Yuelu Academy

The Yuelu Academy (also known as the Yuelu Academy of Classical Learning, traditional Chinese: 嶽麓書院; simplified Chinese: 岳麓书院; pinyin: Yuèlù Shūyuàn) is on the east side of Yuelu Mountain in Yuelu District, Changsha, Hunan province, near the Xiang River. It is one of the four most important schools in China over the past 1000 years.

Yuelu Academy was started during the Northern Song Dynasty and became a famous place for learning. It helped spread Confucian ideas across China.

In 1903, the academy became the Hunan Institute of Higher Learning. It later changed names several times, becoming Hunan Normal College, Hunan Public Polytechnic School, and finally Hunan University in 1926. Today, it is an important part of China's educational history.

History

The Yuelu Academy was founded in 976 during the Song dynasty. It became one of the four most famous schools for learning in China. Well-known Confucian scholars like Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi taught there.

During the Qing dynasty, the academy focused on good values and helping the community. By the early 1800s, students also studied useful subjects such as engineering and money matters. In 1903, the academy became a university, and in 1926, it was named Hunan University. Today, as part of Hunan University, it is still a place for research and learning. In 1988, it was named a "Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Hunan" by the State Council of China.