Henan Shangqiu Yingtian Academy | One of the four major academies, where Fan Zhongyan studied and taught

Yingtian Academy, also known as Nandu School, Suiyang Academy, Yingtianfu Academy, Nanjing Academy, Nanjing Imperial College, is located on the south bank of the ancient city of Shangqiu, Suiyang District, Shangqiu City, Henan Province. It is one of the four famous ancient academies in China, and it is recorded in history that 'the establishment of schools in prefectures and counties began here'. The predecessor of Yingtian Academy was Suiyang Academy, which was founded by Yang Xue, a Shangqiu native during the Later Jin Dynasty of the Five Dynasties. In the second year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1009) of the Northern Song Dynasty, it was approved by Emperor Zhenzong of Song and officially named 'Yingtianfu Academy'. Fan Zhongyan's 'Nanjing Academy Title Record' states: 'The world's academies look at this and prosper'. 'Chronicles of the Nine Dynasties' records: 'The Song Dynasty prospered, and the establishment of schools in all prefectures and counties began here'. Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty recorded in 'Yixue Ji': 'At the beginning of the Song Dynasty, there were four major academies in the world, with Yingtian Academy being the first.' Yingtian Academy was rebuilt near its original site in the Song Dynasty, and its original appearance was restored according to historical documents. The main buildings include the Champion Bridge, the main gate, the Chongshen Hall, the Imperial Book Tower, the lecture hall, the book carving workshop, the corridor, the vegetarian institute, the shooting platform, etc. At that time, Shangqiu was close to the Bian River, with convenient transportation and a convergence of merchants and travelers. As the second largest city in the Northern Song Dynasty after Kaifeng, it gathered elites from north to south. Yingtianfu, as the benchmark of national official schools, was also superior to other academies in terms of faculty and funding. Many pillars of the country were born in Yingtianfu, such as Fan Zhongyan, Wang Yaochen, Zhang Fangping, etc. Fan Zhongyan, a famous politician, military strategist, thinker, and litterateur of the Northern Song Dynasty, went to Yingtianfu to study in the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1011). After five years of hard study, Fan Zhongyan passed the imperial examination and was appointed as 'Guangde Army Management Staff Officer'. In 1026, Fan Zhongyan was invited by the prefect Yan Shu to teach at Yingtian Academy. The idea of 'worry before the world worries, and enjoy after the world enjoys' advocated by Fan Zhongyan and the integrity of benevolent people have had a profound impact on later generations. 📍Detailed address: Yingtian Academy: Huancheng South Road, Gucheng Street, Suiyang District, Shangqiu City, Henan Province Ticket: 20 yuan/person