The academy where Zhu Xi served as the cave master and taught personally was Bailu Cave Academy.
1. The origin of the name of Bailudong Academy
During the Tang Dynasty, brother Li Bo came to the original site of Bailudong Academy to study and live in seclusion. He liked to herd white deer and was known as "Mr. Bailu", during the Changqing period (811-824), he was admitted to the imperial examination and served as the governor of Jiangzhou. He returned to this place again, built a small wooden building and a rain pavilion, planted flowers and plants, and gradually became a common people The place where people visited was named "White Deer Cave".
2. The layout of Bailudong Academy
Bailudong Academy follows the ancient architectural style and is built in the mountains with streams passing through it. The academy has undergone ten major restorations. After the tenth major restoration (in the late 1980s and early 1990s).
Bailudong Academy is mainly composed of two academy gates, five courtyards and outdoor scenic areas (including Zhenliu Bridge and Liufang Bridge). Unlike ancient buildings, it is not built according to the principle of symmetry along the central axis. , but the main buildings were built in a row from west to east. First there is the gate of the academy, and after the gate is the Academy of the Sages. There are Dangui Pavilion, Bao Gong Temple, Zhu Zi Temple and other buildings in the academy.
Then there is the Lisheng Temple, including the Lisheng Gate, Zhuangyuan Bridge, Lingxing Gate and other buildings; then there is the Bailudong Academy, with the main buildings including Yushu Pavilion, Minglun Hall and Bailudong; Then there is Ziyang Academy; then there is Yan Hotel, which contains the bronze statue of Zhu Xi, Chunfeng Tower, Forestry School and other buildings; finally there is Zhenliu Bridge, which includes Zhuoer Lake and Dudui Pavilion and other scenic spots.
Architectural Characteristics of Bailudong Academy
1. Roof
Most of the buildings in Bailudong Academy are herringbone-style (in addition to veranda style) , Xieshan style, hanging mountain style) with only broken roofs on the front and rear sides, they are mainly used for secondary buildings in the courtyard, such as the Lishengmen at the main entrance of the academy, Zhuzi Temple, Bao Baogong Temple and Minglun Hall.
The east and west ends of the roof of the Lisheng Gate are decorated with pottery dragons, which ensures nobility while not being vulgar. The Lisheng Temple, Si Xian Terrace and Dangui Pavilion all belong to the Xieshan style (the verandah hall (a combination of Xieshan style and Xieshan style), the roof has one main ridge, four vertical ridges, four ridges and nine ridges, so it is also called Jiujidian.
2. Doors and windows
The gatehouse of the academy is built of bricks and wood, and the walls are decorated with lotus petals. The Lingxing Gate was originally a wooden structure, but was later converted into a stone archway. The upper and lower sides of the archway are inlaid with square, octagonal and hollow rhombus splicing patterns. The middle beam is engraved with peony patterns. The six stone pillars of the archway are engraved with cloud patterns and water patterns. ripple.
Many walls in the courtyard are decorated with openings of different shapes such as circular, hexagonal, octagonal, gourd-shaped, and rectangular. There are no door leaves. Among them, circular openings are more commonly used and are called moon doors. Or the Moon Cave Gate.
3. Couplets and plaques
Plaques and couplets combine the calligraphy and seal cutting, poetry, engraving techniques, and architectural art in classical Chinese culture. Plaques are generally called "the art of architecture." "Eye" usually has inscriptions from celebrities or literati, and some are used as royal gifts to commend, wish and pray for blessings, etc.
On the outside of the Lishuang Temple, there are three words "Lishengsheng" on the vertical forehead. Inside the academy, there are inscriptions by Shao Baoyan, the deputy envoy of the Academy, "The Gate of Zhengxue", Kangxi's handwriting "Teacher for Eternity", and Kangxi's calligraphy of Qing Dynasty " The plaque of "Learning to Reach the Nature" and the plaque of "Xianxian Academy" in Zhu Xi Memorial Hall are decorated with lotus petals. The Lisheng Gate and the Lisheng Temple are also engraved with couplets respectively, which can be used for decoration and to alert the scholars of the academy.