翰林院

Hanlin Yard
The courtyard on the right of the Three-Official Temple is called Hanlin Yard. It was built by Yin Linji, an academician of Hanlin in the Qing dynasty who performed secretarial and literary tasks for the court. It was originally known as the Temple of Scriptures and Deep Meditation, consecrating the statue of Zheng Kangcheng who was the Master of Confucian Classics in the Eastern Han dynasty. Born in Gaomi, Shandong, he was successful in Confucianism and the study of Confucian Classics. Zheng Kangcheng produced many works in his life and when his disciples numbered the thousands, he founded an academy (today the Shuyuan Village of Xifu County) to give lectures.
Yin Linji, courtesy name Langruo, born in Rizhao Shandong, was a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations during the reign of emperor Daoguang of the Qing dynasty. He once served as an academician in Hanlin Academy and the Imperial Academy. Because of an unsuccessful official career, in the 9th year of reign of emperor Guangxu of the Qing dynasty (1883) he sold his property and came to Taiqing Palace where he built this quiet and elegant courtyard. He wrote the phrase “Supping with the Pink Clouds over the Eastern Sea” on the board hanging on the door, and left a large number of treasured scrolls of calligraphy and art at Laoshan.
Though the Hanlin Yard is not large, it is very quiet and tasteful with many varied lush flowers and trees, including plants from the north and rare flowers and trees from the south. The palm tree near the eastern wall is subtropical. Planting palms outdoors is rare in the north, especially such an exuberant palm. Next to it is the "spotted laurel" which is also native to the south. A lily magnolia (Mulan in Chinese) has been planted beside the laurel. Usually, magnolias flower once in each spring, but this magnolia comes into flower twice a year, in April and July. It is said that in the past it bloomed once a year. One year, a Taoist priest of Taiqing Palace had a dream at midnight that the woman general Hua Mulan wanted a drink before going into battle. On waking, the priest felt very confused by his dream, so he got up and went out into the courtyard. Suddenly he saw the magnolia dancing in the moonlight. The priest all at once came to realize the meaning of the dream and immediately fetched a jar of liquid that had been sealed for many years to water the magnolia. From then on, this magnolia plant has flowered twice a year, becoming an extraordinary sight in the Palace. The wintersweet in the corner of the eastern antechamber is Var. conclor, a top-grade wintersweet. When in blossom, petals are pale yellow, elegant, pure and noble. Their delicate fragrance can be smelt over the wall so visitors outside often follow the fragrance to find the beautiful flower. They reach the courtyard where Osmanthus asiaticus Nakai, maple, metasequoia, Bothrocaryum controversum have been planted. Though it is a small yard, its luscious trees and famous flowers are delightful.
After you have seen Three-Official Temple, turn left and walk out of the courtyard through the west gate, where you can see the Boxtree, dragon-head elm, and Fengxian Bridge.