Man Sung College Ticket

Wan Song Academy is located at Wan Song Ridge on Phoenix Mountain at the southern edge of West Lake, backed by green hills and overlooking the lake. It was the largest, most historic, and most influential scholarly sanctuary in Hangzhou during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is the site of 'Wan Song Shu Yuan' (the Romantic Fate of Wan Song), one of the 'Three Reviews of the Ten Scenes of West Lake'.

The academy was first built during the Zhenyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, originally serving as the Bao'en Temple. It was converted into an academy in the 11th year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty, undergoing name changes such as Taihe Academy and Fuwen Academy. During the southern tours of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, they bestowed the plaques 'Zhejiang's Fuwen' and 'Lakes and Mountains Gather the Best', respectively, marking a period of flourishing literary heritage and great renown.

Great scholars such as Wang Yangming of the Ming Dynasty and Qi Zhaonan of the Qing Dynasty once lectured here, and the 'Suiyuan Poet' Yuan Mei also studied here, carrying on a millennium of literary tradition. The academy was rebuilt in the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty, featuring grand scale and elegant layout. Along the central axis stand main buildings such as the Yangsheng Gate, Mingdao Hall, Dacheng Hall, and Yuxiu Pavilion, appearing solemn and majestic, fully reflecting the ritual system of the academy.

In front of the Yangsheng Gate stands the towering 'Model Teacher for Ten Thousand Generations' stone archway, a precious historical relic. Dacheng Hall, serving as a place for worshipping Confucius, features a mural of 'Confucius Teaching', appearing solemn and magnificent, highlighting the origins of Confucianism. Mingdao Hall was once the lecture hall, displaying imperial examination artefacts and ancient texts, fully recreating the scenes of ancient academy education and imperial examination culture.

Yuxiu Pavilion is set up as the 'Liang Zhu Study Room', recreating the schoolmate scene of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai 'sitting knee‑to‑knee and shoulder‑to‑shoulder with pure intent'. Pavilions and terraces are dotted with traces of love legends such as the 'Eighteen Farewells' and the 'Sworn Brotherhood at the Thatched Bridge', blending the fragrance of books with romance, deeply moving. The garden landscape is also ingeniously designed, shaded by lush pines and cypresses, accented by strange rocks and slender bamboos, with babbling brooks and rustling pines. In the distance, one can view the sunset glow of Leifeng Pagoda; nearby, one can listen to the chirping of insects and birds, creating a serene and extraordinary atmosphere.

The Xiaojiuhua Mountain Stone Forest features jagged and varied rocks, with peaks standing in clusters, forming a natural wonder of the academy. Sites like the Shuangzhao Well and Keji Pavilion are closely linked to the Liang Zhu story, with every step offering a different scene and every scene evoking a different emotion. The academy not only carries a profound Confucian heritage but has also become a renowned sanctuary of love due to the timeless tale of 'Liang Zhu as Schoolmates'. The weekend matchmaking events here are bustling and lively, extending the romantic legend of 'Wan Song Shu Yuan'. While visiting, one can trace the footsteps of literary figures like Wang Yangming and Yuan Mei, experiencing the scholarly aura of the highest institutions of the Ming and Qing dynasties; one can also explore the romantic anecdotes of Liang Zhu, immersing oneself in classical romance; and one can appreciate the beauty of the gardens and savour the charm of history, grasping the unique allure of this millennium‑old academy amidst the scenic lakes and mountains and the inheritance of literary heritage.