Songyang Academy
Institution of higher education appeared early in ancient China with high educational level. Filled with fragrance of books and ink, the institution was called Academy. Academy, the higher-education institution in ancient China, was established firstly in Tang Dynasty and got thriving in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the late Qing Dynasty when the schools sprang up, the Academy System was abolished.
Four Famous Academies in Ancient China
Photographed by Ma Jian
The Four Famous Academies in ancient China, also called Four Famous Academies in the Northern Song Dynasty or Four Famous Academies in the Song Dynasty, were the typical academies with great praise that made enormous contributions to the long history, wide-spread influence and large numbers of celebrities of Song Dynasty. Generally, Yuelu Academy (in today’s Yuelu Mountain in Changsha, Hunan), Bailudong Academy (in today’s Lushan Mountain, Jiangxi), Songyang Academy (in today’s Dengfeng, Henan) and Yingtian Academy (in today’s Shangqiu, Henan) made up the Four Famous Academies of ancient China.
Songyang Academy
Photographed by Wang Xiaowu
Songyang Academy, formerly known as Songyang Temple, is located at the southern foot of Songshan Mountain, where is 2.5 km away from Dengfeng City of Henan Province in the south. Facing the Shuangxi River with the Junji Peak standing behind it, Songyang Academy was named after its location in the sunlit side of Songshan Mountain. As one of the famous higher education institutions in ancient China, Songyang Academy was known for the neo-Confucianism in history. Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi, the great neo-Confucianism masters from Luoyang in the Northern Song Dynasty, gave lectures here and brought fame to it. Sima Guang, Fan Zhongyan, Han Wei, Li Gang, Zhu Xi, Lv Hui and other famous Confucians in the Northern Song Dynasty also gave lectures in this Academy. Songyang Academy undertook the mission of Confucianism dissemination all the time.
Songyang Academy was not just a courtyard in ancient time, instead, it consisted of a main yard and several single building groups scattered in a wide area. Broadly speaking, the architectures of Songyang Academy, apart from the academy buildings we see today, also include some famous ones, such as Tianguang Yunying Pavilion, Guanlan Pavilion and Chuanshang Pavilion sitting along the Dieshi Stream in the Xiaoyao Valley in the northeast and the Junzi Pavilion - the villa of this Academy at the western foot of Hutou Peak of Taishi Mountain, as well as the Renzhi Pavilion in the south of Sangong Stone of Qixing Ridge of Yuzhu Peak in the northwest of the Academy.
Inscriptions of the scholars of different dynasties are left on the bungalows in the courtyards, with characteristic contents and calligraphies. In the west yard there are partial classrooms and examination rooms used in Qing Dynasty. Between the lecture Hall and the Daotong Shrine is a Pan Pool where all the scholars would walk around in ancient times. It is said that the hometown of Confucius is situated next to Pan River, so walking circling it represents to commemorate the Confucius and make a promise to inherit his philosophy for the country’s administration, stability and peace. 
The General Cypresses
In the old Songyang Academy in Dengfeng, there are two giant "General Cypresses" planted about 4,500 years ago. Especially the "Second General Cypress", whose trunk can only be circled by ten people, is regarded as the living fossil plant and the "First Cypress in China".
The Stone Inscription
"The Map of Dengfeng County" was engraved in Gui Si lunar year of Wanli reign (1593 A.D.) in Ming Dynasty with detailed distribution notes of the scenic spots and historical sites, and the names of mountains, rivers, roads, towns and villages in Songshan area, and it is seen as the map of both historic relics and Dengfeng County.
The map on the tablet is clear and accurate, seeing which you will clearly know about the overall picture of Dengfeng and the heritage locations. The stone inscription of Dengfeng map made in Ming Dynasty is a rare art treasure as well as the exceptional and precious research material of the geography, cultural relics and history of Dengfeng.
The Great Tablet
The "King Tablet of Songshan Mountain", whose full name is "Tablet of the Great Tang Admiring the God's Virtue in Songyang Taoist Temple", was made in the 3rd year of Tianbao reign (744 A.D.) in Tang Dynasty. It is 9.02m in height, 2.04m in width and 1.05m in thickness, with total 1,078 words engraved telling about the story that a Taoist priest named Sun Taichong in Songyang Taoist Temple made pills of immortality for Li Longji - Tang Xuanzong - to cure the sickness. Over 80 tons of the Great Tablet has a cap of more than 10 tons. So how did the ancient people put such a heavy cap on the top? This remains a mystery until now.
