As an academy even older than University of Cambridge, the great wisdom, “seeking truth from facts”, took root here

CHANGSHA, China, Oct. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — This is a report from Hunan Today: At the foot of Yuelu Mountain, Yuelu Academy’s red gate stands with the old couplet “Only Chu Has Talents, and Here They Shine Most.” Two young women in Hanfu—Ying and Shi—met American scholar Professor Xia (who’s studied Hunan culture for 7 years) here. Xia explained the couplet’s meaning and shared the academy’s history: it’s 300 years older than Oxford, and great minds like Zhu Xi and Mao Zedong once sought truth here. Ying asked Xia to guide them, and he agreed, changing into a scholar’s robe.

They walked the central path past three gates. Xia told Shi each gate had a role: greeting guests, reminding rules, calming minds. He explained the second gate’s inscription (from Records of the Grand Historian) meant the academy used nature to help students focus. In the lecture hall, Xia said two chairs honored the 1167 “Zhu-Zhang Debate,” where scholars argued but found common ground. He also talked about the “Seek Truth from Facts” plaque—written in 1917, it shaped young Mao (who lived here 1917-1919). In the courtyard, Xia shared Hunan’s “Unity of Knowledge and Action” spirit: “Act, don’t just know.”

As the sun set, they said goodbye. Ying thanked Xia, noting she now saw culture in the academy’s stories. Shi said, “Culture has no borders—we’ll pass this on.” Watching them leave, Xia whispered, “This legacy is with the young!” Wind rustled trees, cheering the cultural handover.

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SOURCE Hunan Today

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