Wujiang Academy Introduction
The rows of desks and chairs arranged in parallel face the statue of Zhu Xi, while the clear voices of students studying seem to echo in the air. In the bustling city area, Wujing Academy serves as a quiet corner, allowing visitors to deeply appreciate the encouraging atmosphere of students in the lecture hall. This is also one of the spots included in the free guided tours of Houping Township. Historically, Kinmen experienced a flourishing culture; during the Southern Song period, the philosopher Zhu Xi served as the county clerk of Tong'an County in the 23rd year of Emperor Gaozong's Shaoxing era (AD 1153), at which time Kinmen was under the jurisdiction of Tong'an. It is said that Zhu Xi visited Kinmen Island twice during his tenure, which greatly influenced the local reading culture. In gratitude towards Zhu Xi, the locals built Wujing Academy in the 45th year of Qianlong's reign (AD 1780) and also constructed the Zhuzi Shrine behind the academy for his veneration. Wujing Academy is the only remaining one of the ancient Four Great Academies of Kinmen, while the Zhuzi Shrine is classified as a national historic site.
