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Zhaoming Academy, located within the Xizha Scenic Area, was where Prince Ming of the Southern Liang Dynasty studied as a child in Wuzhen. The Ming Dynasty memorial archway, inscribed with "Six Dynasties Relics" and "Where Prince Zhaoming of Liang and Minister Shen Study," is a landmark of Zhaoming Academy and a popular photo opportunity for visitors. Surrounding the archway are ponds and ancient trees, offering a relaxing spot. Alternatively, visit the nearby exhibition hall to view ancient plaques from past dynasties and exhibits showcasing Mao Dun Literature Prize winners and their works.
Book lovers should not miss the reading room in the academy. It is a relatively niche place with an elegant environment. Although there are not many books, you can find a lot of relevant information about ancient towns or water towns, and there are also special counters for books by Mr. Mu Xin and Mr. Mao Dun.
Attraction Location: Wuzhen, Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, China (浙江省桐乡市乌镇西栅景区)
History: Zhaoming Academy (昭明书院) is a historical educational institution within Wuzhen’s West Scenic Area. Named after the famous Southern Dynasties scholar Xiao Zhaoming, it served as a center for Confucian learning and literary studies. The academy reflects traditional Chinese educational culture and scholarly life from the Jiangnan region.
Architecture: Traditional Jiangnan-style architecture with wooden beams, whitewashed walls, and black tile roofs. The interior includes lecture halls, reading rooms, courtyards, and ornamental gardens consistent with classical Chinese academy layouts.
Cultural Value: The academy preserves the heritage of classical Chinese education, Confucian values, and local scholarly traditions. It is an important cultural site for understanding Wuzhen’s intellectual and literary history.
Other Information: Zhaoming Academy often hosts exhibitions on traditional literature, calligraphy, and educational history, making it both a historical and educational attraction.
Opening Hours: 08:30–21:00 (West Scenic Area)
Ticket Price: West Scenic Area ~150 CNY (includes Zhaoming Academy)
Best Photo Spots: Central courtyard, main hall façade, garden pathways, traditional wooden corridors, and exhibition rooms with calligraphy displays.
Time Reference: 30–60 minutes to explore the academy; can be combined with a 3–4 hour visit to the full West Scenic Area.
Other Information: Guided tours provide in-depth insights into the academy’s history and Confucian teachings. Early morning or late afternoon offers softer lighting for photography.
All the attractions in Wuzhen are worth seeing, and the main entrance fees are included.
In ancient times, it may have been a place for royal relatives to study.
The stone archway is beautiful and its historical significance is even more precious, and the small courtyard is very elegant.
One of the Xizha scenic spots in Wuzhen, just take a look when you pass by.
The whole courtyard is very grand. There's a long corridor on the water. Sitting there is extremely cool. The weather is quite good. No rain and no sun.
Because of the crowds, every tourist spot was crowded with people.
A scenic spot in Xizha, where you can experience the feeling of the academy at that time.
The academy also houses a library and a small reading room, perfect for a relaxing reading experience if you have the time. Book lovers shouldn't miss the reading room, a relatively niche destination with an elegant ambiance. While the collection isn't extensive, you'll find a wealth of information on ancient towns and water villages, including dedicated sections dedicated to works by Mu Xin and Mao Dun. After checking in your luggage, you can enter for free and while away an afternoon quietly reading by the window.
During the National Day holiday, Wuzhen is bustling with people, sweating profusely, and forming a cloud. It is recommended to go there on ordinary days, with small bridges, flowing water, and small pavilions in the south of the Yangtze River. You will be in the painting and the painting will be in your dreams. This is the good season and the exquisiteness.
There is a library and a small reading room in the academy. If you have enough time, it is a good choice to read books here. However, the lighting inside is a bit dim, which hurts your eyes when reading. This is probably to create an atmosphere.
The place where Prince Zhaoming once studied is probably the most historic attraction in Wuzhen and is definitely not to be missed. There's a library, a reading room, and an exhibition of Mao Dun Literature Prize winners, so you can spend a day there if you're so inclined.
That's it, nothing special.
