Jinsha Academy: A New Maritime Silk Road Landmark in Layered Courtyards

Xiamen Jinsha Academy was established in 1548 as a Portuguese trading post and later converted into a maritime academy  by Neo-Confucian scholar Lin Xiyuan. It once reprinted the Mappa Universalis, the earliest known Chinese map to reach Europe. In 2024, architect Wang Shu reconstructed the site using a layered‑courtyards design that blends red‑brick tradition with oceanic motifs. Today it stands as a cultural landmark showcasing Maritime Silk Road heritage and cross‑strait exchange.