Fenghu Academy

Fenghu Academy occupies a quiet peninsula in Huizhou’s West Lake, surrounded by water on three sides. Dense green foliage shades the traditional Lingnan architecture, casting shadows across white walls and dark roof tiles. The complex covers 4,967 square meters of interconnected courtyards, pavilions, and corridors.

The site’s intellectual lineage began in 1244 when governor Zhao Ruyu built a shrine for twelve scholars. A decade later, Liu Kegang expanded the grounds into a formal academy. The institution weathered centuries of collapse and renewal. In 1801, magistrate Yi Bingshou funded a massive reconstruction and appointed the poet Song Xiang as headmaster.

Song Xiang left a permanent physical mark on the grounds. Inside the Library Building, his 1802 stone plaque displays the academy’s name in raised, semi-cursive script. A flanking couplet, carved in recessed regular strokes, praises the surrounding landscape. Visitors can observe the precise grooves in the stone, seeing exactly how a Qing dynasty scholar’s brush pressure was translated by the mason's chisel.

In 1886, headmaster Liang Dingfen walked through the academy and noticed a severe lack of reading material. He initiated a massive collection campaign, gathering over 46,000 volumes to establish one of China's earliest modern library systems. The restored wooden shelves currently hold 1,600 local historical records, preserving the scent of aging paper and ink.

A 165-million-yuan restoration between 2008 and 2013 revived the historical layout. Today, people wander through the Shangzhi Pavilion and Lequn Hall, tracing the same paths as Ming and Qing dynasty students. Inside the Gewu Study, guests practice electronic calligraphy. Their glowing digital strokes mirror the ancient stone carvings outside. The academy functions as a quiet refuge for poetry gatherings and study, holding nearly eight centuries of continuous intellectual pursuit within its walls.