Although the Confucius Temples lacks the imposing grandeur of major sights like the Forbidden City, or impressive artifacts, it's actually one of my favorite spots in the city - mainly because its enclosed nature, location in the middle of quiet hutongs, and "slightly off the tourist trail" status makes it one of the only places in Beijing that feels like a genuine quiet haven, away from the maddening crowds. This not only gives visitors some respite from city life, it also gives some sense of what Beijing must have been like before it had 20 million people, the air became unbreathable and the city was surrounded by 18 Ring Roads.
History buffs will also be interested to know that the famous writer Lao She was denounced here in 1966, an incident that led to his suicide the following day. Fortunately these days the place is more peaceful.
Unless you want to just sit back and soak up the atmosphere, you probably won't want to spend a lot of time here, but it's really worth checking out, whether you are a visitor or Beijing resident. It's very close to Yonghegong, so combining it with a visit to the Buddhist temple makes for a good day. Then you can top off your sightseeing with a cuppa at Confucius Cafe down the road!
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