Shanchuan Academy in Yongjia county, Zhejiang province [Photo/66wz.com]

A rural academy featuring the architectural style of ancient Chinese buildings has become an attractive scene in Shankeng village of Yongjia county, Zhejiang since its opening on Jan 26.

Shanchuan Academy, where locals and visitors can participate in various cultural and entertaining activities, is a building complex designed by Lyu Chenchen, a graduate student from Harvard University, and financed by the local government and villagers, with the aim of rejuvenating rural culture.

The idea of building the academy was raised by Lyu Qingxing, the designer's father, who was born and grew up in Shankeng village.

The man said he has been deeply influenced by the profound culture of Yongjia since he was a little child. However, as the society is developing in a fast pace, he found many villagers have lost their cultural beliefs.

Qingxing thought the rejuvenation of rural culture is much more important than the improvement of infrastructures and claimed that culture is the source of a village's vitality. He decided to build an academy where cultural education and creation are accessible to the public.

His proposal got support from his daughter, a professional in architecture. Though studying in the far-off United States, Chenchen undertook the design work of the academy and paid a few visits to Shankeng village. She hoped to make the building different by referring to ancient Chinese buildings and applying traditional crafts such as bamboo weaving in the design.

The construction got underway with the government's appropriation and villagers' donations in 2016 and after two years, the academy was completed and opened to the public for free.

An official from Yongjia's publicity department said the academy is not just promoting the traditional Chinese culture, but also nourishing the villagers' spiritual world.