Plan your Beijing Tour? The Temple of Confucius and the Imperial College Museum is worth your exploration for 1-3 hour. The two adjoining attractions – Confucian Temple and Guozijian (The Imperial College) have coalesced into one museum renamed “Confucian Temple and Guozijian Museum” since June, 2008.
If you are interested in Chinese culture and traditional etiquette as well as China History, Confucian Temple and Guozijian Museum is not be missed.
ABC of Temple of Confucius and Imperial College Museum
Temple of Confucius in Beijing is the place where people pay respect to Confucius, which has started since the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), further to Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Guozijian (the Imperial College) was once the national central institute of learning in Chinese dynasties in Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. It was the highest institute of learning in China’s traditional educational system.
Opening Hours & Entry Fee
- Opening Hours
High Season ( May – October ): 8:30am – 6:00pm ( no ticket selling after 5:30pm )
Low Season ( November – April ) 8:30am – 5:00pm ( No ticket selling after 4:30pm ) - Entrance fee: RMB 30 per person
How to get there
Subway:
Subway Line 2: get off at Yonghegong (Lama Temple) Station, come out of the station from Exit C (Southwest Exit), and walk south about 500 meters, then you’ll find Chengxian Jie (Chengxian Street, also known as Guozijian Street) on your right hand and walk westward for 200 meters, and you will find Confucian Temple and Guozijian Imperial College Museum on your right side.
Subway Line 5: get off at Yonghegong (Lama Temple )Station, and come out of the station from Exit C (Southwest Exit), same walking trail a above.
Bus Route:
Buses : 116, 684, 13, 117 and get off at Yonghegong Station ( Lama Temple), 113, 108, 104, 124 at Fangjia Hutong.
Suggested Travel Route
Chengxian Jie Archway (Chengxian Street Archway) on your right hand and walk westward for 200 meters, and you will find Confucian Temple and Guozijian Imperial College.
Dacheng Hall (Hall of Great Accomplishment) the main building in the temple, where the memorial ceremony for Confucius is often held.
Inside the temple you will find 198 stone tablets are placed on either side of the front courtyard, containing over 50,000 names of Jinshi ( advance learners ) of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties as well 14 stone stele pavilions of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Through the middle door connecting the two sites, you can go from Confucian Temple to Guozijian Imperial College.
Built in 1783, Glazed Archway of Guozijian has three portals, four pillars.
Biyong Hall is the main building of Guozijian Imperial College, to the north of the glazed archway. The hall is surrounded by a circular moat. This is the place the emperors gave lectures.
Scenic and Historical Spots nearby
If you plan to visit the Temple of Confucius and the Imperial College Museum, you can incorporate into your trip to the museum some of the surrounding scenic spots: Lama Temple (300 meters), Wudaoying Hutong (300 meters), Ditan Park (800 meters), Nanluoguxiang (1.4 kilometers), Shichahai area (2.4 kilometers), Beihai Park and Jingshan Park (2.7 kilometers), according to your own taste and interests.
Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for guided tours to Beijing:
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Great Wall Tour
Beijing Winter Tour
China City Tours
China Tour
Further Readings
How to Plan a Trip to Beijing
Best Time to Visit Beijing
Top 10 Attractions in Beijing
Top 10 Tourist Scams Beijing
How to Visit Tiananmen Square
How to Visit Forbidden City
How to Visit Temple of Heaven
How to Visit Lama Temple
How to Visit Summer Palace
How to Visit Ming Tombs
How to Visit the Great Wall of China
How to Visit Hutongs
How to Visit Olympic Sites
Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping
Wangfujing Snack Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Beijing Huguosi Street
Any questions, just drop a line.