In history, there was a Prince Zhaoming and his "Selected Works of Zhaoming". This is where he studied in Wuzhen - Zhaoming Academy. When you enter the academy, you can see a stone archway.
This academy was built by Quan Tingxun, the Tongzhi of Huzhou during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620), to commemorate the learning culture of the time. It is inscribed with the words "Six Dynasties Relics," and the dragon and phoenix plaques bear the inscription "Study Place of Prince Zhaoming of Liang and Minister Shen" written by Shen Shimao, a local official and a clerk in the Criminal Department. The entire academy is a complex of ancient buildings with a quaint, elegant, and poetic atmosphere. The central xiaowentai (school desk) was used for editing and proofreading texts. The main building now houses a library with thousands of books, serving as a shared study area for local residents and tourists. It also features an electronic reading room, lecture halls, calligraphy and painting studios, and classrooms, making it a veritable Xizha community. Nearby is the Fufeng Pavilion Book Bar, a place for tea, reading, and socializing. A Ming Dynasty Buddhist pagoda stands in the center of the pond.
This is where Prince Ming of the Liang Dynasty studied in Wuzhen as a child. The Ming Dynasty memorial archway, inscribed with "Relics of the Six Dynasties" and "Where Prince Zhaoming of Liang and Minister Shen studied," is the landmark of Zhaoming Academy.
There is a large back garden in the academy, with ancient trees and ponds suitable for visitors to relax.
Zhaoming Academy is probably the most famous landmark in Wuzhen. The academy was named after Xiao Tong, the Prince Zhaoming of the Southern Liang Dynasty, who built a school in Wuzhen to study.
The academy faces south and has an antique and charming atmosphere. It covers a large area and is also a well-preserved historical site.
The space inside the academy is very spacious. There are four pools in the garden in front, surrounded by towering ancient trees and thick shade.
Passed by while visiting Wuzhen, added footprints and comments
A short distance west of Xiqing Hall is the Zhaoming Academy. In front of the academy stands a stone memorial archway inscribed with "Six Dynasties Relics," and below it, "The Study Place of Prince Zhaoming of Liang and Minister Shen." This Minister Shen must be Shen Yue of the Southern Liang Dynasty.
According to local sources, "Tongxiang County Chronicles," Volume 2, "Borders and Historic Sites," states: "Prince Zhaoming's study was located at the Miyin Temple in Qingzhen. Liang Xiaotong studied under Shen Yue from Wuxing. Yue had an ancestral tomb at the Pujing Temple in Wudun, and he would return every spring to sweep it. Upon his return, the emperor would send Tong to greet him, and he built a study hall there, complete with a proofreading platform. Later, Yue felt uneasy and moved his burial to Nanjing. Zhaoming then abandoned the hall and built it into the Xiande Temple, later renamed Miyin." This likely represents the origin of the academy. The stone memorial archway was built by Quan Tingxun, the Tongzhi of Wuzhen during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. A sign beside the memorial archway reads: "The stone archway was built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and renovated in October 1984 with financial support from the Tongxiang Cement Factory, Wuzhen Silk Factory, Wuzhen Winery, and Wuzhen Boiler Factory."
Curious, I did some research and learned that the stone archway and the reading area weren't originally located here, but on the site of the former Wuzhen Cinema. They were later relocated to make way for the Xizha scenic area. It seems that developing the local economy is crucial. Fortunately, this stone archway is authentic.
Was the scene of Wen restoring ancient books in "A Time to Live and a Time to Die" filmed here?
If you don't know the history and origins of a college, you won't feel anything when you visit it.
It is a place with a lot of stories and history, which is worth exploring and savoring in detail.
The academy has a long history, dating back to the Southern Liang Dynasty. Today, it serves as a library, where visitors can enjoy tea, read, and chat. Jiangnan has always valued reading, and Wuzhen, in particular, has a rich cultural heritage. It's no wonder that a centuries-old academy is still celebrated today.
There are guides bringing tourists here. In fact, the purpose of the drama festival is to watch the performances. There are many performances here during the ancient town carnival. I watched a group of high school girls with an average age of only 16 years old perform Oedipus the King. Some of them performed quite well.
