Confucius Temple

In the same way that Confucianism’s self-centred practical ethics are the antithesis of Buddhism’s quest for enlightenment, the Confucius Temple couldn’t be more different from gaudy neighbour Yonghegong. Built in 1306, this building is split between a Confucian temple (Kong Miao) and the academy (Guozijian) where civil servants used to train for the exams that would launch them into court life. The two are still split – thanks to a bureaucratic battle for control between the ministries of culture and cultural relics. Now more of a museum, things still get busy at the temple when Beijing students prepare to sit the university entrance exams and come here to ask the sage for a bit of help.