Shang Xiang (), was a school founded in the Yu Shun (??) era in China. Shun (?, 2257 BCE?2208 BCE), the Emperor of the Kingdom of Yu (?, or ??/Youyu), founded two schools. One was Shang Xiang (shang (?), means up, high), and the other one was Xia Xiang (??, xia (?) means down, low)^[1]. Shang Xiang was a place to educate noble youth. Teachers at Shang Xiang were generally erudite, elder and noble persons.

The original meaning of Xiang (?) is provide for (?), and Xiang, including Shang Xiang and Xia Xiang, were initially places to provide for the aged persons, and then became places for aged persons with their knowledge and experiences to teach youth.

Shang Xiang may be the precursor of the higher education institute of Guo Xue (??, National School, or Imperial School, the nation's supreme school) in China. Cheng Jun (??) was another ancient institution with educational function before the Xia Dynasty as recorded in literature ^[2]. The imperial school was named Taixue (??) in Han Dynasty. From Sui Dynasty to Qing Dynasty it was named Guozijian (???).

Shang Xiang was also one of the five national schools in the capital city in Zhou Dynasty. The other four were: Pi Yong (??), Dong Xu (??), Gu Zong (??) and Cheng Jun (??). Pi Yong was a central school, located in a central location, and was an imperial school. Dong Xu was an eastern school, Cheng Jun was a southern school, Gu Zong was a western school, and Shang Xiang was a northern school. These four schools were for seigneurs. The schools in the Zhou Dynasty mainly taught the Six Arts (??): Li (?, convenance), Yue (?, music), She (?, archery), Yu (?, charioteering), Shu (?, literature), Shu (?, maths).

References

1. ↑ Classic of Rites·System of King: Youyushi (Yu) provided for noble elders in Shang Xiang, and provided for plebeian elders in Xia Xiang. Zheng Xuan: Shang Xiang was a Daxue (??, great study, big school, today it translates to English as university) and it's located in the west of of capital city (???·????????????????????????????????????????).
2. ↑ Dong Zhongshu: The Five Emperors named Daxue as Cheng Jun and it is similar to Xiang in Yu era (??????????????????????).