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Home > Travel China > China Attractions > Imperial College
Imperial College
China, an East Asian country is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. It has a vast cultural history of more than five thousand years and an outstanding natural beauty. On the other hand, this country has remained a comparatively isolated and secluded one, and being a land of mystery, this country is not known to the western half of the world. However, China is rapidly developing and has grown in the phase of modernization, with an immense speed and is also welcoming the outer world to interact and do business with them.
The Imperial College is located on the northern side of Chengxian Street inside the Andingmen Gate. It was founded in 1287by Kublai Khan. The college maintained its educational pre-eminence until 1900 when it was closed. It served as the imperial college for the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties and was the highest educational institution in imperial China. Students came here to study the Confucian classics in preparation for the imperial examinations at district or Xiucai and province or Juren level. A three-year course of studies had to be followed by a practical year in a government office. After a final examination students could look forward to employment as a state official.
The college not only trained and educated the elite, but also received foreign students from numerous different countries promoting cross-cultural exchange. The college masters included various Qing emperors such as Shunzhi, Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong to give lectures to ministers and students at the college. Structurally, the former college is a square pavilion in the middle of a round pool crowned by a golden ball.
The college can be reached by crossing the pool on marble bridges. Flanking the structure, were 190 stone tablets engraved with 800,000 words of the 13 classics, which took the calligrapher 12 years to transcribe. These tablets have since been moved to the courtyard east of the main gate. The Imperial College is now the site of the Capital Library.
China is a popular travel destination for visitors and globe trotters from all over the world who appreciate its beautiful landscapes, rich culture, delicious local cuisine, hospitality and safety. Quality is China's top priority.
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