Kinmen Travel

Yannan Academy used to be called Yannan Yuan, a subsidiary of Taiwenyan Temple which worships the black faced Qingshui Ancestor God. Allegedly, Yannan Academy was where Song dynasty scholar Zhu Xi lectured. It is an important location of culture and education in Kinmen. Zhu Xi, during his time as vice county chief, promoted learning and education. As a result, there were many certified scholars from Kinmen in Ming and Qing dynasties.

Taiwenyan Temple, along with Taiwushan Haiyin Temple, Tianpu Chenghuang Temple, Jincheng Nanmen Xianglian Temple, and Anqian Enzhugong Temple, are called the five famous temples of Kinmen.

After the renovation in 2012, Yannan Academy is a Hui-shaped structure. The front hall is the temple dedicated to black faced Qingshui Ancestor God while the back hall is dedicated to worshiping gods that are related to studying and exams such as Wenchang Dijun, Zhu Xi, and Kuixing. The rooms on the left and right, following the original layout, become exhibition and activity space, with calligraphy works on display and books available for visitors to read. Outside of the Academy, there is a giant scroll shaped art installation that is a popular social media check-in spot. Yannan Academy’s higher altitude location makes it a great spot for overlooking downtown Kinmen and Xiamen.