Located at No.13 and No.15 Guozijian Street, Andingmen Inner, Dongcheng District, Beijing, the Confucius Temple and Imperial College Museum is a thematic museum established on the basis of the Confucius Temple and Imperial College (Guozijian) of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. As a Key National Cultural Heritage Site and a 4A-level tourist attraction, the scenic area covers an area of approximately 45,000 square meters. It retains three rows of courtyards with more than 30 ancient buildings such as Jixian Gate, Taixue Gate, Glazed Memorial Archway, and Biyong Hall arranged in sequence on the central axis. Forming a traditional pattern of "Confucius Temple on the left and educational institute on the right" with the Confucius Temple to its east, it is the only well-preserved architectural complex of ancient China's highest educational institution and royal Confucian sacrificial venue in existence.
History and Culture
The Confucius Temple was first built in the 6th year of Dade in the Yuan Dynasty (1302), serving as the venue for emperors of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties to worship Confucius. After more than 700 years of expansion and renovation, it formed the current scale. The Imperial College was founded in the 24th year of Zhiyuan in the Yuan Dynasty (1287). As the national highest educational institution and educational management body, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, its students came from ethnic groups including Manchu, Mongolian, and Hui, as well as international students from countries like Korea and Ryukyu, cultivating hundreds of thousands of talents.
In the 9th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1411), the Confucius Temple was reconstructed, and the expansion of the Imperial College was completed during the Zhengtong reign, forming a regulatory system of "integrated temple and academy". In the 49th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1784), Biyong Hall was added, where the emperor gave lectures, laying the foundation for the core architectural pattern of the museum. After the imperial examination system was abolished in 1905, the Imperial College ceased to operate, and sacrificial activities in the Confucius Temple gradually declined. In 2005, the two parts were merged to establish the Confucius Temple and Imperial College Museum, which has become an important venue for displaying ancient Chinese educational systems and Confucian culture.
Main Attractions
Confucius Temple · Xianshi Gate
The main gate of the Confucius Temple, built in the Yuan Dynasty, also known as "Lingxing Gate", preserving steles from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties inside. In front of the gate stands a stele inscribed with "Officials and Others Dismount Here", demonstrating respect for Confucius. Inside, the east side has the "Imperial Edict on Conferring Titles to Confucius" stele from the 1st year of Zhishun in the Yuan Dynasty (1330), and the west side has the "Guoxue Stele" from the 2nd year of Yuantong (1334), important cultural relics for studying Yuan Dynasty education.
Confucius Temple · Dacheng Hall
The core building of the Confucius Temple, 16.5 meters high, with seven bays in width and five bays in depth, featuring a double-eave hip roof covered with yellow glazed tiles. Inside the hall, tablets of Confucius and the "Four Associates and Twelve Sages" are enshrined. The hall hangs plaques inscribed by nine emperors from Kangxi to Xuantong of the Qing Dynasty, among which the plaque "Model for All Ages" by Kangxi's imperial brush was hung for the first time after restoration. The spacious platform in front of the hall was the main venue for ancient Confucian sacrificial ceremonies.
Confucius Temple · Imperial Exam Candidate Name Steles
The Confucius Temple preserves 198 steles of candidate names from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, inscribed with the names, hometowns, and ranks of 51,624 imperial exam candidates, including 3 from the Yuan Dynasty, 77 from the Ming Dynasty, and 118 from the Qing Dynasty. Famous figures such as Yuan Chonghuan, Lin Zexu, and Zeng Guofan are all inscribed on the steles, serving as precious physical materials for studying China's imperial examination system.
Imperial College · Glazed Memorial Archway
The only glazed memorial archway specially built for education in Beijing, constructed in the 48th year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1783), in the form of three gates, four columns, and seven floors. The front and back are respectively inscribed with Qianlong's imperial inscriptions "Huanqiao Jiaoze" and "Xuehai Jieguan", covered with yellow glazed tiles, reflecting the imperial emphasis on education. On both sides of the archway stand imperial steles of Qianlong, recording the construction history of Biyong Hall.
Imperial College · Biyong Hall
The core building of the Imperial College, built in the 49th year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (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, symbolizing the concept of "round heaven and square earth". The hall covers an area of 540 square meters, with the imperial inscription "Model for All Ages" by Kangxi hanging high. It was the venue for Qing emperors to give lectures and is the only existing building in China that maintains the original state of an ancient university lecture hall.
Imperial College · Thirteen Classics Stele Inscriptions
Also known as the "Qianlong Stone Classics", located in the alley between the Imperial College and the Confucius Temple, consisting of 190 steles inscribed with 13 Confucian classics including the "Book of Changes", "Shangshu", 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 Qianlong (1791). It is the most complete official engraved Confucian stone classics in China, known as the "Stone Library".
Food
Old Beijing Zha Jiang Mian (Noodles with Soy Bean Paste)
The signature dish of time-honored noodle shops around the museum, featuring hand-pulled noodles with diced pork fried in Liubiju yellow bean paste, accompanied by eight dishes of cucumber, bean sprouts, etc. It has a rich sauce flavor and chewy noodles. Recommended at the restaurant located at No.46 Fangjia Hutong, with an average consumption of about 35 RMB per person.
