Chongming Confucian Temple

Chongming Confucian Temple

Chongming Confucian Temple is a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai Municipality.

Chongming Confucian Temple is located at Nanmen Wharf in Chongming, Shanghai. It is one of only three surviving Confucian temples in Shanghai today. The current site is also known as the Chongming Museum. Originally, the temple grounds measured 144.2 meters from east to west on the eastern side, 148.3 meters on the western side, and 80 meters in width from north to south. The complex included halls, palaces, chambers, halls, ancestral shrines, and pavilions, showcasing exquisite architectural art. It was renovated ten times during the Qing Dynasty. After the Republic of China period, the Chongming Confucian Temple was used as an elementary school and by other organizations. Following three recent rounds of restoration, its original layout has gradually been revived, and its area expanded to 23.21 mu, making it the largest Confucian temple in the Shanghai area. Major structures within the temple include the East and West memorial archways, the Lingxing Gate, the Pan Pond, the Dengyun Bridge, the East and West official halls, the Jimen Gate, the Shrine of Local Sages, the Shrine of Eminent Officials, the Shrine of Loyalty, Righteousness, Filial Piety, and Fraternity, the Dacheng Hall, the East and West side halls, the Zunjing Pavilion, and the Chongsheng Shrine—forming a grand complex of Ming and Qing dynasty architecture. Its majestic scale and impressive design make it a captivating destination. Currently, ancient structures such as the Minglun Hall and Yimen Gate have been restored.

The integrated temple and school complex was first built in the fourth year of the Yuan Taiding era (1327). From the Song and Yuan dynasties through the mid-Ming period, the various sandbars of Chongming suffered repeated tidal invasions, forcing the relocation and reconstruction of the state and county seats five or six times, with the Confucian temple also being repeatedly built and destroyed. The current Chongming Confucian Temple was reconstructed in the second year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty (1622) by County Magistrate Tang Shihan in the southeast corner outside the city moat, and it underwent multiple renovations thereafter. In the early years of the Republic of China, the temple complex featured the Ten-Thousand-Ren high wall, the Lingxing Gate, the Pan Pond, the Dengyun Pavilion, the Jimen Gate, the Shrine of Eminent Officials, the Shrine of Local Sages, the Shrine of Loyalty, Righteousness, Filial Piety, and Fraternity, the East and West side halls, the Dacheng Hall, the Chongsheng Shrine, the Worship Pavilion, and the Jingyi Pavilion. The Confucian school buildings included the main gate, the Yimen Gate, the Land God Shrine, the Cleaning Guild Hall, the Minglun Hall, the Yingzhou Academy, the Wenchang Palace, the Kuixing Pavilion, the Xuehai Hall building, the Education Commissioner’s Office, the Zunjing Pavilion, the Instructor’s Office, the Bowen Study Room, the Yueli Study Room, the Dujigong Office, the Instructor’s Office, the Bowen Study Room, the Yueli Study Room, and the Dujigong Office. Starting in 1913, schools were established within the Confucian temple complex, with the Chongsheng Shrine and Zunjing Pavilion serving as school buildings. In 1942, the Japanese invaders seized the Confucian temple and converted the Confucian school office into barracks. The Dacheng Hall and the East and West side halls of the temple were destroyed in the war. After 1946, the Confucian temple was again used as school space, with ancient buildings repurposed as classrooms, dormitories, and offices. Starting in 1966, the temple was used by several organizations, including the County Commune and Brigade Industry Bureau and the County Science and Technology Commission.

In May 1981, the Confucian temple was designated as a county-level cultural heritage protection unit. In May 1984, it was further listed as one of the third batch of municipal cultural heritage protection units in Shanghai.