Plan at a glance
Cross the covered bridge to the island
Bailuzhou Academy is on Bailuzhou Island in the Gan River, at No. 248 Yanjiang Road in Jizhou District. When normally open, the academy is free to visit and does not require a reservation. As of September 2026, however, the academy and its covered bridge are temporarily closed because the Gan River water level has risen; the reopening date will be announced by the Ji’an Museum.
Once the site reopens, opening arrangements, including Monday access, should be checked in the latest Ji’an Museum notice. Do not set out for the island route until the bridge and academy are confirmed open.
A one- or two-hour visit after reopening
Once open, the route from the covered bridge through Zhuangyuan Bridge and Lingxing Gate to Fengyue Tower and Yunzhang Pavilion takes about one hour. Adding Panyue Pond (泮月池), Fengyuan Hall, and Daoxin Hall takes about two hours. The covered bridge and island walk are the required first section of either route, and flood-season conditions or a rising Gan River can close the bridge temporarily.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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Academy buildings and river-island views
The main sights are Fengyue Tower, the Yunzhang Pavilion library, Zhuangyuan Bridge, which symbolises the carp leaping over the Dragon Gate, and the Lingxing Gate archway. Fengyue Tower looks over the Gan River, while Zhuangyuan Bridge, the covered bridge, and Panyue Pond (泮月池) connect the buildings with their island setting.
A history and education route
Bailuzhou Academy is one of the Four Great Academies of Jiangxi and is associated with Wen Tianxiang’s education. Choose the longer route if you are interested in academy architecture and local education history; the shorter route works for a brief walk through the island’s main buildings.
Who will enjoy the visit
Families can make a short cultural visit around Zhuangyuan Bridge, Lingxing Gate, and the academy buildings. The site also suits visitors who enjoy quiet walking and photography. Bailuzhou Academy shares the site with Bailuzhou Middle School, so school areas and classroom activities are not visitor attractions; keep your voice low and stay within the visitor areas.
For a separate evening waterfront and cruise experience, see Dreaming of Luling.
Build your day
The one-hour main-building route
Once the bridge and academy reopen, walk from the riverbank across the covered bridge, continue to Zhuangyuan Bridge and Lingxing Gate, then visit Fengyue Tower and Yunzhang Pavilion before returning to the bridge. The light is often softer from 15:00 to 17:00 for photographs of the bridge, archway, and buildings, but confirm that the site is still open.
The two-hour full route
Once the bridge and academy reopen, add Panyue Pond (泮月池), Fengyuan Hall, and Daoxin Hall to the main-building route. Fengyue Tower is the higher point for river views, while Lingxing Gate works well for a front-facing archway photograph. Keep photography within the academy’s visitor areas and away from school activities.
Leave the island before visiting nearby stops
After the visit, leave through the covered bridge before continuing to Gu Qingyuantai (古青原台, the Bell-and-Drum Tower) across the road, or to Luling Cultural Ecology Park and the Hou River area. If the bridge is closed, these connections cannot be made as an island visit, so confirm the bridge status before setting out.
Get there
Bus, taxi, and parking
Take bus 2 or 9 to the Bailuzhou Academy stop, then walk about five minutes to the covered bridge. A taxi from central Ji’an takes about 10–15 minutes and usually costs CNY 15 or less. If driving, navigate to the Bailuzhou Academy car park; spaces may be limited, especially during holidays.
The navigation point on the riverbank is not the end of the route: visitors still need to cross the covered bridge. When the site reopens, check both the bridge and academy status before relying on the free, no-reservation visit.
Know before you go
School grounds, wind, and water
Bailuzhou Academy shares the site with Bailuzhou Middle School. Keep quiet, do not enter classroom activity areas, and stay with the academy’s visitor route. The island can be windy, there is no convenience shop on the island, and it is useful to carry drinking water and a light jacket.
Monday, flood season, and river levels
As of September 2026, the covered bridge and academy are temporarily closed because of the rising Gan River water level; the Ji’an Museum will announce the reopening date. After reopening, check the latest notice for Monday access and other hours. During flood season or when the Gan River level rises, do not begin the one- or two-hour island route unless the bridge is open.
Food and seasonal displays
Nengren Lane and Rulinli offer local snacks such as Ji’an fried rice noodles and fried dough sticks, as well as Luling Jicha (庐陵吉茶) drinks. Red lanterns, festival atmosphere, and night-time decorations depend on the event schedule and are not fixed throughout the year.