history
Shuyuan were the elite private Confucian academies of imperial China, flourishing from the Tang through Qing dynasties. The 'Four Great Academies' (四大书院, sì dà shūyuàn) of the Song included Yuelu, White Deer Grotto (白鹿洞, Báilùdòng), Songyang and Yingtian. Many were re-founded as modern museums and tourist sites.
