Beijing Confucius Temple Tour

Beijing Temple of Confucius is the second largest Confucius Temple in China after the one in Confucius' hometown of Qufu City, Shandong Province. Located on Guozijian Street inside Anding Gate, the temple was built in 1302, and was used to pay the respects to Confucius. It covers some 20,000 square meters, and houses part of the art collection of the Capital Museum.

The complex is composed of four courtyards aligned along a central axis. From south to north, noteworthy structures include the Xianshi Gate, Dacheng Gate, Dacheng Hall and Chongshengci.

Inside the temple there are 198 stone tablets positioned on either side of the front courtyard, and they contains more than 51,624 names of Jinshi (the advanced scholars) of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and 14 stone stele pavilions of the Ming and Qing dynasties that hold the precious historical information of ancient China.

The temple also contains stone tablets recording the names of many generations of scholars who passed the Imperial Examination, a reproduction of a Western Zhou period stone drum made during the reign of Qianlong (1735-96), and 189 stone steles containing the Thirteen Confucian Classics, presented by the city of Jintan in Jiangsu Province.

The Temple has many old trees, including one Cypress tree known as the "Touch Evil Cypress" (Chu Jian Bai). Its name derives from a story that when a famously corrupt official passed by, the tree knocked off his hat.

Location: on Guozijian Street inside Anding Gate, Beijing

Opening Hours: 08:30 – 17:00

How to get there

Subway

Subway line 2: get off at Yonghegong Station, get out of the Station from Exit C, and walk south about 600 meters, then you will find Guozijian Street where the Temple of Confucius and Guozijian located. Or, you can take the Subway Line 5, and get off at the Yonghegong Station, then get out of the station from the Exit D.

Bus

• Take bus no.13, 116 or 684 and get off at Guozijian Station.
• Take bus no.13, 116 or 117 and get off at Yonghegong Station.
• Take bus no. 13, 18, 44, 62, 75, 116, 606, 800, 909 or 特2 and get off at Yonghegong Bridge East Station.
• Take bus no.125 and get off at Yonghegong Bridge North Station.

Weather/Best Time to Go

The autumn months between September and November have the best weather and fewer tourists. Summer (June to August) is considered peak season, when hotels typically raise their rates and the Great Wall nearly collapses under the weight of marching tourists. Spring is less pleasant not many tourists but lots of wind and dust. In winter, you'll have Beijing to yourself and many hotels offer substantial discounts, just remember it's an ice box outside. Everything is chock block during the Chinese New Year (usually in January or February).

Travel Tips

• * You are suggested to visit the Temple of Confucius, together with Guozijian.
• * In the temple, you can also find remarkable pictures like two flying dragons playing a pearl among clouds, which are believed to be used only in the imperial palaces.