The Guozijian (Imperial College) is located on Guozijian Street, Andingmen Inner, Dongcheng District, Beijing. As the national highest educational institution and administrative body for education in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, it is also known as "Taixue" (Grand Academy) or "Guoxue" (National Academy). The scenic area, a Key National Cultural Heritage Site and 4A-level tourist attraction, covers an area of over 27,000 square meters. It preserves three rows of courtyards with a complete axisymmetric layout, featuring more than 30 ancient structures including Jixian Gate, Taixue Gate, the Glazed Memorial Archway, and Biyong Hall. As the only well-preserved site of China's ancient central public university, it forms a traditional pattern of "Confucius Temple on the left and educational institute on the right" with the adjacent Confucius Temple to its east.
History and Culture
The Guozijian was first built in the 24th year of the Yuan Dynasty (1287), initially named Guoxue. In the Yuan Dynasty, Mongolian, Hui, and Han supervisory institutions were established side by side, creating a multi-ethnic education system. During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, it was expanded, and the "Six Halls" teaching system was established, allowing children of commoners to enroll. In the 49th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1784), Biyong Hall was added, becoming the venue for the emperor's lectures, forming the existing scale.
As the "Premier Good Place", the Guozijian has a history of more than 730 years, cultivating over 100,000 imperial students, covering ethnic groups such as Manchu, Mongolian, Hui, and international students from Goguryeo, Russia, etc. It engraved 630,000 characters of the "Thirteen Classics", witnessing the transformation of Chinese education from aristocratic to civilian. In 1907, it was incorporated into the Ministry of Education at the end of the Qing Dynasty, ending the traditional official education system, and now serves as the core area of the Confucius Temple and Guozijian Museum.
Main Attractions
Jixian Gate
The main gate of the Guozijian, built in the Yuan Dynasty, with well pavilions on the east and west inside the gate. The Chijing Gate on the east leads directly to the Confucius Temple, reflecting the design concept of "interconnected temple and academy". In front of the gate, there is a Qing Dynasty dismounting stele inscribed with the bilingual Manchu and Chinese characters "Officials and Others Dismount Here".
Glazed Memorial Archway
Beijing's only glazed memorial archway specially built for education (constructed in 1783), with a three-gate, four-column, seven-story hip roof. The front and back are inlaid with Emperor Qianlong's imperial inscriptions "Huanqiao Jiaoze" and "Xuehai Jieguan", covered with yellow glazed tiles, symbolizing the imperial emphasis on education. Behind the archway, there are imperial stele pavilions of Qianlong on the east and west, recording the construction history of Biyong.
Biyong Hall
The core building of the Guozijian (built in 1784), located in the center of a circular pool. The square hall has a double-eave pyramidal roof, surrounded by water on four sides, with six stone bridges, implying the concept of "round heaven and square earth". Inside the hall hangs the imperial calligraphy "Wanshi Shibiao" (Model for All Ages) by Kangxi, serving as the lecture place for Qing emperors. It is the only existing original ancient university lecture hall in China.
Thirteen Classics Stele Inscriptions
190 steles are embedded in the alley between the Guozijian and the Confucius Temple, engraving 13 Confucian classics such as the "Book of Changes" and "Analects of Confucius", with more than 630,000 characters. Handwritten by Jiang Heng over 12 years, it was completed in the 56th year of the Qianlong reign (1791), known as the "Stone Library".
Yilun Hall and Jingyi Pavilion
Yilun Hall is the site of the Chongwen Pavilion in the Yuan Dynasty, serving as a library in the Ming Dynasty and converted into a gathering place for imperial students in the Qing Dynasty. Jingyi Pavilion (built in 1528) is the main body of the third courtyard, once housing seven imperial edict steles, serving as the office of the imperial college chancellor. The existing ancient locust tree "Luoguo Huai" (Humped Locust) is said to be related to a story of Emperor Qianlong.
