Cicheng Confucius Temple

Cicheng Confucius Temple

Cicheng Confucius Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Cicheng Confucius Temple is located at No. 55 Zhucang East Road, in the center of Cicheng Town, Jiangbei District, Ningbo. Among the many cultural relics and historic sites, the temple stands out as a shining gem. It is currently the only well-preserved Confucian school in eastern Zhejiang. The Confucius Temple is a place dedicated to the worship of Confucius, the great Chinese thinker, statesman, and educator. Built in the first year of the Yongxi era of the Northern Song Dynasty, it predates the current Beijing Confucius Temple by 318 years, and was relocated to its present site in 1048. Though ancient buildings have been damaged or reconstructed over the dynasties, the existing Confucius Temple still retains its original appearance from the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of about 7,000 square meters, it consists of 137 structures including shrines and pavilions, with a complete layout and grand momentum. Along the central axis from south to north are the Lingxing Gate, Pan Pond, Dacheng Gate, Dacheng Hall, Minglun Hall, and Tiyun Pavilion. Symmetrical shrines and pavilions are also built along the side axes, reflecting the Confucian aesthetic principle of "harmony as beauty." With its intact layout and majestic presence, it is one of the best-preserved Confucius Temples in China.

Along the central axis from south to north within the temple are the Lingxing Gate, Pan Pond, City Gate, Dacheng Hall, Minglun Hall, and Tiyun Pavilion. A stone arch bridge spans the Pan Pond, connecting the Lingxing Gate to the Dacheng Gate. The areas to the east and west of the Dacheng Hall are well-preserved courtyards. On the eastern axis, the Kuixing Pavilion, Wenchang Pavilion, Earth God Shrine, and Chongsheng Shrine remain intact. On the western axis, shrines such as those for Filial Piety, Loyalty and Filial Piety, Eminent Officials, and Local Sages are also well-preserved, though some have undergone changes. However, the two eastern and western archways, “Tengjiao” and “Qifeng,” have been demolished. Within the temple, there are over 20 stone tablets from the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era, including the “Epitaph of Magistrate Pan Hou” and fragments of the “Praise of Confucius,” as well as the “Record of the Establishment of the School in Cixi County” written by Wang Anshi of the Northern Song Dynasty.

The Confucius Temple is a testament to Cicheng’s rich cultural heritage, where the inspiring stories of many notable figures from Cicheng’s history are widely celebrated: Dong Yan of the Western Han Dynasty, courtesy name Shuda, whose story of filial piety has timeless moral appeal; Kan Ze, chancellor of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period, known for his loyalty and governance acumen. As noted in the "Records of the Three Kingdoms · Biography of Sun Deng," he helped strategize and set the fire at the Battle of Red Cliffs, aiding Sun Quan in defeating Cao Cao. After returning to Cicheng, he promoted culture and martial arts, establishing a hall for lectures that initiated a literary culture in Cicheng. In the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong era, this site was renamed “Derun Academy.” Yang Jian, a renowned scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty, was highly respected for his virtue in the imperial court. After retiring, he returned to his hometown and lived near Cihu Lake, promoting Neo-Confucianism and leaving behind the immortal work “Collected Writings of Cihu,” which became a precursor to the Eastern Zhejiang School. The Confucian cultural atmosphere nurtured many talents in Cicheng, to the extent that it was once said, “The entire court is filled with high-ranking officials, all from Cixi.” This speaks volumes about the exceptional talent that emerged from Cicheng.

Location

Intersection of Zhuxiang East Road and Minquan Road, Cicheng Town, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province

Confucius (551–479 BC), surname Qiu, given name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi, Changping (now southeastern Qufu, Shandong Province). He was a thinker, educator, and statesman in the late Spring and Autumn period, the founder of Confucianism, and one of the most influential figures in Chinese history and culture. His influence extends globally, especially across Southeast Asia, making him a world cultural icon.

Confucius’s ancestors were from the royal family of the Yin Dynasty. His great-great-grandfather, Weizi Qi, the half-brother of the tyrant King Zhou of Shang, upheld the Shang rituals and was enfeoffed in the State of Song. His sixth-generation ancestor, Kong Fu Jia, was the first to adopt the surname Kong. His fifth-generation ancestor, Mu Jin Fu, fled to Lu and later settled in Zou, Lu... More details on Confucius++

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