The Courtyard Institute was founded by a few friends with a common vision and passion to preserve “Old Beijing Culture”. Together we hope to be able to pursue and share with others our heartfelt interests that include but are not limited to culture, history, heritage preservation, traditional craftsmanship and architecture…
The Courtyard Institute is essentially an alternative educational institution.
We exist to help make a difference in the future, through a better understanding about the past. In other words, we aim to be a powerful connector between modern society and traditional culture.
We truly believe in the timeless value of traditional culture, no matter how advanced our technology is in the modern society. We also believe that there can be creative ways to make these ancient wisdom more accessible for everyone, especially the younger generation.
Besides regular cultural talks and events, we organize tailor made courses and programs for both adults and children. When opportunities arise, we also offer tours and visits to places of special interest and importance in and around Beijing.
Our Neighborhood By a stroke of luck we discovered this beautiful courtyard residence just next to the Imperial City Wall.
The courtyard is just a stone’s throw away from the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park. Located around the courtyard are a number of places of interest, including two listed heritage buildings, Songzhu Temple and Zhizhu Temple (Temple of Wisdom), as well as the former sites of the Imperial University of Peking, the Peking University (the Red Mansion) and the Chinese-French University.
We are close neighbors with the National Gallery of Fine Arts, the Beijing People’s Art Theater and the Joint Publishing Bookstore. We are very grateful to have the opportunity to work in a very historical and cultural neighborhood.
Our long term goal is to turn our courtyard into a lively open space for culture. We hope to create a unique place for the exchange of knowledge and ideas about traditional culture or to simply catch a glimpse of this city’s roots whether you have been born and lived your whole life in Beijing or are just a traveler on the way through this ever changing city.
