Ancient
Beijing Imperial College
The Second Biggest
Heritage Site
in the Heart of Beijing
17 November 2006
The second biggest
heritage site in the heart of the Chinese
capital after the Forbidden City is set
to open to public by next year. Beijing
Guozijian (国子监), the imperial
college built during the early Ming
Dynasty about 600 years
ago, has been closed for over a half
century.
The gate to the
Imperial College
During a major
repairing work sometime ago, 14 tablet
pavilions (御碑亭) were identified,
and among them, the oldest one was found
to be created 500 years ago during the
reign of Emperor Zhengtong (正统). This precious Ming
tablet recorded the details of the
initial construction and the subsequent
renovations of the college.
The Ming tablet
pavilion
Previously the
site was occupied by various district
organisations and the Ming pavilion had
been, pathetically, used as storage.
Guozijian is the
highest official institution of learning
in the imperial China. Once a young
scholar was selected to study in the
college, he was entitled to receive free
tuition, accommodation, meal and
allowance, and guaranteed a civil servant
position upon graduation. Emperors
routinely went to the college to give
lectures, thus all the college students
were considered as the disciples of
emperor, and automatically elevated to
the elite class regardless of their
original background.
China
stories are told at wenhousecrafts.com
Pre: The
Bachelar's Day Nex: Unemployment
Upon Graduation?
Related
News:
List of All
Articles
|
