Imperial College

Imperial College

In the eastern part of Mengcheng lies a well-preserved ancient architectural complex — the Imperial College, where scholars throughout the dynasties held Confucian ceremonies, practiced rites, and conducted education.

The college is shaded by lush pines, with grand halls covered in multicolored glazed tiles. The sweeping upturned eaves create a magnificent view. Beneath the eaves, brick-and-wood carvings of birds and animals are carved in diverse, lifelike forms. According to the Mengcheng County Annals, the Dacheng Hall within the Imperial College was first built in the 21st year of the Zhiyuan era during the Yuan Dynasty (1284), enshrining plaques of Confucius and other sages. It was destroyed in warfare during the late Yuan Dynasty. During the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, as Mengcheng was under the jurisdiction of Fengyang Prefecture and close to the birthplace of the founding emperor, large-scale reconstruction was undertaken, resulting in a grander Imperial College. Further renovations were carried out during the Yongle and Zhengtong eras of the Ming, as well as through the Qing Dynasty and into the Republican period, expanding its scale. The central Dacheng Hall was constructed in imitation of imperial palace style, using giant fir beams and columns. Its interior and exterior were richly painted in vibrant colors, appearing resplendent and magnificent. The five-bay Dacheng Hall was built following the design of an imperial palace, featuring nine purlins, eighteen frames, forty-two upturned eaves, carved beams and painted rafters, ornate brackets, exquisite craftsmanship, solemn dignity, and imposing grandeur. The side halls to the east and west, as well as the front hall, all feature roofs covered with multicolored glazed tiles. The surrounding halls are interconnected, built in a unique, simple, and elegant style, totaling thirty-six rooms.

At the center of the Dacheng Hall is a shrine plaque dedicated to Confucius, flanked by plaques for the Four Accompanying Sages — Yan Hui, Zeng Shen, Zisi, and Mencius — as well as the Ten Wise Disciples. On the north wall of the hall stand eight parallel panels inscribed with the eight virtues: “Filial Piety, Fraternity, Loyalty, Trust, Ritual, Righteousness, Integrity, and Shame.” Hanging from the hall’s ceiling are three imperial plaques bestowed by Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty: “Model Teacher for All Ages,” “Never Existed Such a Sage Among the People,” and “Equal to Heaven and Earth.” The eastern corridor houses plaques for Confucius’ 3,000 disciples, while the western corridor contains plaques for sages and scholars throughout history. In front of the Dacheng Hall are the Local Sages Shrine to the east and the Chastity and Teaching Shrine to the west. The grand Dacheng Gate stands at the front, flanked by two moon-gate entrances. In front of the Dacheng Gate lies the “Pan Pond,” over which a bridge called the “Pan Bridge” (also known as the Number One Scholar Bridge) was built, leading directly to Qingyun Street, symbolizing the idea of “ascending to success in one step.” To the west of the bridge is a well named the “Sacred Well.” “The Sweet Spring of the Sacred Well” is one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Mengcheng. In front of the Pan Bridge is a grand gate tower, flanked by moon-gate entrances used for daily access.

The street where the Confucius Temple is located is called Huangxiang Street, and the intersection with the north-south main street is called Huangxiangkou. When the temple was first rebuilt, because it was bordered by the city moat on the east, no east gate was opened, only south, north, and west gates. The east gate was added in the early years of the Jiajing reign.

The east courtyard of the Hall of Sages is the Wenchang Palace. It houses the Wenchang Hall, with the main gate of the Wenchang Palace situated directly to the south. The Kuixing Tower is located at the southeast corner of the Wenchang Palace courtyard, a two-story octagonal structure with graceful, classic architecture, built across Huangxiang Street. Legend says that Kuixing is the deity who determines who will become top scholar; inside the Kuixing Tower is a statue of the deity, holding a writing brush as if marking the name of the top scholar. If someone from the county became a top scholar, it had to be marked personally by Kuixing. The west courtyard of the Hall of Sages is the Minglun Hall, which has a main gate to the south and wing rooms on both sides serving as rest areas for those attending Confucian ceremonies. The Minglun Hall also served as the county’s examination hall; local civil service exams for titles such as Xiucai (licentiate) and Binning (presented scholar) were held here. Behind the Hall of Sages is the Scripture Storage Pavilion, the county’s library, housing the Four Books, Five Classics, famous works from past dynasties, as well as examination essays by local scholars.

The Hall of Sages is surrounded by a tall, semi-circular palace wall inscribed with the golden characters “Palace Walls Ten Thousand Ren High.” On either side are circular passageways called “moon-gate entrances,” with an east-west corridor between them. To the south of the corridor is a crescent-shaped Pan Pond, with a Pan Bridge built across it from north to south. South of the bridge is a gate tower; passing through it leads directly to the southern end of the palace wall. If someone from the county became a top scholar, the southern wall (a screen wall) could then be opened. However, during the imperial examination era, no one from Mengcheng achieved the top scholar title, so the Pan Bridge was never renamed the Number One Scholar Bridge, the southern wall remained sealed, and there was no central cross street in the city. On the east and west sides of the gate tower are rectangular side gates for daily access. The walls on both sides of the gate tower are lined with flower walls, dividing the enclosed area into northern and southern courtyards. The two moon-gate entrances serve as passageways for the northern courtyard, while the two side gates are for the southern courtyard.

From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, the Mengcheng Imperial College suffered repeated damage from warfare, and during the ten-year turmoil, nearly all of its halls, plaques, treasures, golden dragons, beast heads, as well as ancient cypresses and sacred pines in the courtyard, were destroyed. Today, only parts of the main structures remain: the Hall of Sages, the Minglun Hall, and the “Sweet Spring of the Sacred Well,” one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Mengcheng.