Qiongtai Academy Travel Guide

Located on Wenzhuang Road in Qiongshan City, the Qiongtai Academy was established in commemoration of Qiu Jin, believed to be the most brilliant scholar in Hainan and a renowned Ming Dynasty academic.

The construction of Qiongtai City began in the 44th year of the reign of Kangxi in Qing Dynasty (1705). The two-storey main building is made of brick and wood and is rich in traditional ethnic characteristics. Now 280 years have passed, but the academy is as elegant as it was in its prime days. Exquisitely ornamented with carved beams and painted rafters, the Tower of the God of Literature (Kuixinglou) in the academy still stands calmly under the cooling shade of green trees. Kuixing Lou Building is the main building and it was once believed to be the god of examinations and the building was named after Kuixing to "help" the students who trained here to win the imperial examinations. The building is a typical Chinese brick-and-wood structure architecture with two floors. Green tiles, red corridors, carved beams and painted rafters are splendidly set off by the green trees which surround the building.

Features
The well-preserved academy is now the site of Qiongtai Teachers´ Training School. The lavishly inscribed pillars inside the academy, together with its green surroundings, transform the area a peaceful and secluded spot. The academy became celebrated after a well-known Cantonese and Qiong drama was written based on events there.