Wansong Academy

Located on the serene northeast slopes of Phoenix Hill, Wansong Academy (万松书院) was once a thriving center of scholarship in ancient Hangzhou. The academy was the largest and most influential of its kind from the 13th century to the early 20th century and stood out as the lord of China's top four academies.

Despite the record number of scholars that passed through the stone arches of the academy, the name “Wansong” is most famous for two of its more mediocre students - a pair of star-crossed young “Butterfly Lovers” who rose to literary fame as the Chinese equivalent of Romeo and Juliet. Although no longer in use as a school, the campus underwent a facelift in 2002, and visitors today can see the treasures of classical tools once “used” by the lovers. The legend of the Butterfly Lovers is the reason that most Chinese visit the academy, and recent times have seen many Chinese parents making a pilgrimage to the academy on Saturday mornings in the hope of finding a suitable match for their children.

Hours: 7:30-17:00

Address: 81 Wansongling Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou

Telephone: +86 571 86079490