Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Yuelu Academy in Changsha

Complete Guide to Visiting Yuélù Academy in Changsha

So one morning, I took a taxi from Wuyi Square, cost me 28 yuan, took about 25 minutes, stuck a little around the statue of Huang Xing. After getting to Hunan University subway station, it was just a 5-minute walk to see the big sign saying "Yuélù Academy." The slope of Yuélù Mountain is way gentler than I expected, and the ginkgo trees were just starting to turn yellow. The air had that refreshing pine scent after the rain, super revitalizing.

📍 Where is Yuélù Academy? How to get there?

• Subway: Line 4 to Hunan University Station, exit through gate 2, right into the university playground, then walk 500 meters up the slope following the archway.
• Taxi: Just direct it to "Yuélù Academy North Gate." Taxis can only drop you off under the arch, then you gotta walk the rest up the mountain on a stone path with some shade, it’s not too sunny.
• Bus: Routes L1, L3, and Lishan special lines all stop at "Yuélù Mountain South Station," then it’s a 7-8 minute walk.

🚪 At the Entrance: Those Couplets Got Me Feeling Small

The gate isn’t high, gray walls with black tiles, and the plaque reads “Yuélù Academy” in characters by Song Zhenzong. But what really got me was the couplets on either side—

“Only Chu has talent, this is where it flourishes”

Reading those eight characters made me feel a bit intimidated, like I don't deserve to walk through this door if I haven't read enough books. There's a voice-guided tour rental nearby; you can scan a WeChat QR code for 15 yuan, put on the headphones, and listen while you walk, no need to crowd around the human guides.

📖 Lecture Hall: Standing on the Tiles Zhu Xi Walked On

Crossing the Scholar’s Bridge leads to the lecture hall, and looking up, I see the plaque saying “Seek Truth from Facts.” Right below it, a stone stele reads "Loyalty, Filial Piety, Integrity, and Frugality." Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi once debated right at those wooden tables. That day, sunlight streamed down from the skylight like a spotlight. I picked up bits of the audio guide and learned that the tiles are over 600 years old; stepping on them makes a creaking sound, and I silently thought “What a sin.”

🏛️ Chinese Academy Museum: Don’t Skip This!

To the left of the lecture hall is a replica ancient building; looks brand new, but actually, it’s the only museum in the country dedicated to the history of academies. The first floor shows the timeline from the Tang to the Qing dynasties with old textbooks and inkstones, while the second floor has electronic screens restoring scenes from the Song dynasty lectures. My favorite was the interactive quiz machine; after answering ten questions, you get a “graduation photo” that can be sent to your email, a cool freebie to remember the place.

📚 Yu Book Building: Perfect for Pictures, But No Noise

A three-story wooden structure with flying eaves, it’s empty inside now, once held imperial blessings from Qianlong, but now just displays replicas. The best photo spot is at the entrance steps, where you get the eaves and the sky in the angle. I got a great nine-square grid cover photo there.

🪦 Tombstone of Lushan Temple: Just for the Show

There’s a giant tombstone standing in a corner, sheltered under glass, and you can see inscriptions by famous artists across generations. Honestly, I didn’t really understand it, but the guide said the inscriptions are original from the Tang Dynasty and were re-carved in the Song Dynasty, so I just walked around it to check in.

🌊 Bai Quan Pavilion: A Great Spot to Chill

There’s a small square pond behind the pavilion, with rockeries, flowing water, and moss. This is where the heads of the academy, kind of like principals, stayed. I arrived at 1 PM when there were barely any people around. The long corridor had a nice breeze, so I just plunked down on a stone bench, munched on some bread, and watched an old man squatting there taking pictures of koi—did not want to leave, it was so comfy.

🍁 Aiwan Pavilion: You've Got to Climb Up Here

Head out the back gate of the academy and climb another couple hundred stairs. The pavilion has a spired roof with four red pillars backed by Yuélù Mountain, the plaque “Aiwan Pavilion” is in Mao's handwriting, super recognizable. When I got there, the trees weren’t all red yet, but a gentle breeze still blew down a few maple leaves. The pavilion isn’t large, if you stand 10 people in it, it’s full, and you have to wait for the ladies in front to finish their little video shoot before you can snap a pic.

🎫 Ticket Prices, Reservations, and Operating Hours (Quick Table)

ID and QR code checks at the gate, student IDs can also link electronically; don’t forget your documents, or you’ll have to buy a full-price ticket at the window.

⚠️ Pitfalls I Encountered, So You Don’t Have To

• Go in the morning! It gets super crowded in the afternoons, you’ll struggle to find a spot in the lecture hall.
• Bring water, there’s only a small shop next to the Yu Book Building, selling Nongfu Spring water for 5 yuan—way overpriced.
• Don’t buy a ticket again when exiting. The path from the back gate to Aiwan Pavilion is free; don’t circle back to the main entrance.
• Wear dark-colored clothes for photos; gray walls and black tiles show off lighter colors perfectly.
• Audio guide is 15 yuan per use; don’t choose the 50 yuan group tour at the entrance, can’t hear a thing with all the people.

So, that's it! Spent just about two and a half hours visiting Yuélù Academy, then I rushed to the subway and grabbed a cup of tea from Tea Yan Relax, what a perfect way to recharge!