It is half a bookstore and half a hotel. Shao Ming Bookstore has a WeChat public account, but it is too difficult to book. If you have the opportunity, I suggest you try it.
Zhaoming Academy commemorates Xiao Tong, the Crown Prince of the Southern Liang Dynasty, who studied in Wuzhen. There's also a bookstore inside, but I didn't buy much in the bookstore, as it's full of ancient texts and foreign books (Russian, French, and Spanish). Still, it's a worthwhile place to visit. The academy is beautiful and has a garden-like atmosphere.
Zhaoming Academy, a library hidden in Wuzhen, was once the study of Xiao Tong, the Prince Zhaoming of the Southern Liang Dynasty. The overall architecture exudes the charm of classical beauty. Slowing down and reading a book carefully here is a real enjoyment.
A very quiet library with many ancient books to read.
A very historical academy, if you come here you must go
Because there are stories, there is history, so it can be preserved and can be visited by future generations.
A quiet paradise in the bustling city, it is also one of the largest and most well-known academies in the area. Don't be fooled by its inconspicuous appearance, there is a whole new world inside.
The main hall retains the function of a library. Visitors inside are kept quiet and if they need to enter, they must deposit their belongings in accordance with regulations.
There is also a place for practicing calligraphy in the courtyard of the academy, where everyone can express themselves freely and improvise.
Zhaoming Academy is named after Xiao Tong, the Crown Prince of the Southern Liang Dynasty, who studied in Wuzhen. Facing north and south, the academy consists of two-story, gabled-roofed buildings with semi-circular corridors, making it the largest library in a Chinese ancient town.
The library of Zhaoming Academy is very good, with antique desks, few tourists, and a quiet and leisurely atmosphere.
Behind the stone archway is Zhaoming Academy, named after Xiao Tong, the Crown Prince of Liang during the Southern Dynasties, who studied in Wuzhen. He compiled the "Wenxuan," also known as "Zhaoming Wenxuan," the earliest extant collection of Han Chinese poetry and prose.
The main building of Zhaoming Academy is Wuzhen Library, which has a collection of books and magazines on culture, social sciences, art, leisure and tourism for reading. It also has an electronic reading room, lecture hall, calligraphy and painting, classrooms, etc.
It’s unassuming from the outside, but it’s huge inside, and there’s even an ancient library, a place where you can really read!
One of the most beautiful small attractions in Wuzhen, it feels like a mini garden, very beautiful~
Behind the stone archway is Zhaoming Academy, named after Xiao Tong, the Crown Prince of Liang during the Southern Dynasties, who studied in Wuzhen. He compiled the "Wenxuan," also known as "Zhaoming Wenxuan," the earliest extant collection of Han Chinese poetry and prose.
The main building of Zhaoming Academy is Wuzhen Library, which has a collection of books and magazines on culture, social sciences, art, leisure and tourism for reading. It also has an electronic reading room, lecture hall, calligraphy and painting, classrooms, etc.
Named after Xiao Tong, the Prince of Liang during the Southern Dynasties, who studied in Wuzhen, this is the largest library in a Chinese ancient town. The main entrance features a stone archway with the inscription "Six Dynasties Relics" from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. The main building houses the Zhaoming Academy Library, housing over 10,000 books. Adjacent to the library is the Fufeng Pavilion Bookstore, which features a waterfront terrace and brick-painted ink and brush calligraphy desks in the corridors. It's a tranquil place to immerse yourself in the cultural atmosphere of Wuzhen. Send a blessing to the students by the wishing plaque at the entrance.
The place where Prince Zhaoming once studied is quite quiet. Zhaoming is considered to be a very talented prince in Chinese history. The Zhaoming Wenxuan he compiled has been passed down to this day, which shows his achievements in literary history.
Zhaoming Academy. The last time I went there, it was during the Drama Festival Carnival. The singers sang very well. Here is a summer photo~
It’s okay to take a look at the place where the prince studied.
Overall: This is a place I really like. I went to Xizha in Wuzhen twice.