Food
Old Beijing Zha Jiang Mian (Noodles with Soy Bean Paste)
The signature dish of time-honored noodle shops on Guozijian Street. Handmade noodles are served with diced pork fried in Liubiju yellow bean paste, accompanied by eight plates of green vegetables, with an average cost of 35 RMB per person. Recommended at "Fangjia Hutong 46".
Hard Study Chicken Soup Noodles
A specialty of Xiucai Canteen (No. 38 Guozijian Street). The soup is boiled with big bones for 6 hours, served with chicken drumstick meat and hand-rolled noodles, symbolizing "sweetness after bitterness", 18 RMB per bowl.
Glutinous Rice Fried Cake
A century-old craftsmanship of Bai Kui Lao Hao (Jiaodaokou South Street). The outer skin is crispy, and the red bean paste filling is soft and dense, 3 RMB per piece, with limited daily supply.
Wu Yutai Teahouse Ice Cream
Adjacent to the Guozijian, the jasmine tea-flavored ice cream is rich in tea aroma, 8 RMB per stick, awarded the title of "Beijing Internet-Famous Ice Cream".
Tickets
The ticket price is 30 RMB per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "孔庙和国子监博物馆" to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
Open from Tuesday to Sunday 09:00-17:00 (admission stops at 16:30), closed on Monday (except for legal holidays). Biyong Hall explanations are available every hour (10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 15:00), free of charge.
Tour Routes
Classic Central Axis Route (2 hours): Jixian Gate → Taixue Gate → Glazed Memorial Archway → Biyong Hall (explanation) → Six Halls (Shuai Xing Tang to Guang Ye Tang) → Yilun Hall → Jingyi Pavilion → Thirteen Classics Stele Inscriptions (visit on the return journey).
Deep Cultural Route (3 hours): Adding the Confucius Temple (connected by Chijing Gate) → Xianshi Gate → Dacheng Hall → Imperial Examination Candidate Name Steles, equipped with an electronic guide throughout (rental fee 20 RMB).
Transportation
- Subway: Exit C of Line 5 "Yonghegong Station", walk 800 meters (about 10 minutes).
- Bus: Get off at "Guozijian Station" by Bus 13, or walk 500 meters from "Andingmen Inner Station" by Bus 113.
- Self-driving: Time-limited parking in surrounding hutongs (8:00-19:00), recommended to park at Yonghegong Parking Lot (5 RMB/hour).
Must-visit Attractions
- Glazed Memorial Archway: Beijing's only glazed archway themed on education, with double inscriptions by Emperor Qianlong, of the highest architectural grade.
- Biyong Hall: The only existing building in the "Mingtang Biyong" form in China, where you can experience ancient lecture scenes.
- Thirteen Classics Stele Inscriptions: The most complete Confucian stone classics in China, genuine calligraphy of Jiang Heng, with the tallest single stele being 3.2 meters.
Tour Tips
- Wear comfortable shoes as there are many stone paths, and pay attention to sun protection in summer (tree shade coverage 70%).
- Visit in the morning to avoid crowds, and attend the free explanation at Biyong Hall at 10:00 (it is recommended to arrive 10 minutes early to secure a spot).
- Combined tickets are more cost-effective, and reserve half an hour to visit the Confucius Temple's scholar steles (inscribed with names like Yuan Chonghuan and Lin Zexu).
- The "Guozijian Cultural and Creative Store" at the exit offers commemorative seals (consumption required, 10 RMB/set).
Notes
- Touching ancient buildings and steles is prohibited, and tripods are not allowed in Biyong Hall.
- Do not visit on Monday when it is closed, and make reservations 3 days in advance for legal holidays (especially during summer and winter vacations).
- Parking is difficult in hutongs, and electric vehicles are prohibited from entering the park; public transportation is recommended.
- There are many mosquitoes in summer, so it is recommended to carry mosquito repellent; the air conditioning in the halls is weak, so pay attention to adding or removing clothes.