Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy 孔庙和国子监Kǒngmiào hé Guózǐjiàn

Why go to Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy

On Guozijian Street, a short walk west of the Lama Temple, Beijing's Temple of Confucius, first built in 1302, stands beside the Guozijian, or Imperial Academy, the highest seat of learning under the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Wander the temple's courtyards of old cypresses and carved stone tablets (steles), then cross into the academy, with its Biyong Hall ringed by a round pool, and see the Qianlong Stone Classics, 189 steles carved with the Confucian classics.

The story

Lining the temple's front courtyard, 198 steles record the names, home towns and rankings of 51,624 jinshi, the scholars who passed the highest level of the imperial civil-service examinations under the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Next door, in 1785, the Qianlong Emperor held a grand lecture in the academy's newly finished Biyong Hall.

What to see at Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy

• Stele courtyard 进士题名碑: Rows of stone tablets in the front courtyard carved with the names of imperial-exam graduates; look for how each stele lists a year and a roll of names.
• Gate of Great Accomplishment 大成门: Home to carved stone drums made under the Qianlong Emperor in imitation of much older Zhou-dynasty models.
• Hall of Great Accomplishment 大成殿: The temple's main hall and central shrine to Confucius, with ancient ritual musical instruments on show.
• Touch-Evil Cypress 触奸柏: An old cypress in the temple grounds; according to legend, it knocked the hat off a corrupt Ming official.
• Biyong Hall 辟雍: The academy's lecture hall, a square building with a double roof set in a round moat, built for the emperor's lectures.
• Qianlong Stone Classics 乾隆石经: The 189 steles carved with the Confucian classics, set in the academy beside the temple.

How to visit Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy

Enter the temple, walk the courtyards north to the Hall of Great Accomplishment, then cross by the Chijing Gate into the academy and finish at Biyong Hall and the Stone Classics. It takes about one to two hours at an easy pace; a half day suits pairing it with the Lama Temple and the hutongs around Guozijian Street.

How to get to Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy

Take Metro Line 2 or 5 to Yonghegong Lama Temple and walk west into Guozijian Street, or Line 2 to Andingmen; a taxi from Tian'anmen takes about 20 minutes, depending on traffic.

Where to stay

Base yourself in the hutongs around Nanluoguxiang, Gulou or Yonghegong, all within a short walk or one Metro stop of the temple.

What to eat

• Noodles with fried bean sauce 炸酱面: Wheat noodles with a savoury pork and soybean-paste sauce, a classic Beijing lunch around Gulou and Andingmen.
• Donkey roll 驴打滚: A sticky rice-flour roll filled with sweet red-bean paste and dusted in roasted soybean flour, a traditional Beijing sweet.

Tips for visiting Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy

• One through ticket covers both sites: the Chijing Gate on the west side of the temple's front courtyard leads straight into the academy.
• The site is normally closed on Mondays, but in some summers the closure day moves to Tuesday, so check its notices before you go.

Nearby

• Lama Temple 雍和宫 under 10 km
  Incense-filled courtyards and an 18-metre sandalwood Buddha in a working monastery
• Drum and Bell Towers 钟鼓楼 under 10 km
  Beijing's old timekeeping towers, with drum performances and views over the hutong roofs
• Shichahai 什刹海 under 10 km
  Three linked lakes ringed by hutongs and lakeside bars, with open-air skating in winter
• Prince Gong's Mansion 恭王府 under 10 km
  A Qing courtyard mansion and rock garden, home first to a corrupt minister, then a prince
• Beihai Park 北海公园 under 10 km
  A former imperial lake garden crowned by a white Tibetan-style stupa on its island
• Forbidden City 故宫 under 10 km
  Six centuries of imperial power behind vermilion walls in the heart of Beijing

Also within 30 km: Bailin Temple 柏林寺 (under 10 km), Temple of Earth 地坛 (under 10 km), Wen Tianxiang Temple 文天祥祠 (under 10 km), Zhizhu Temple 智珠寺 (under 10 km), Red Building of Peking University 北京大学红楼 (under 10 km), Guo Moruo Residence 郭沫若故居 (under 10 km).

On the map

Open Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia (Chinese)