Located in Andingmen, Dongcheng District, Beijing, the Imperial College is the only existing central public university building in China.
The Imperial College in Beijing, founded in the 10th year of Dade in the Yuan Dynasty, is the highest administrative organ and the highest school established by the state to manage education in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. It is adjacent to Confucius Temple and Lama Temple.
It is the only ancient street with four arches in Beijing.
The overall building of the Imperial College faces south. On the central axis, there are Jixian Gate, Taixue Gate, glazed archway, Piyong, Yilun Hall and Jingyi Pavilion. There are four halls and six halls on the east and west sides, forming a traditional symmetrical pattern.
In the Ming Dynasty, as the capital moved northward, there were Imperial College in Beijing and Nanjing, so the Imperial College in Nanjing was called "Nanjian" or "Nanyong", while the Imperial College in Beijing was called "Beijian" or "Beiyong".
