Jixi Confucius Temple

Jixi Confucius Temple

Jixi Confucius Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Jixi Confucius Temple is situated on the west side of North Street in Jixi County. The temple gate of the “Foremost Academy in the South of the Yangtze River” stands imposingly along the street, adjacent to the already open Hu Xueyan Memorial Hall, and just over a hundred meters away from the Jixi County Three-Carving Art Museum. With the north-south line as the central axis and a symmetrical east-west layout, the temple features, from south to north, the temple gate, the Lingxing Gate, the Pan Palace Archway, the Pan Pond Floating Bridge, the Ji Gate, the terrace, the east and west side halls, and the Dacheng Hall. It spans 38.55 meters in width and 172.45 meters in depth, covering a total area of 6,647.95 square meters.

According to Volume Five, “Academy,” of the Jixi County Annals from the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty: “In the 42nd year of Qianlong’s reign (1777), Magistrate Sun Yinchá advocated for the reconstruction of the Confucius Temple. By the 48th year of Qianlong’s reign (1783), Magistrate Zhang Banghuán led local gentry in morning-to-evening efforts until its completion. The main hall has five bays; in front is a terrace with stone railings; the east and west side halls each have seven bays, with two auxiliary rooms beside each; the Ji Gate has five bays, with the two eastern rooms serving as the Zhaoming Chamber and the two western rooms as the Sacrificial Animal Slaughter Room; the Pan Pond was dredged again; the Pan Palace Archway, stone bridge, enclosing wall, and Lingxing Gate were repaired.” This confirms that the surviving structures of the Confucius Temple — the Pan Pond, the Floating Bridge, and the Dacheng Hall on the east and west sides — were built during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. Although other buildings, apart from the temple gate, were not restored at that time, their original layout remains intact. Anyone who has visited Jixi Confucius Temple can truly grasp the essence of its “majestic appearance, well-maintained pavilions, and scale surpassing others in the South of the Yangtze River,” and will readily agree that today’s locals rightly call it the “Foremost Academy in the South of the Yangtze River,” with no room for dispute.

Stepping through the temple gate, you’ll see lush pines and cypresses, a round Pan Pond, a rainbow-like bridge spanning over, exquisitely carved railings, and an ancient charm that creates a perfect setting for sightseeing and reflection. Despite centuries of weathering, cycles of decline and revival, the newly renovated and fully restored Confucius Temple still boasts a grand and stately layout, simple yet elegant in style. The Dacheng Hall and the east and west side halls are the concentrated expressions of the architectural style of Jixi Confucius Temple, covering a total area of 1,185 square meters. The Dacheng Hall is the main structure of the temple. The term “Dacheng” (great accomplishment) comes from Mencius: “Confucius is regarded as the one who brought together the great achievements.” Facing the temple gate and flanked by the long east and west side halls, the surrounding corridors create an open courtyard paved with flagstones, forming the ceremonial pathway. The Dacheng Hall measures 15 meters in both width and depth, with a construction area of 260 square meters. It features a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, with the central ridge constructed from three tiers of floral-patterned bricks, adorned at both ends with Ao fish ornaments and a gourd finial at the top. The wooden structure employs both exposed and hidden beams, using bracket sets to support the eaves. The blue tiles and upturned eaves, supported by bracket arms, present a majestic and spectacular sight. A large plaque inscribed with “Model Teacher for All Generations” hangs prominently in the central bay of the front hall. Below it stands a statue of Confucius and an altar where visitors can pay tribute and offer prayers. The east and west side halls have single-sloped roofs. The beam frames and ceiling caissons of the Dacheng Hall and the side halls are richly decorated with colorful paintings, which remain remarkably well-preserved. These paintings exhibit a strong folk art style and are rare folk art treasures among Confucius Temple architectures in southern Anhui and even all of Anhui, fully reflecting the cultural relic value of Jixi Confucius Temple. In addition, a golden osmanthus and a silver osmanthus tree, both thriving, stand on either side of the terrace in front of the hall. During autumn, their fragrance fills the courtyard, refreshing the heart and mind.

“A small county with many scholars, and notable figures in every generation” — this is how ancient people praised Jixi’s culture of valuing Confucian learning and continuous study. Coupled with the local saying, “Three generations without study is like a family of pigs,” it becomes easy to understand why “Although Jixi is but a tiny place under Huizhou jurisdiction, its academy is grand and magnificent, surpassing others in the South of the Yangtze River” (from the “Record of the Reconstruction of the Sacred Temple” by education official Duan Maoci in the 6th year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty). This also shows the crucial role Jixi Confucius Temple played in spreading traditional culture and promoting education. Looking at the overall layout of Jixi Confucius Temple, its plan is rigorous, neat, with clear hierarchy and emphasis on key elements — it truly deserves the historical description of “majestic appearance, well-maintained pavilions, and scale surpassing others in the South of the Yangtze River.”

The formation and development of Jixi Confucius Temple spans nearly a thousand years. Its preservation to this day is no small feat. It stands as a precious, tangible resource and important physical evidence for studying ancient Chinese architecture, Confucian thought, education, talent cultivation, and local history and culture.

On October 7, 2019, Jixi Confucius Temple was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Confucius (551–479 BC), also known as Qiu and with the courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi (present-day southeastern Qufu, Shandong Province), in the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was a thinker, educator, and statesman of the late Spring and Autumn period, the founder of Confucianism, and one of the most influential figures in Chinese history and culture. He also had a profound impact worldwide, especially in Southeast Asian countries, and is recognized as a world cultural celebrity.

Confucius’ ancestors were the half-brother of the tyrant King Zhou of Shang, Weizi Qi, who inherited the Shang lineage 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, Shu Jin Fu, fled to the State of Lu to escape turmoil and later settled in Zou, Lu... More detailed information about Confucius ++

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units