of the Academy
The turmoil of the late Tang and Five Dynasties period severely damaged the cause of culture and education. The Northern Song Dynasty unified the country, ending the long period of division and domination after the late Tang and Five Dynasties, bringing political stability and economic development, which provided a favorable environment for the growth of culture and education.