Closed for almost two years because of renovations, the Imperial College, or Guozijian, reopened its doors last month. Located in north-east Beijing, the discreet and modest-sized building is of great importance to Chinese history.

Said to be the sixth most beautiful palace in Beijing, the Imperial College, or Guozijian, had been closed for almost two years due to renovation, but finally reopened its doors in June to the delight of history fans. Located next to the Temple of Confucius, in north-east Beijing, this edifice, built in 1306, trained the future dignitaries and officials of the time.

In the 14th century, people were fighting to get in, but only those who passed the highly selective imperial examination could access this prestigious school. The particularity here is that original social class did not matter in the selection process, as this was one of the first systems of public service access based on merit. Even the most disadvantaged students were entitled to high offices. This system lasted until 1911. For over 600 years, the Imperial College saw many senior officials, or mandarins as they were known, go through as well as a few emperors.

Since then, the Imperial College has become a tourist destination. With an area of 22,000 square meters, the tour is brief and lasts less than an hour. By entering through the South Gate, we arrive in a surprisingly peaceful inner courtyard punctuated by trees and lawns. The feeling of serenity is all the more accentuated by the fact that a group of swallows has made its nest here. The classrooms and students dormitories formerly occupied the east and west wings.

An irreproachable renovation

The Biyong, a small palace where the emperor used to give lectures, lies at the centre of the site. It can be reached by crossing one of four bridges aligned along the north-south and east-west axis. This is one of the few opportunities in China to closely observe the Emperor's throne without being blocked off by protection barriers. The north wing used to be the imperial library; today, the books have disappeared and have given way to a souvenir shop. Similarly, the west wing now offers lucky charms.

The east wing is the definitely the most interesting. Its brand new museum contains video animations, realistic wax statues and very accurate furniture reconstructions. The captions are also well translated although sometimes slightly too technical. You get a fairly clear idea of what life was like for the students in the imperial age and how strict it was. We learn for example that they could not leave the college precincts without permission and that they should specify a reason and duration for the trip. If students were found guilty of laziness, they could even receive corporal punishment.

The studies lasted three or four years, depending on the dynasty in power, and were limited to learning the classics: writings by Confucius and his peers were the sole references used by many generations of Chinese scholars. This intellectual stasis certainly hurt Chinese scientific development, and is given as one of the reasons by sinologists to justify technological backwardness of China in relation to the West in the early 1900's.

After a tour of the Imperial College, visitors usually go to the Temple of Confucius located to its east. The ticket gives access to both sites anyways, just like the audio guide, which is rented by the hour. The sound is good but the text is regrettably mistranslated. Nevertheless, the renovation of the Imperial College and the museum are irreproachable and make this site a must see.

Practical Information:

Imperial College (Guozijian):  Open daily from 8:30 AM to 5 PM.  Guozijian Street 13, Dongcheng District. 国子监, 北京市东城区国子监街13号.
Entrance: RMB 20 for adults and half price for students.
Audio Guide: 30 RMB per hour with a deposit of 300 RMB.

Text: Edouard Beauchemin
Photos: Wang Zhuo
July 2008