Songyang Academy
Songyang academy was named after its geological location at the sunny side of Songshan Mt. It used to be Buddhist and Taoist place but in its history, it has been mostly used and most well known as a sacred place of Confucianism and Buddhism. Songyang academy together with Yingtian academy at Huizhou of Henan, Yuemin academy of Hunan and Bailudong academy of Jiangxi has comprised of the four great academies of Northern Song Dynasty. Songyang academy, built in the 8th ruling year of King Taihe of Northern Wei Dynasty, was named as Songyangsi temple and used as a Buddhist place. It was used as Daoism place during Sui and Tang Dynasties and as temporary imperial dwelling place during two visits of the King Tang Gaozong and Queen Wu Zetian. It was a well known education institute during Northern Song Dynasty, where the eminent scholars Fan Zhongyan, Chen Yin, Chen Yi and Si Maguang had presented lectures. Si Maguang had written part of his historic works Zizhi Tongjian in Songyang academy. The academic activities of eminent scholars has made Songyang academy not only top on the list of the four great academies’ of Northern Song Dynasty but also origin of philosophy science of Song Dynasty. Songyang academy, taking principles of Qing Dynasty as reference, has preserved architecture of traditional academies where features for both public and civilian residential buildings had been taken into consideration. It has occupied a total area of over 9,000 m2. On the central axis of the academy stand five yards including 106 buildings. The stone inscriptions, pillar columns and ancient trees in the academy are quintessential works of different dynasties, for a great many works are closely related with activities of historic figures. Academy education institution was abolished in later Qing Dynasty and as a cultural carrier of the extinct educational institution; Songyang academy has great importance to researches on ancient academy architecture, educational system and Confucian culture of ancient China. As a historic monument, it is of profound significance to modern education culture.