The 13,000-square-meter Donglin Academy, a former Chinese educational institution in Wuxi, was originally built in 1011 during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). The neo-Confucian scholar Yang Shi taught there at that time, but the academy later fell into disuse and disrepair.
The place was restored in 1604 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), thanks to a group of scholars who delivered lectures there advocating patriotism and education.
"The sounds of the wind, rain and reading enter our ears, and the affairs of the family, state and world draw our attention," says a household couplet from educator Gu Xiancheng that still hangs on the gate of Yiyong Hall.
For nearly 1,000 years, the Donglin Academy has maintained a strong reputation with rich cultural and academic heritages.
Many notable people in ancient China were educated at the Donglin Academy and have played an important role in the fields of politics, philosophy, culture, and education.
Address: No 867 Jiefangdong Road, Liangxi district
Opening hours: 9 am to 5 pm
