Dengyun Academy Ruins Introduction
Dengyun Academy is the only one of the four academies in Chiayi located in Chiayi County, while the other three are within Chiayi City. Besides Dengyun Academy being transformed into Wenchang Elementary School, and Yufeng Academy being converted into Zhen'an Temple for the worship of Baosheng Dadi, the remaining two academies have been mostly destroyed. Dengyun Academy was first established in the second year of the Daoguang era (1832), originally called Dengyun Pavilion. It was not until the fifteenth year of Daoguang (1835) that it was renamed Dengyun Academy, reflecting its greater status as an academy. The name "Dengyun" was chosen to commemorate General Wang De-lu, who made significant contributions and together with local gentry raised funds to establish the academy, symbolizing the aspiration to "ascend to high places." However, seventy years later, Dengyun Academy was leveled by two major earthquakes, and it was not until over fifty years later, in the fifty-second year of the Republic (1963), that the current Wenchang Elementary School was established on the original site. Dengyun Academy contributed to the flourishing cultural atmosphere of Xinkang, laying a rich educational foundation that nurtured countless talents, with its educational spirit continuing to this day. Many people even regard Dengyun Academy as one of the important factors that fostered community cohesion in Xinkang. Unfortunately, the only remnant of Dengyun Academy today is a stone tablet commemorating the donations for the construction of the academy, established in the fifteenth year of Daoguang. This tablet, which was excavated from the area now occupied by the swimming pool of Wenchang Elementary School, stands in the right-side garden after entering the school gate, protected by a stainless steel and acrylic frame. Wenchang Elementary School upholds the educational mission of the academy, and besides its historical significance with Dengyun Academy, the second floor of a traditional Chinese-style school building on campus also serves as the site of the Confucius Temple, where the annual Confucius worship ceremony is held in Chiayi County.