Views: I think it's fantastic! The vegetation is well-preserved. Everything is so harmonious and quaint. You can go inside to explore the layout of Zhaoming Academy. There's a baggage storage area at the entrance; please be prepared with a 1-yuan coin. Both the front and back yards are meticulously designed!
Local: It's a must-see for tourists. Even if it's just for a quick check-in, you have to go!
Zhaoming Academy is named after Xiao Tong, the Crown Prince of the Southern Liang Dynasty, who studied in Wuzhen. Xiao Tong edited and compiled "Wenxuan," my country's first anthology of poetry and prose. It's rich in humanistic flair, and you can even write in it using ink, though water is used.
This is where people used to study. Old tables and chairs. I took a quick look.
There are actually books inside that you can read, and the atmosphere is very Jiangnan.
Zhaoming Academy is named after Xiao Tong, Prince Zhaoming of the Southern Liang Dynasty, who studied in Wuzhen. Facing south, the academy features a two-story, gabled-roofed building with a semi-circular corridor. It is the largest library in a Chinese ancient town. The lobby displays a statue of Prince Zhaoming and profiles of Wuzhen cultural figures. The main entrance features a stone archway from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, emblazoned with the inscription "Six Dynasties Relics." The main building houses the Zhaoming Academy Library, which boasts a continuously expanding collection of over 10,000 books and magazines covering culture, social sciences, art, leisure, and travel. The first floor houses a reading room named after Wuzhen contemporary art master Mu Xin, as well as conference rooms, an electronic reading room, lecture halls, calligraphy and painting studios, and classrooms. Adjacent to the library is the Fufeng Pavilion Bookstore, which offers a waterfront terrace and brick-lined ink and brush calligraphy platforms in the corridors. It offers a tranquil retreat for those visiting Wuzhen to immerse themselves in its cultural atmosphere.
Zhaoming Academy is named after Xiao Tong, the Prince of Liang during the Southern Dynasty, who studied in Wuzhen. The academy faces south and is a complex of two-story, gabled-roofed ancient buildings with semi-circular corridors.
Inside the Xizha Scenic Area, there is an ancient library where you need to store your bags before entering.
Very good, I like this attraction very much~
It is said to be the place where Prince Zhaoming studied. It also houses the Xizha Library and the Mao Dun Literature Award Exhibition Hall.
I went there in the morning, I was the only one there, it was very quiet, I saw a family having dinner, they must be living in the library. I didn't seem to see the place where the books were stored, I guess I didn't visit it
Now the library in Wuzhen Scenic Area also has a bookstore and electronic reading room.
Zhaoming Academy is named after Xiao Tong, the Crown Prince of the Southern Liang Dynasty, who studied in Wuzhen. Facing south, the academy consists of two-story, half-circular corridors and a gabled roof.
Zhaoming Academy is named after Xiao Tong, the Crown Prince of the Southern Liang Dynasty, who studied in Wuzhen. Xiao Tong edited and compiled the Wenxuan, my country's first anthology of poetry and prose. For a long time, Wenxuan, along with later works like Guwenguanzhi and the Collection of Essays by the Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song, were essential literary readings for ancient scholars, exerting a profound influence.
Zhaoming Academy is located in the west section of Wuzhen. The academy is antique and has a lot of flavor. It is quite large and is also a historical site that is well preserved.
There is a filming location for an episode of Running Brothers, it feels good. There is a library inside
Shao Ming Academy, Shao Ming Academy, Shao Ming Academy,
Then a place with knowledge is not suitable for me.
Zhaoming Academy is one of the attractions in Wuzhen, with a strong sense of history.
Zhaoming Academy, located in Xizha, Wuzhen, is the largest library in an ancient town in China.
When I got to the door, it was already closed, so I just looked at it from the door.
Zhaoming Academy is named after Xiao Tong, the Crown Prince of the Southern Liang Dynasty, who studied in Wuzhen. Facing south, the academy consists of two-story, gabled-roofed buildings with semi-circular corridors. The main building houses the library, housing a collection of books and magazines on culture, social sciences, art, leisure, and travel. It also features an electronic reading room, lecture halls, a calligraphy and painting studio, and classrooms. Behind the academy is an exhibition hall dedicated to Mao Dun Literature Prize-winning writers and their works.
