Hsin Kang Township was one of the earliest settlements in Taiwan . In year 15 of the Dao Guang period of Qing, local gentry such as General Wang De-Lu, Prefect of Sheng, and Magistrate of Chia Yi County took the initiative in raising money to promote the love of culture and learning.

Wang De-Lu donated eight hundred silver dollars first and other local people followed suit. Native-born recommended scholars, tribute scholars, government scholars, imperial academy scholars, merchants, and illustrious people all volunteered to contribute. The money collected in total was more than five thousand silver dollars. The construction work of the Deng Yun Academy was finished without hindrance. Wang De-Lu was regarded as the facilitator of the founding of the Academy.

“The Stele of Honor Roll of the Deng Yun Academy Construction Fund Donors”	The portrait of General Wang De-Lu

Wang De-Lu, alias Bai Qiu, also called Yu Feng, hailed from Gou Wei Hamlet, West Fortress, Zhu Lou County (present-day Tai Bao Township , Chia Yi County). His ancestors came from Nan Cheng County , Jian Chang Prefecture , Jiang Xi Province. He was born in year 35 of the Qian Long period ( 1770 C .E.). He was 72 when he died in December, year 21 of the Dao Guang period ( 1841 C .E.). 　

The tomb of General Wang De-Lu	The stele besides the tomb

Wang De-Lu in his adolescence fancied the arts of war delineated by Sun Zi and Wu Zi. Having lost his mother when he was a child, he was brought up by his sister-in-law whose family name was Xu and at 15, went to a military school. When he was 17, Lin Shuang-Wen led a uprising in central Taiwan and took Chia Yi. Wang went to Tai Nan, the seat of a prefecture, and recruited 500 volunteer militias.

In the next year, fighting under the leadership of General Fu Kang-An, he recovered Chia Yi. For his victory in the battle, Wang was rewarded the rank of “Battalion Commander” and honored with a cap decorated with peacock feathers by the government.

Besides fighting on the battlefield, Wang also attached great importance to local affairs and education. Many people became displaced and hungry due to wars. Wang set up a charity granary to bring relief to the people. In education, to enlighten the younger generation, he and local gentry raised money to build an academy. Its name “Deng Yun” implied Wang Der-Lu's meteoric rise in the government hierarchy.