The Imperial College was the highest institute of learning in ancient China. It is presently sited at An Ding Men in Beijing, and was built together with the adjoining Confucius Temple to the east, according to the ancient architectural norm of "Temple on the left, School on the right".

The Imperial College was built with an elegant grandiose, with the "Bi Yong" Hall at its centre. Its simple yet graceful buildings are laid out along the central axis, complete with three courtyards and buildings where teaching took place, amidst a tranquil environment accentuated by the verdant ancient trees dotting the compound.

The Imperial College educated its students on moral ethics and taught them a curriculum that included the Six Arts - etiquette, music, archery, horsemanship, literature, and mathematics. Their lengths of study varied from six months to three years, some even lasting as long as ten years.

In the late spring of 2010, former Minister Mentor of Singapore, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, paid a special visit to the Imperial College and the Confucius Temple in Beijing, as recommended and accompanied by the Director of CI-NTU. Mr. Lee was suitably impressed by the architecture and cultural importance of the famous world heritage.