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A Walk into the Chinese Mind: Confucius Temple & Lama Temple

What actually is traditional Chinese thinking? How come Confucianism - the state religion of feudal China has gotten a comeback today? And why are Chinese people on the first day of the year still flocking to the Lama Temple to receive blessings? 

At the Confucius temple of Beijing stands a whole forest of stone tablets. Chiseled into these massive pieces of rock are the names of 40,000 people that passed the imperial examinations during the dynasties. The candidates spent years memorizing the Chinese classics - mentally scratching the sayings of the great Chinese philosophers into their minds, before a select few finally got their own names chiseled into solid rock. 

Getting your name applied to one of these stones was not an easy task. It required the utmost physical and mental stamina to sit through the 72-hour long Imperial examinations.  

We will make it a bit more comfortable for you on this walk when we spend three hours exploring traditional Chinese thinking by visiting the fascinating and stunningly beautiful grounds of the Confucius Temple, the Lama Temple and the Imperial Academy in search for answers.


Where to start: Beijing Postcards, No. 97 Yangmeizhu Street (杨梅竹斜街97号)

Cost: 300RMB/person; 150RMB/child

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October 11

100 Years, 12 Visions: The Evolution of Modern Beijing

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October 18

Midnight in Peking Walking Tour