Zhongzi Temple in Weishan

Zhongzi Temple in Weishan

Zhongzi Temple in Weishan is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

On the eastern shore of the northern part of Weishan Lake, standing prominently amidst lush trees in the village of Zhongqian is an ancient and rustic temple — this is Zhongzi Temple, built in honor of Zhongzi Lu, one of Confucius’s most accomplished disciples. Zhongzi, whose given name was You and courtesy name Zi Lu (542–480 BC), was a native of Bian in the State of Lu during the late Spring and Autumn period (present-day Quanlin in Sishui County, Shandong). Zhongzi had exceptional talents, was righteous and brave, and took pleasure in hearing about his own faults.

Zhongzi Temple in Weishan was first built in the seventh year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (719 AD). According to the *Zhongli Zhi* (Records of Zhong’s Hometown), at that time, He Zhizhang served as the magistrate of Rencheng (now the central district of Jining City, Shandong). When he met Zhong Wenzhong, the 36th-generation direct descendant of Zhongzi who was in charge of ancestral worship, and learned about his noble lineage, he was deeply moved to find such a descendant of a sage living in obscurity among common villagers. As a result, he built a temple for him in what was then Hengfang Village (now Zhongjiaqian), allocated a certain amount of land for temple offerings, and appointed Zhong Wenzhong to oversee the ancestral rites. This marked the origin of Zhongzi Temple in Weishan.

The temple is located in Zhongqian Village, Lüqiao Town, Weishan County (present-day Weishan), on the western bank of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, covering an area of 20 mu. It faces east and consists of five courtyards aligned from front to back. The complex includes a memorial archway, main gate, imperial stele pavilion, Siyuan Well, Zhongxing Shrine, Wenxi Hall, kitchen shrine, fasting room, corridor, side halls, Weisheng Hall, and bedroom hall. The main structure, Weisheng Hall, is centered along the east-west central axis, with symmetrical buildings arranged on both sides. It represents a fine example of ancient Chinese architecture from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. In June 1992, it was designated as a key cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province by the Shandong Provincial People’s Government.

The original layout of Zhongzi Temple included: a three-bay main gate in the front, featuring a flush-gable roof covered with green glazed tiles, red wooden pillars, and colorfully painted eaves on both the front and back. Hanging from the wooden pillars on either side of the gate were a pair of wooden couplets written by Dong Zhugui: “Encircled by sparse willows reflecting the palace walls, facing the thousand pines of Confucius’s hometown; drawing clear canal water to cleanse the sacrificial vessels, carrying the fragrance of a single river from the land of Yu.” To the right of the gate, beneath the wall, there is an ancient well. A stone slab lies horizontally across the mouth of the well, with the wall built to span over it. Inside the wall is embedded a stone stele about one meter tall, inscribed with three large characters: “Siyuan Well” (Source Spring Well). There used to be a saying: “A well within the wall, and a stele within the well,” which became a scenic feature of the past. No one knows exactly when the well was dug, nor who inscribed the words on the stele.

In front of the main gate stands a stone-pillared wooden memorial archway inscribed with “Temple of the Sage Disciple Zhongzi” in the center, “Spirit Transcending Past and Present” on the right, and “Ambition Spanning Heaven and Earth” on the left. Behind the gate is a three-bay corridor, also called the “Shengtang Gate” (Ascension Gate). To the right of the Shengtang Gate is the “Mingjue Gate” (Gate of Clarity and Decisiveness), and to the left is the “Zhongxin Gate” (Gate of Loyalty and Trustworthiness). The Shengtang Gate is 11.5 meters wide, 6 meters deep, and about 6 meters high, with a flush-gable roof, four beams and eight pillars, square rafters, gray tubular tiles, and dragon-patterned tile ridges. The interior walls are inlaid with eight stone steles featuring calligraphy in various styles including regular script, cursive, clerical script, and seal script. The wooden pillars on both sides are hung with a couplet written by Chen Yuikui: “Tracing back thousands of years to the Spring and Autumn period, you stood as a mighty pillar of the great Way, as vivid as if in the days of old; being just a hundred li from the Zhu and Si rivers, you dwelled near the sage’s sword and jade ornaments, as if sharing the same hall.” In the eastern part of Lüqiao Town on the eastern shore of the northern Weishan Lake, standing amidst lush trees in the village of Zhongqian is an ancient and rustic temple — this is Zhongzi Temple, built in honor of Zhongzi Lu, one of Confucius’s most accomplished disciples.

In the 38th year of the Kangxi reign (1699), Emperor Kangxi visited the south by boat along the Grand Canal. He disembarked to pay homage at Zhongzi Temple and personally inscribed two stone plaques: “Sage’s Wise Disciple” and “Continuing the Family’s Renown,” which were embedded in the walls of the north and south side halls respectively. In the 3rd year of the Yongzheng reign (1725), the emperor bestowed a plaque inscribed with “Pillar of the Holy Way.” In the 30th year of the Qianlong reign (1765), while traveling to the south, Emperor Qianlong stopped by the temple, ascended the grounds to pay his respects, and bestowed a wooden couplet reading: “Cultivate the three virtues and refine bravery so as never to slacken; follow the four principles in governance so that actions bring no hardship,” along with a plaque inscribed “Wise Aspirations Ascend the Hall,” and presented a large iron incense burner. The walls of the north and south side halls are inlaid with steles from the Ming and Qing dynasties, all bearing inscriptions, poetic verses, and calligraphic works left by officials and scholars who visited the temple. The most exquisite stele is a four-character poem composed by Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty in praise of Zhongzi. The text is in seal script and reads: “Imperial Poem by Emperor Gaozong of Song in Praise of Zhongzi: Ascending the hall as foremost, a thousand chariots yield to wisdom; perceiving the tripod’s falsehood, submitting one’s pledge shows virtue; judging cases with concise words, donning the ceremonial cap completes the rite; turning a deaf ear to slander, Zhongni relies on you.” Below the poem is a sunken engraving of Zhongzi’s portrait, dressed in court attire and holding a tablet with both hands. This stele was carved during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhongqian Village: Zhongqian Village... More details about Zhongqian Village++

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Shandong Province

· First Batch of Municipal Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jining City