中国范儿 59 国子监：古代中国的中央“大学”

In this autumn season of September, many students will enter the gate of universities across China. In ancient China, however, Guozijian was the highest seat of learning, which once played significant roles in cultivating talents, developing education, and inheriting the culture. In plain words, Guozijian is like the mishmash of today’s Tsinghua University, Peking University, and China’s Ministry of Education.

China has a long history of education. In the third year of the Daye reign period of Sui Dynasty (607 AD), Guozijian became the highest learning institute and the supreme administrative headquarters for the organization of education in China. Hu Bilie, also known as the Shizu Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, restored Guozijian, which kept its status as the highest education administrative organization and learning institute during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The succession of dynasties and wars took a toll on the Guozijian complex. Most of the buildings that still stand today were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Guozijian locates on the Guozijian Street of Beijing’s Inner Andingmen area. Ancient Chinese generally built schools alongside with temples. Under the influences of Confucianism, temples usually stand on the left side while schools on the right side. In line with this building pattern philosophy, Guozijian complex stands next to the Confucius Temple on its left side. The main buildings of Beijing Guoazijian complex remained intact in the past 700 years. Today, it is the only well-preserved ancient higher education institute relics in China.

Guozijian covers an area of around 27000 square meters. After entering its entrance gate, Jixian Gate, people will consecutively pass through Taixue Gate, the Glazed Archway, Piyong Hall, Yilun Hall, and Jingyi Pavilion. Qing Dynasty built Piyong Hall and its surrounding royal buildings in the 48th Year of the Qianglong Emperor. Piyong Hall was once the place that emperors gave lectures to the outstanding students of the country. Whenever a new emperor succeeded to the throne, he would come to Piyong Hall to give a lecture, as a way to show the importance the monarch attached to higher education. The Glazed Archway is the only archway built for education purpose in Beijing. It has three doors, four pillars, and seven ridges. Its middle door calls the Long Gate. As an old Chinese saying goes, people receive ten years’ of lengthy and arduous education only for jumping over the Long Gate (the fate-changing gate).

As a place that specialized in the study of Confucianism classics, Guozijian not only attracted the top talents of the country but also facilitated exchanges between China and the outside world. In the ancient era, students of Guozijian were called Jiansheng, who came both from China and such foreign countries as the Ryukyu Islands, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, and Russia. Guozijian played a substantial role in cultivating talents and promoting the cultural exchanges between China and the outside world.

The Qing Dynasty abolished Guozijian in its final years. The educational philosophy of the Confucius persisted however. Today, the Confucius Institutes have scattered across the globe, facilitating foreigners’ efforts to learn Chinese, strengthening the friendly ties between China and other countries, and providing a window for the people of other countries to better understand the Chinese language and culture. By practicing the Confucius philosophies of the universal fraternity, harmony in diversity and valuing scholarship, friendship, and virtue, the mushrooming Confucius Institutes are spreading the traditional Chinese culture across the globe.

来源：中国网

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