Wuxi·Donglin Academy.

The trip to Wuxi started from Donglin Academy. First, I came to Donglin Square. There is a huge stone in front of the square, which says: The sound of wind, rain, and reading is in my ears, and I care about everything from family affairs to national affairs. Behind the square is a group of stone sculptures, showing the scene of the eight gentlemen of Donglin sitting and talking. Leaving the square, I found a small door next to it, with the plaque "Donglin Academy" hanging above. Walking into the small courtyard, there is a restaurant inside. I had a bowl of champion noodles for breakfast here, and then officially entered Donglin Academy for a visit. First, I saw a pavilion in the garden, connected by a corridor, named Huanjing Pavilion, from Gu Xiancheng's "Huanjinglu". This place was originally Donglin Temple, where peach blossoms were planted everywhere, leaving the saying "Look at peach blossoms in Donglin Temple". Donglin Academy is located in the north and faces the south. Huanjing Pavilion is located on the east side. There is a pond here, named Gonghe. Entering the academy from the side passage, I just came to the center of the Shi Yu Zhai. It is a government-run school and was built by Wang Yunqian, the county magistrate of the Qing Dynasty. Opposite Shi Yu Zhai is the Zai De Cao Lu, which is the main place for Gao Shitai, the head of Donglin Academy in the early Qing Dynasty, to lecture. The name comes from Yang Shi's poem "This Day Is Not Available to Show Classmates". The Yiyong Hall on the west side of Shi Yu Zhai is the main building of Donglin Academy. It was built in the 32nd year of Ming Wanli (1604). The so-called Yiyong is the meaning of relying on the "Doctrine of the Mean". At that time, scholars from all over the world who came to Donglin would gather in this hall before the lecture, and there would be an opening ceremony. The scene was very grand and was called the academic territory symbol of the Donglin School. The Lizetang opposite Yiyong Hall is an important place for the congregation to lecture. The Yanjutang in the north of Yiyong Hall is a place to worship Confucius. The academy is a place for private lectures in society, different from the official school palace, and does not use the name "Dacheng Hall", called "Yanju", which means leisure. Donglin Academy is located in the place where Yang Shi preached in the Song Dynasty. In the 32nd year of Ming Wanli (1604), the academy was rebuilt. Gu Xiancheng brought Ye Mao, An Xifan, Liu Yuanzhen and other eight people to lecture in it, known as the eight gentlemen of Donglin. After arriving at the Sangu Temple at the northernmost end, I walked south along the West Garden, passed through the Donglin Jing She, and came to the front door of the academy. There is a stone archway here, the back plaque is "Hou Xue Jin Liang", and the front is "Donglin Jiji". There is also a Pan Pool and Pan Bridge behind the archway, just like the school palace. There is a Daonan Temple near the East Garden, which was built when Donglin Academy was rebuilt, specifically for the worship of the founder of the academy, Yang Shi and his brother, son and disciple. When Yang Shi returned to his hometown, his teacher Cheng Hao watched him and said: My way is south. The name Daonan means to spread Taoism to the south.