Dengyun Academy Ruins Introduction
Dengyun Academy is the only one of the four academies that were formerly located in Chiayi to be situated in Chiayi County, while the other three were in Chiayi City. Aside from Dengyun Academy being transformed into Wenchang Elementary School, and one of its components, Yufeng Academy, being rebuilt as the Zhen'an Temple to worship the Emperor Baosheng, the other two have been mostly destroyed. Dengyun Academy was established in the second year of the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty (1832 AD), initially called Dengyun Pavilion. It was only in the fifteenth year of Daoguang (1835 AD) that it was renamed Dengyun Academy to reflect a more formal academy structure. The name "Dengyun" was chosen to commemorate General Wang Delu, who contributed significantly and collaborated with local gentry to fund the establishment of the academy, reflecting the notion of "ascending smoothly like the clouds." However, seventy years later, the academy was leveled by two major earthquakes and remained in ruins until over fifty years later, in the 52nd year of the Republic of China (1963 AD), when Wenchang Elementary School was established on its former site. Dengyun Academy fostered a flourishing literary atmosphere in Xinguang, laying a solid educational foundation and nurturing countless talents, with its educational influence continuing to this day. Many even view Dengyun Academy as one of the important factors in fostering community cohesion in Xinguang. Unfortunately, the only remnant of Dengyun Academy that survives today is the "Newly Built Dengyun Academy Donor Monument," erected in the fifteenth year of Daoguang, which was excavated from beneath the swimming pool of the current Wenchang Elementary School. It now stands in the right garden area after entering the school gate, protected by a stainless steel and acrylic frame. Today, Wenchang Elementary School carries on the educational mission of the academy, and in addition to its historical significance with Dengyun Academy, the second floor of a Chinese-style building on campus has become the site of the Confucius Temple, where the annual Confucius Ceremony is held in Chiayi County.
