educational institution in medieval China, established during the *Tang Dynasty, which eventually stood outside the formal government schools. This term was first used by the Tang emperor *Xuanzong (reigned 712-756) in the name of the Academy of elegance and accuracy (//Lizheng dian shuyuan//), the precursor of the *Jixian Academy. //Shuyuan// starts as a state institution. However, gradually it began the centre in seclusion, where scholars and students focused on learning and study in “quiet sitting” (*jingzuo). These academies were centres, where students were preparing for exams within the *imperial examination system, but also became centres for the Confucian learning, focusing on personal learning and self-improvement. The form of private academies, however, can be traced back to the *Han Dynasty, when //*jingshe// academies existed. Since the *Song dynasty the number of //shuyuan// academies, founded by the private scholars especially for classical learning, grew rapidly. The Song era //shuyuan//, often with some state support, have played an important role in the development of *Neo-Confucianism. During the Northern Sung Dynasty six major //shuyuan// academies were founded: the *White Deer Grotto Academy, the Academy of Stone Drum (//Shigu Shuyuan//), the Songyang Academy (//Songyang Shuyuan//), the Yingtian Academy (//Yingtian Shuyuan//), *Yuelu Academy, and the Maoshan Academy (//Maoshan Shuyuan//). The White Deer Grotto Academy, which was reestablished by the Neo-Confucian scholar *Zhu Xi, was a model for the other. During the Northern Song Dynasty about fifty academies //shuyuan// were established and in the Southern Song Dynasty another 140 academies were founded. Thus they were able to satisfy the need of the education of young people and their preparation for the examinations, until the government was able to establish a sufficient number of schools at the local, district, prefectural, and national levels. During the *Yuan Dynasty these academies were providing education for young people at all levels. In the *Ming and *Qing dynasties also a large number of //shuyuan// were created, but most of them were eventually transformed into a state-controlled part of the educational and examination system. The //shuyuan// academies lasted until 1901, when they were canceled. Some of theme became universities, the other high schools, public libraries, or museums. About 7,000 //shuyuan// academies are recorded during the imperial period as total. In Korea and Japan, the //shuyuan// academies were important centres of Confucian teaching, as well. In the period of Neo-Confucianism //shuyuan// were closest to the monastic ideal in the whole period of the Confucian tradition. They were havens for a quiet study, meditation, and discussion with like-minded people. They formed a community which sought to achieve the same goal of wisdom in a quiet and disciplined state, as well. These academies also adopted, in many respects, the Confucian ceremonial tradition. They were shrines of *Confucius and his followers and the regular rites of sacrifice took place in them. In the history of the //shuyuan// academies, there was also a time when a group of scholars from a academy held various political positions. Examples are the activities of *Donglin Academy in the late Ming period. (Vladimír Liščák)