Academies were part of the educational institutions of the Sung (960-1279), an era in China marked by profound changes in economy, technology, thought, and social and political order. This study explains the phenomenon in the light of the changes in society and in intellectual circles.

This is the first comprehensive look at the Sung academy movement. It explains the phenomenon not only as a product of intellectual changes, but also as part of broader social, economic, political, and cultural transformations taking place in Sung China.