Dacheng Hall of Fengxian Confucius Temple

The Fengxian Confucius Temple is locatedin Jiangsu Provinceon the north side at the western end of Jiefang Road in Fengxian County.It is the oldest existing ancient temple originally built in northern Jiangsu and also the only well-preserved ancient building in the region. Situated on the busiest Jiefang Road on the west side of the county town, although overshadowed by surrounding high-rise buildings, as the long-standing bearer of the city’s cultural heritage, it is undoubtedly today’s one and only cultural landmark of Fengxian County.

Designated as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit by the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government in 2006. The Confucius Temple, also known as the Kong Temple, was first built during the Tang Dynasty and relocated to its current site in the 39th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1560), covering an area of over ten acres with nearly a hundred palatial rooms. The architecture is majestic and splendid, serving as a place for worshipping Confucius. Over the dynasties, it was often used to establish schools and cultivate talent until the 1950s.

There are no exact records regarding the founding time of the Fengxian Confucius Temple. According to multiple historical documents, the existing Dacheng Hall of the Fengxian Confucius Temple was built in 1560 AD, which means it has a history of more than 460 years. Among them, the "Fengxian County Annals" describes it as follows: “The original Confucian school was located to the east of the county office and was destroyed by fire in the late Jin Dynasty. In the Zhi Zheng era of the Yuan Dynasty, County Magistrate Guo Xuan renovated it, but it was soon destroyed in war.” Based on these historical accounts, we can imagine the grandeur of the Fengxian Confucius Temple in its heyday. Over the past four hundred years, the Fengxian Confucius Temple underwent several renovations, with seven recorded instances during the Ming Dynasty and six during the Qing Dynasty. Having endured historical upheavals and the trials of war, by the early years of liberation, only the Dacheng Hall and Minglun Hall remained. The main hall’s interior pillars suffered from insect damage, multiple leaks, and severe damage to the eaves. In the 1960s and 1980s, the county government carried out two major renovations of the Fengxian Confucius Temple, ensuring the survival of the Dacheng Hall.

The Dacheng Hall is the iconic structure of the Confucius Temple, situated at its center. It is five bays wide (18.9 meters) and three bays deep (12.2 meters), covering an area of 230 square meters.

It features a single-eave, nine-ridged hip-and-gable roof with yellow glazed tiles, a post-and-lintel wooden structure supported by 24 pillars, lotus-shaped stone bases, bracket sets (dougong), and intricately carved decorative elements.

At the center of the hall is a shrine enshrining a statue of Confucius, flanked by the Four Disciples—with Yan Hui, the Revived Sage, positioned to the east facing west.

Inside and outside the hall hang two plaques and three pairs of couplets. The plaque inside is inscribed by Emperor Kangxi: “Exemplar for All Ages.” The plaque outside is written by Emperor Yongzheng: “Dacheng Hall.” Inside the hall, the couplets are penned by Emperor Qianlong: “Enlightening the world and guiding the people, the eternal principles of poetry, books, divination, the Spring and Autumn Annals; Outstanding among all, no sage can compare to him like dragons, seas, Mount Tai, or phoenixes.” And: “Endowed with the spirit of all seasons, sharing virtues with heaven, earth, ghosts, spirits, sun, and moon; Teaching passed down through the ages, succeeding the sages Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu.” The couplet outside the hall, written by Emperor Yongzheng, reads: “Virtue surpassing all under heaven, revered since the beginning of time; Teachings honored by all sages, together praise the great completion.” In front of the hall is a terrace, with a stone carving of two dragons playing with a pearl embedded in the center of the steps.

Although the Dacheng Hall has undergone multiple renovations during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and after the establishment of the People’s Republic, it has retained its Ming Dynasty architectural style.

Extended Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

Sometimes free, depending on the daily regulations of the scenic spot.