Academies of Classical Learning

The Shūyuàn (书院), known in English as Academies, were a type of school in ancient China.

The shuyuan originated in 725 during the Tang dynasty. They were places where scholars expounded the classics and housed books collected from around the country. Government academies were established during the Tang dynasty and reached their height during the Song.

During the years 785-804, Li Bo lived in seclusion and pursued his studies at White Deer Grotto in Lushan. During the Southern Tang, a school was established there known as Lushan Guoxue. This was changed to White Deer Grotto Academy in the Song dynasty. Zhu Xi taught here during the Southern Song as did Wang Shouren during the Ming.

During the Song dynasty, the construction of academies was encouraged by the government, leading to the establishment of academies by both private individuals and government. The so-called Four Great Academies of the Song were the White Deer Grotto Academy (at Lushan, Jiangxi), the Yingtianfu Academy (at Shangqiu, Henan), the Songyang Academy (at Taishishan, Henan), and the Yuelu Academy (at Yuelushan, Jiangxi). Each academy had its own teaching and administrative structure and was economically independent.

The system of academies was destroyed under the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty and all academies were placed under government control to became preparatory schools for the Imperial Examinations.

The system was taken up again under the Ming and the Qing. In the Ming dynasty, academies devoted to discussing political issues appeared, such as the Donglin Academy, often resulting in political repression.

During the Qing dynasty, thousands of academies were created for the purpose of studying for the Imperial Examination, although some were centres of study and research.

At the end of the Qing dynasty, the academies were finally abolished under the Hundred Days' Reform.