Imperial College

The pictures are of the Qing Dynasty academy buildings, about 300 years old. However, imperial higher education goes back over 2,000 years. Admission was based on merit without regard to class. The goal was to do well in the imperial examinations as those scoring highest earned the most important government posts. So the government was run by scholars, quite contrary to the anti-intellectualism that seems so rampant today. Much of this began with Confucius, and his philosophy was the guiding force behind their learning.
The pictures are of the gate, the main building where the emperor lectured, the actual seat and desk the emperor lectured from, and the teaching/study/examination room.Read more