[2025 Shangqiu Attraction] Travel Guide for Yingtian Academy (Updated Feb)

Shangqiu | A seriously underrated hidden gem🏮 Shangqiu, a small city in central China, is full of surprises! It may not be as bustling as other popular tourist cities, but it has its own unique charm and is a great choice for niche travel. 📍History and culture Shangqiu is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization and the Chinese nation, with a long history beyond imagination. Standing on the city wall of Shangqiu Ancient City, touching the ancient bricks and stones, you can feel the changes of thousands of years. The buildings in the city are well-arranged, with traditional courtyard houses interwoven with modern buildings, and every brick and tile tells a story of the past. There is also the Yingtian Academy, one of the four ancient academies, where the sound of books has long gone, but the rich cultural heritage is still overwhelming. 🍜Food exploration The food in Shangqiu is a feast for the taste buds! Mutton soup is a must-try, with its milky white broth that is fresh and rich, and a sip of it will warm you up. There are also water-fried buns, with a crispy bottom and a full filling that is juicy and overflowing. Hu la tang is also a must-try, spicy and delicious, and a bowl of it in the morning will instantly refresh you. The food in Shangqiu is hidden in the streets and alleys, and every bite is a sincere love for this city. 🎇Night walk The night in Shangqiu is even more charming. When the lights of Shangqiu Ancient City are on, the whole ancient city is decorated like a dream. Walking along the moat, with the breeze blowing on your face, you can enjoy the night view of the ancient city and feel the fusion of history and modernity. The small shops on the street are brightly lit, and the laughter and laughter make you immersed in this pleasant atmosphere. Shangqiu, a charming city, is waiting for more people to discover its beauty. You must come to Shangqiu to experience its unique charm💕

| A cultural beacon through the ages. In the long river of history, I traced back to the source and encountered the shining Yingtian Academy by the South Lake of Shangqiu Ancient City. It stands quietly in the years, like a wise man, silently telling the glory of the past. 🏮As the first of the four major academies in the Northern Song Dynasty, Yingtian Academy has a great origin. It originated from private schools in the Later Jin Dynasty and gradually emerged under the careful cultivation of Qi Tongwen. During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, due to the special status of Songzhou, the academy was named "Yingtianfu Academy" and was promoted to Nanjing Guozijian, becoming the highest institution of learning in the Northern Song Dynasty, which was a holy place in the hearts of countless literati and scholars at that time. 🌟There are many talents here, and the stars are shining. Fan Zhongyan once studied poetry and books here and taught with a whip. His great sentiment of "worrying about the world first and enjoying the world later" is like a bright light, illuminating the hearts of the students of the academy. Mei Yaochen, Ouyang Xiu, and other literary giants also left their footprints in their studies here. According to records, many students of the academy shone in the imperial examination room, and among more than 100 people, 50 or 60 people were admitted to the top, which is such an honor and glory. 🎐The architecture of the academy is simple and elegant, and every brick and tile exudes the charm of history. The Chongsheng Hall is solemn and solemn, the Dacheng Hall is magnificent, the sound of books in the front lecture hall seems to be still in the ear, the gate of the academy welcomes students from all directions, the Yushu Building is full of endless wisdom, and the Zhuangyuan Bridge carries the dreams of countless people. Walking among them, it seems that you can travel through thousands of years and see the scenes of those students wearing long shirts, holding books, reciting, meditating, or debating. 🌈Yingtian Academy is not just an ancient building, but an important link in cultural inheritance. It opened a new era of education in the Northern Song Dynasty, "the establishment of schools in prefectures and counties began here", and had a profound and indelible impact on the development of culture, education, and thought in later generations. If you are also full of longing for history and culture, then you must come to Yingtian Academy for a walk. Here, feel the charm of the millennium school, listen to the echo of history, and let the soul be sublimated in the nourishment of culture.💕

Yingtianfu Academy, also known as Yingtian Academy and Suiyang Academy, is located on the south bank of Nanhu Lake in Suiyang District, Shangqiu City, Henan Province, and is one of the four famous academies in ancient China. The predecessor of Yingtianfu Academy was the 'Nandu Xueshe', founded by Yang Que, a Shangqiu native during the Five Dynasties and Later Jin period. In the second year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1009) of the Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Zhenzong of Song officially granted it the title 'Yingtian Academy'. With the joining of figures such as Yan Shu and Fan Zhongyan, Yingtianfu Academy gradually developed into the most influential academy of the Northern Song Dynasty and became the only academy in ancient China to be upgraded to the Imperial Academy. The current Yingtian Academy was rebuilt on October 1, 2007, with a total construction area of 4,116.8 square meters, covering an area of 52 acres.

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