Guozijian Street, located in the Dongcheng District of Beijing, is an east-west alley within the city’s ancient walls. During the Qing Dynasty, it was named “Chengxian Street,” after the nearby Confucius Temple and the Guozijian (Imperial College). The street is also known as Guozijian Hutong. On June 14, 2008, the ancient Guozijian Street, with a history of over 700 years, was reopened to the public in its “old form.” After repairs, the Confucius Temple and Guozijian were restored to their historical layout and regulations, officially opening as the Beijing Confucius Temple and Guozijian Museum.
Guozijian Street had already been formed during the Yuan Dynasty. It was called “Guozijian Confucius Temple” during the Ming Dynasty and “Chengxian Street” during the Qing Dynasty. After the Republic of China period, it became known as Guozijian. In 1965, it was officially named Guozijian Street. There are four archways along Guozijian Street—two at the east and west entrances, with the inscription “Chengxian Street” on the beams. During the Cultural Revolution, the street was briefly renamed “Hongri North Road No. 9,” but it later returned to its original name. The street is mainly lined with traditional single-story courtyard houses, maintaining the old appearance of Beijing’s alleyways. In 1984, it was designated a municipal-level cultural heritage street. Several nearby alleyways, like Guoxue Hutong and Jianchang Hutong, are also related to Guozijian.
Guozijian Street is the only street in Beijing still with archways. The street has four archways: one at each end and one on each side of Guozijian, inscribed with “Guozijian.” There are also several temples on the street. The Han Wengong Temple, dedicated to the Tang Dynasty literary figure Han Yu, is located in Guoxue Hutong behind Guozijian (No. 31). Han Yu (768–824), born in Nanyang, Henan, was a renowned scholar and government official during the Tang Dynasty. His literary contributions were highly esteemed, earning him the posthumous title “Wengong” (Grand Master). The temple was likely built for the students of the Imperial College, seeking Han Yu’s protection. The temple consists of a main hall, two side rooms, and a courtyard-style building, with decorations and intricate wooden carvings. Though the temple’s side rooms have been dismantled, the main hall still stands.
There are also two temples south of Guozijian Street. The western one is the Fire God Temple (No. 78), originally built during the Ming Dynasty. The main buildings include a gatehouse, a main hall, and two side halls, with statues of various deities such as the Fire God, Guan Yu, the God of Wealth, and others. The original inscriptions have been lost, as they were turned into steps or embedded into the walls. Despite the changes, the gatehouse still retains some traces of its former temple appearance.
Moving east from the Fire God Temple (No. 40), one reaches the Kitchen God Temple, which originally had a gatehouse and a large hall with decorative painted tiles. It was dedicated to the Kitchen God, with an inscription dating back to the Xuantong period (early 20th century). The temple is now used by a nearby school, though parts of it still remain, while the gatehouse has been demolished.
Phoenix Lee https://chinese-tradition.com/guozijian-street-historic-temples-beijings-imperial-college.html