A Half-Day Tour of Yuelu Academy and Aiwan Pavilion: Experience a Thousand Years of History and Culture
Yuelu Academy x Aiwan Pavilion Half-Day Trip: My First Time Really Walking Through "History"
Last Friday, I spontaneously decided to head to Changsha by myself, arriving at the entrance of Yuelu Academy around 2 PM. I just wanted to wander around a bit, but accidentally signed up for a two-hour small group session called "Big Shot Talks." To my surprise, my phone's photo gallery and my brain were both overloaded by the end of the afternoon. I’ll lay out the most authentic itinerary from that day, including pitfalls, photo ops, and food options—all you need to do is follow along.
My Real Timeline for the Day
| Time | Location | What I Did | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00-14:10 | Academy Main Gate Ticket Square | Scanned code to buy ticket (40 yuan), grabbed audio guide | Gather 5 minutes early, stand at the front if it’s not crowded |
| 14:10-16:10 | Yuelu Academy | Followed the guide through 3 main themes | No backtracking, exits are single direction |
| 16:15-16:40 | Aiwan Pavilion | Crazy snap session of maple trees and the pavilion's reflection | Gets crowded after 5, so arrive early |
| 16:45-17:15 | Deng Gao Road Snack Street | “Old Man's Sugar Fried Dough Balls” + Tea Yan Yue Se | Cash or WeChat are fine, the line moves super fast |
Trip Highlights: Traversing the Millennia of the Academy
The guide’s first words snapped me awake: “Today we’re not taking the textbook route; we’re walking the path that ancient students took to school.” The whole event really felt like I was time-traveling back to being an ancient student.
1. Central Axis: A C-Position Check-in Through Time
- Hexi Terrace: Right at the entrance, you see huge “Fortune” and “Longevity” inscriptions. The guide suggested standing directly below at a 45° angle for a great shot, and the red walls turned into a stunning backdrop.
- Lecture Hall: There’s always a line of people snapping pics of the “Xue Da Xing Tian” plaque. I squeezed in and touched the stone, the words “Seek truth from facts” are carved here, and it hit harder than hearing any university president say it a thousand times.
- Imperial Book Building: We normally can't get too close, but we were taken into the side corridor to sneak a peek at the real “Complete Library of the Four Treasuries” behind glass. The guide pointed out a hole, whispering, “That’s from when the Japanese bombed it, and it’s never been repaired.” Total chills!
2. Memorial Buildings: Dialoguing with the Ancestors
- Wen Temple: The only independent Wen Temple in all academies nationwide. You receive an electronic incense stick before entering, but don’t actually light it; it’s just for the vibe. The red walls and green tiles are great for photos, but make sure not to block anyone else’s incense path while shooting.
- Chuan Shan Shrine: A tiny room where the guide spent ten minutes discussing Wang Fuzhi's “materialism spark,” which translates today to “don’t be fooled by surface appearances”—I actually jotted down notes, can you believe it?
3. Garden Secrets: Poetry and Philosophy Combined
- Bi Zhaoguan Yu (Watch Fish at the Green Pond): Just a rectangular pond, but the tree shadows in the water look like a puzzle. The guide suggested keeping your phone very close to the water surface when taking photos to create that effect of fish swimming in the sky. I tried it and it worked!
- Shi Wu Pavilion: An old classroom left from the Reform Movement, with Liang Qichao’s calligraphy still hanging on the wall. The lighting inside is pretty dim, so use wide-angle and flash to light things up, or it’ll just be silhouettes.
Trip Bonus: Aiwan Pavilion + Hidden Gems of Hunan University
Around 4 PM the tour wrapped up, and the guide pointed out a little path, “Walk straight for 5 minutes, and you’ll find Aiwan Pavilion, no need to thank me.” I dashed over and sure enough, the pavilion was empty. Aiwan Pavilion isn’t very big, but the surrounding maple trees form a natural frame. Best shot: Stand on the third step, overlap the pavilion’s top with the tree branches, and shoot vertically for a great pic.
After that, I wandered out to the west gate, which leads directly to Hunan University’s “main campus.” There’s no gate, you can hop on a little electric scooter and just zoom into the campus. I recommend checking out these three spots:
- Strike a “Yay” pose in front of the Chairman Mao statue (it takes just 10 seconds).
- Snap a pic in the side passage of the old red-brick library—looks like a movie set in the backlight.
- Walk down Deng Gao Road; the street’s full of snack stalls with things like sweet fried dough balls, stinky tofu, chicken bundles, and perilla peach ginger—all just 10-15 yuan.
How to Avoid Pitfalls During the 2-Hour Adventure – A Quick Checklist
| Task | My Pitfall | What to Do Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket Booking | I had to wait 10 minutes to buy on-site | Buy in advance on a mini-program/market to scan right in |
| Guide Reservation | Almost ended up in a group of 40 that was too noisy | Search for "Big Shot Talks Yuelu Academy" directly, 15-person small group + headset, so you can ask questions anytime |
| Photography Gear | I only had my phone, everything backlit was pitch black | Wide-angle + portrait dual lenses, use HDR for backlighting and you’re golden |
| Outfit | My light colored clothes blended into the red walls | Solid dark colors or Hanfu, they’ll pop against the red walls |
| Peak Return Time | Waited in line for 50 minutes for a taxi in the evening | Just walk 10 minutes to the Hunan University subway station; it’s less crowded and cheaper |
That’s how I spent an afternoon by myself with just a bag, walking from “Seek Truth from Facts” to “Parking and Sitting to Love the Maple Forest Evening,” with only 15% battery left on my phone, but my mind was filled with the knowledge of a thousand-year-old academy.
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