Xianyou Confucius Temple

Xianyou Confucius Temple

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

Era; Qing Dynasty

Xianyou Confucius Temple is located at No. 1 Shifan Road, Chengnei Community, Licheng Subdistrict, Xianyou County.

The temple complex is grand in scale. During the Ming Dynasty, the main hall enshrined Confucius, with the two side halls on either side dedicated to ancient sages. Behind the main hall lies the Minglun Hall (Hall of Ethics), with the Rixin and Shixi buildings on its east and west sides serving as places where scholars lectured on Confucian teachings. Originally, the corridors on both sides in front of the hall were adorned with paintings depicting figures from Lin Fang to Qin Ran, along with illustrations of ceremonial robes. During the Ming Dynasty, ten study rooms were built behind the two corridors.

Since its relocation to its current site, Xianyou Confucius Temple has undergone several cycles of prosperity and decline, with multiple renovations over the years. The current temple complex covers a total area of 8,000 square meters and retains structures rebuilt during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, including the Jimen (Pillared Gate), Danchi (Red Steps), Baitai (Worship Platform), Dacheng Hall, and the side corridors. In recent years, other structures such as the Chuoxie Gate, Dacheng Courtyard, Pan Pond, Jixian Hall, and Minglun Hall have been reconstructed according to historical designs, restoring the temple to its former glory.

The main structure, the Dacheng Hall (Hall of Great Achievement), is five bays wide and three bays deep, featuring a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof supported by a combination of post-and-lintel and bracket-arm construction. The roof ridges are decorated with gray-relief carvings of twin dragons, while the ridge screens are painted with colorful images of swimming fish and flying phoenixes. The central ceiling of the hall features a coffered dome with layered arches, adorned with intricate patterns and carvings, exquisitely beautiful. The ceilings of the side bays and the front corridor are decorated with flat caisson ceilings, also richly colored. The beams, brackets, dougong (bracket sets), and architraves throughout the hall are adorned with gold-lacquered wood carvings or colorful paintings, displaying a rich and elegant color scheme with vivid and lifelike imagery. For example, the painted flying dragons and phoenixes on the roof screens are remarkably dynamic. The temple’s architectural grade and the exquisite quality of its painted carvings give the Dacheng Hall an air of dignity, grandeur, and majesty. On May 3, 2013, it was listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Confucius (551–479 BCE), whose given name was Qiu and courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi (present-day southeast of 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. His impact extends globally, especially across Southeast Asia, making him one of the world’s cultural icons.

Confucius’ ancestors were the younger half-brother of King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty, Weizi Qi, who upheld 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, Mu Jin Fu, fled to the State of Lu to escape turmoil and later settled there... More detailed information about Confucius ++

Chengnei Community: The Chengnei Community Residents' Committee is located in the central area of Licheng Subdistrict. It earned its name because it was the site of the county government before liberation and is situated within the town area. It borders Dongmen Community to the east, is bounded by Hongqiao Community west of Park Road to the west, neighbors Nanqiao Community to the south, and lies against Wanfu and Feishan villages to the north. The community covers a land area of 1.9 square kilometers. Chengnei Community consists of 14 resident (village) groups: including 5 residential groups and 9 agricultural groups. The community has a total of 2,122 households and a population of 6,010, including 3,995 in the residential groups and 2,015 in the agricultural groups. In June 2003, the community was the first in our subdistrict to establish... More detailed information about Chengnei Community ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units