Baoying Confucius Temple

Baoying Confucius Temple

Baoying Confucius Temple is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

Baoying Confucius Temple is located at No. 25 Xiaoxinqiao, Anyi Town, Baoying County. Originally built during the Jiading era of the Southern Song Dynasty, it was reconstructed in both the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Dacheng Hall was renovated in 1992. Major structures include Yingxiu Gate, Zhuangyuan Bridge, Pan Pond, Lingxing Gate, Jimen, Dacheng Hall, Minglun Hall, Leiying Hall, Wenchang Shrine, Zunjing Pavilion, and Dingjia Archway, all aligned along the central axis.

The Confucian Temple and Dacheng Hall in Baoying County have stood through the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. They were twice destroyed in wars but later rebuilt and expanded, eventually forming a complete and grand ancient architectural complex by the mid-Qing Dynasty. The site extends east to Zhujia Lane, west to South County Street, south to Yingxiu Gate, and north to Xuedun Lane, covering an area of over fifty acres. Surrounded by a moat, with stone bridges overhead and beautiful waters to the south and “lofty peaks” to the north, the complex once featured structures such as Yingxiu Gate, Zhuangyuan Bridge, Pan Pond (also known as Confucius’s Inkstone Pond, later called the Fishpond), Lingxing Gate, Dingjia Archway, Jimen, Dacheng Hall, Minglun Hall, Leiying Hall, Wenchang Shrine, Zunjing Pavilion, and Tiankui Pavilion, all aligned along the central axis. To the east was the Sub-Confucian Office, and to the west the Archery Field Hall, laid out symmetrically with balanced compositions. The entrance gate of the Sub-Confucian Office was a three-bay ancient memorial archway with a high middle section and two lower sides, bearing the inscription “Peng Bo Jiu Wan” (A Roc Soaring Ninety Thousand Li) on the central bay. Below, the three bays displayed plaques honoring the top imperial examination laureates: “Zhuangyuan” Wang Shidan, “Bangyan” Ji Yu, and “Tanhua” Feng Xu—majestic and imposing, commonly referred to as the “Three Dings Archway.” Behind the temple was an artificially piled hill with a square pavilion on top, named “Zhuangyuan Peak,” commonly known as “Xuedun.”

Today, only the Dacheng Hall and Minglun Hall survive, while other structures remain only as ruins. The Dacheng Hall was restored in 1992. This single-eave, hip-and-gable-roof hall spans five bays in width and nine rafters in depth. In front of the hall stand two ancient ginkgo trees that have endured 400 years and still boast lush foliage. The overall layout of Baoying Confucius Temple retains the fundamental features of ancient Chinese Confucian temples, while the individual buildings possess unique characteristics rich in local flavor. With a clear historical evolution, the site offers abundant historical information and deep cultural significance, serving as important reference material for the study of architectural history and the development of Confucian culture in the Jianghuai region. In 2006, the government carried out planning and restored structures such as Yingxiu Gate, Zhuangyuan Bridge, and Pan Pond.

Baoying Confucius Temple is one of the most renowned cultural heritage sites in central Jiangsu. Following reconstruction during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty and subsequent expansions, it had developed into a grand and complete architectural complex by the mid-Qing Dynasty. According to the Confucian Temple map in the 1828 Baoying County Annals of the Daoguang reign, there were over ten structures from south to north, including the Screen Wall, Yingxiu Bridge, Pan Pond, Lingxing Gate, Jimen, Dacheng Hall, Minglun Hall, Leiying Hall, Zunjing Pavilion, and Dingjia Archway. Most of these were later destroyed in wars. During the Republican period, the former Archery Field Hall on the west side of the temple was turned into a sports field, and the Confucian Temple became a school. By the time of liberation, structures such as Yingxiu Gate, Pan Pond, Dingjia Archway, Lingxing Gate, Jimen, Dacheng Hall, and Minglun Hall were still intact. After the 1960s, the Pan Pond was filled in, the Lingxing Gate was modified, and in the early Cultural Revolution, the Dingjia Archway was demolished. The upper part of Yingxiu Gate was destroyed, though remnants remain. In 1992, the county government and the provincial Department of Culture allocated special funds for major repairs to the Dacheng Hall. Currently, the Dacheng Hall, Minglun Hall, and ancient ginkgo trees are well preserved, some stone blocks of the Pan Pond are buried underground or serve as part of the city riverbank, and remnants of the screen wall can still be seen.

Baoying Confucius Temple holds rich historical information and deep cultural significance, serving as the birthplace of Baoying’s millennium-long scholarly tradition and an important site for nurturing talent and studying Confucian culture throughout the dynasties. In the 19th year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty, Gao Zhao passed the imperial examinations and became the first Jinshi (advanced scholar) in Baoying’s history. In total, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the county produced 54 Jinshi, 202 Juren (provincial graduates), and 502 Gongsheng (tribute students). Notably, the presence of a zhuangyuan (top scholar) Wang Shidan, bangyan (second-place scholar) Ji Yu, and tanhua (third-place scholar) Zhu Shiyuan made it a rare historical occurrence for all three top honors to be achieved within a single county. In commemoration, the Dingjia Archway was specially erected in the temple. Hundreds of officials who graduated from Baoying Confucius Temple and served elsewhere—including Zhong Ben, Zhu Yingdeng, Qiao Kepin, Zhu Shiyuan, Liu Taigong, Wang Mao?, and Cheng Zhaolin—were all known for their remarkable governance and integrity, bringing great honor to the temple. Both Emperor Kangxi during his southern tour and Emperor Qianlong on his journey to the south visited Baoying and inspected the Confucius Temple. The young Zhou Enlai also studied and played here during his time in Baoying, leaving behind the extraordinary footsteps of a great man.

The temple sits to the west of South County Street, to the east of Zhujia Lane, and to the south up to Nannanmen Street, facing south with a northern aspect. Its location is unique, the terrain open, and it is encircled by the city river. The surrounding cultural heritage sites are both concentrated and interconnected, offering a superior and distinctive environmental setting, making it the most prominent highlight among Baoying’s existing cultural relics.

Anyi Town: Located in central Jiangsu, Anyi Town is under the jurisdiction of Yangzhou City and serves as the political, economic, cultural, and commercial center of Baoying County. It administers 23 community committees and 24 administrative villages (including 4 combined village-residential areas), with a total population of 260,000 and a total area of 152 square kilometers, including 35,000 mu of arable land and 32,000 mu of aquaculture area. In 2008, the town achieved a GDP of 3.2 billion yuan, a total fiscal revenue of 280 million yuan, per capita urban disposable income of 11,300 yuan, and per capita rural net income of 9,230 yuan. It has been honored with titles such as Jiangsu Provincial Social... More details about Anyi Town++

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units