Men Ding Rou Bing (Door Nail Meat Pie)
A specialty of the nearby "Bai Kui Lao Hao", named for its shape resembling door nails of city gates, about 8 cm in diameter, with a crispy outer skin and beef and scallion filling, rich in soup when bitten open. About 8 pieces per catty, sold at 48 RMB, with limited daily supply.
Sugar Ears
A traditional Beijing halal snack, available at the "Hongji Baozi Shop" near the museum. Named for its shape like ears and sugar-coated surface, with a brownish-red color, crispy texture, and sweet but not greasy taste, sold at 22 RMB per catty, a popular souvenir among tourists.
Jasmine Tea Ice Cream
An internet-famous product launched by the "Wu Yutai Teahouse" adjacent to the museum, made from high-quality jasmine tea, with rich tea aroma and delicate taste, sold at 8 RMB per stick. It has won the title of "Beijing Internet-Famous Ice Cream" and is a popular choice for summer cooling.
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 9:00-17:00 (admission stops at 16:30), closed on Monday (except for legal holidays). Regular explanation services for Biyong Hall are available at 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, and 15:00, about 30 minutes per session, free of charge. The museum extends opening hours during traditional festivals such as the Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, subject to official website announcements.
Tour Routes
Classic Cultural Tour (2.5 hours): Confucius Temple Xianshi Gate → Dacheng Hall (visit Confucian sacrificial artifacts) → Imperial Exam Candidate Name Steles (search for historical figures) → Chijing Gate → Imperial College Jixian Gate → Taixue Gate → Glazed Memorial Archway → Biyong Hall (listen to explanations) → Six Halls (visit ancient teaching venues) → Yilun Hall → Jingyi Pavilion → Thirteen Classics Stele Inscriptions (experience Confucian classics).
Deep Study Route (4 hours): Based on the classic route, add Confucius Temple Chongsheng Shrine (learn about Confucius' descendants), Imperial College Shenqian Hall (display of ancient school rules), Boshi Hall (evolution of educational official positions), and experience rubbing activities (30 RMB per time), rent an electronic guide (20 RMB/unit) to deeply understand historical backgrounds.
Transportation
- Subway: Take Line 5 to Yonghegong Station, exit C, walk 800 meters west, about 10 minutes; or take Line 2 to Andingmen Station, exit B, walk 1000 meters south, about 15 minutes.
- Bus: Take Bus 13, 116, or 684 to Guozijian Station and get off; take Bus 104 or 108 to Andingmen Inner Station and walk 500 meters south.
- Self-driving: Surrounded by old hutongs with limited parking spaces. It is recommended to park at Yonghegong Parking Lot (5 RMB/hour) or Ditan Park Parking Lot (8 RMB/hour), and walk to the scenic area for about 15 minutes.
Must-visit Attractions
- Dacheng Hall: The main hall of Beijing Confucius Temple, with a double-eave hip roof covered in yellow glazed tiles. The nine imperial inscriptions inside are extremely precious, serving as the core display venue for Confucian sacrificial culture.
- Biyong Hall: The only well-preserved ancient building in the "Mingtang Biyong" form in China. The square hall surrounded by water allows visitors to experience the scene of emperors giving lectures, with extremely high architectural specifications.
- Imperial Exam Candidate Name Steles: 198 steles are inscribed with the information of more than 50,000 imperial exam candidates. Visitors can search for the inscriptions of historical figures like Yuan Chonghuan and Lin Zexu to feel the historical imprint of the imperial examination system.
- Thirteen Classics Stele Inscriptions: 190 steles with 630,000 characters of Confucian classics, genuine handwriting by Jiang Heng. It is a "stone library" for studying ancient Chinese culture, with the tallest single stele being 3.2 meters.
Tour Tips
- Wear comfortable shoes as the scenic area has many stone paths. Pay attention to sun protection in summer, with about 60% tree shade coverage. You can carry a sun hat and water bottle.
- Visit as early as possible after the museum opens at 9:00 in the morning to avoid the peak period of tour groups from 10:00 to 12:00. It is recommended to listen to the explanation of Biyong Hall at 10:00 and arrive at the gathering point 5 minutes in advance.
- Purchasing a combined ticket is more cost-effective. Reserve 30 minutes to search for inscriptions of historical figures in the Confucius Temple candidate stele area. The museum provides free tour maps, which can be obtained at the entrance.
- The cultural and creative store at the exit sells Imperial College commemorative badges (10 RMB/set) and rubbings of the "Thirteen Classics". The museum is free to visit every first Wednesday of the month (reservation required).
Notes
- Touching ancient buildings and steles is prohibited. Tripods and flash photography are not allowed in Biyong Hall to avoid damaging cultural relics.
- Closed on Monday (except for legal holidays). Reservations need to be made 3 days in advance during summer/winter vacations and legal holidays, with a daily limit of 8,000 visitors to avoid unnecessary trips.
- Smoking and eating are prohibited in the scenic area. You can dine in the rest area outside the gate. Electric vehicles are not allowed in the hutongs, and public transportation is recommended.
- There are many mosquitoes in summer, so it is recommended to carry mosquito repellent. The temperature inside the hall is low in winter, so pay attention to keeping warm. A deposit of 200 RMB is required for the interpreter, which should be returned in time after use.