Temple of Confucius & Imperial Academy
孔庙和国子监
Home to the rites of Confucius and the highest seat of learning across the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The 198 stone stelae recording jinshi graduates and the Biyong Hall are worth a close look.
The Confucius Temple and the Imperial Academy sit on Guozijian Street opposite the Yonghe Lama Temple, with the temple on the left and the academy on the right. The Hall of Great Perfection in the Confucius Temple is where rites to Confucius were held. The courtyard contains 198 stone stelae recording jinshi graduates from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, engraved with the names of more than 50,000 scholars. The Imperial Academy was the highest institution of learning in ancient China. At its center, the Biyong is a square hall where Emperor Qianlong lectured, surrounded by water. Tickets cost about 30 yuan, and it is closed on Mondays. Guozijian Street is lined with dense shade trees and four memorial archways, making it one of Beijing's quietest old streets. Allow about half a day to visit together with the Lama Temple, which is a 5-minute walk from Yonghegong Station on Metro Line 2.
Opening hours
Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00 (until 16:30 in winter)
Nearby sights
- Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple)
- Temple of Earth (Ditan Park)
- Nanluoguxiang Hutongs
- Gui Street (Ghost Street)
- Drum Tower & Bell Tower
- Shichahai
- Jingshan Park
- St. Joseph's Church (Wangfujing)