This quaint academy, nestled in the West Bank of Wuzhen, perfectly complements the town's character, and the air is filled with the rich aroma of books. Besides the common themes found in other academies, it also features dedicated sections on Mao Dun Literature Prize winners. I spent a considerable amount of time there, exploring the detailed profiles of authors, from Liu Xinwu, author of "Bell and Drum Tower" (also a favorite Redology scholar), to "Furong Town," and on to "The Ordinary World" (written by my fellow villager, the young Lu Yao), and even Alai, author of "Dust Settles." A visit to Zhaoming Academy offers a chance to experience the rich cultural heritage of this waterside village, while also enriching one's knowledge. It's truly a win-win situation!
You can check this out, it varies from person to person, maybe you will be surprised
The place where the prince studied was so huge... Flowers, plants, pavilions and towers. You can imagine how luxurious the people in the palace were in those years... Now there is a place similar to a library or bookstore in it, where you can read books or buy books... Compared to other places in Xizha, this place is really quiet...
I love visiting the library. I used to go there whenever I wasn't busy. Don't think I'm studious, I usually read ghost stories, haha. And then I often encountered deaf-mute children tapping me and asking me to buy handmade jewelry, which scared me to death~~
This is my first time to visit such an ancient library. I suddenly wanted to stand in front of the window and write a poem, and then, nothing else happened!
Zhaomingyuan is also a library, which houses a large collection of books.
Yes, they are all tourists, but they are not very clear about the historical significance
It was so quiet inside that it was scary. My bestie and I stayed there for a while and then left. It was different from what I imagined. It was just a library. I thought there would be traces of Prince Zhaoming's life preserved there, but it seems there are none... Now it's just a library... But it's nice to sit inside and read quietly when you're tired~
Zhaoming Academy is located in the west section of Wuzhen. The academy is antique and has a lot of flavor. It is quite large and is also a historical site that is well preserved.
This academy is very ordinary, similar to the museums you see during your travels. If you like flowers, plants, and literature, you can skip it.
Beautiful, very nice environment. Beautiful, very nice environment.
Overall, this attraction is just average!!
Zhaoming Academy is named after Xiao Tong, the Prince of Liang during the Southern Dynasty, who studied there. It's now a library, so you can leave your bag at the entrance and then go in for a quick read.
Maybe I accidentally walked out through the side door or something, it felt so big. To enter the legendary library, you have to check in your bag and so on, so I thought it was troublesome and didn't go in.
I visit Wuzhen every year for a relaxing break, and I've been there no fewer than five times. I've stayed at waterfront guesthouses twice, but the overall value wasn't great. The rest of the time, I've stayed at Zhaoming Shushe, a very affordable hotel that usually requires booking a month in advance. It's a quiet and elegant retreat nestled in the city. The Shusheng mutton stall in the alleyway is absolutely amazing—a must-try in autumn and winter. I've visited all of Wuzhen's attractions more than a dozen times, most recently with my 50D and 1740 lens. Feel free to ask me any questions.
Upon entering the main gate, a wooden screen wall frames a statue of Xiao Tong. Xiao Tong, Prince Zhaoming of the Southern Liang Dynasty, compiled the first anthology of Chinese poetry and prose, "Selected Works of Zhaoming." Walking past the screen wall and into the inner courtyard, one gazes upon a stone archway dating from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, inscribed with the words "Six Dynasties Relics," with the inscription "Study Place of Prince Zhaoming of Liang and Minister Shen." Minister Shen was Prince Zhaoming's teacher, Shen Yue, a leading figure in the literary world of the Qi and Liang dynasties, and author of "History of the Song Dynasty." It had just rained, and the stone pavement was damp and slightly stagnant, but the sunlight shone brightly. The courtyard was deserted, save for the cleaning staff, wearing conical hats and blue shirts, who alone took in the magnificent scenery.