Xinxian Confucius Temple

Xinxian Confucius Temple

The Xinxian Confucius Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

The Confucius Temple is located on East Street in Xinxian County and is now a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.

The Xinxian Confucius Temple was first built in the third year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty as a site for worshipping Confucius. It originally included structures such as the Lingxing Gate, Dacheng Hall, Qisheng Shrine, Mingji Hall, Jingting Pavilion, and the Two Shrines for Eminent Officials and Local Sages, but only the Dacheng Hall remains today. The temple covers an area of 2,439 square meters. The Dacheng Hall is built on a raised platform, spanning five bays in width (19 meters east to west) and three bays in depth (11.8 meters north to south), with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The diameter of the columns inside the hall—including the eave columns, front golden columns, and rear golden columns—are notably large, with the golden columns standing 4.4 meters tall. The front and rear golden columns support the seven-rafter beam, five-rafter beam, and three-rafter beam. A wooden board is nailed beneath the ridge purlin beam inside the hall, bearing an inscription: “In the twelfth year of the Hongzhi era of the Great Ming, the cyclical year of Jiwei, on the auspicious day of seventh month, autumn—Supervising Officer, County Magistrate Meng□, Door Supervisor □ Gui…” Another two inscriptions are found on the wooden board beneath the upper front golden purlin beam: “In the sixth year of the Chongzhen era of the Great Ming, the cyclical year of Guisou, on the auspicious day of mid-autumn…” and “In the twentieth year of the Qianlong era of the Great Qing, the cyclical year of Yihai, on the auspicious day of sixth month—Cultural Affairs Official, Magistrate of Xinxian County, Confucian Scholar…” The wooden pillars and beams of the Dacheng Hall feature a simple, classic style characteristic of the late Yuan and early Ming periods, giving them significant cultural relic value.

Several ancient stone steles are still preserved within the temple, including the “Sacred Edict Stele” from the ninth year of the Yongzheng era and the “Victory over the Zhunge’er and Completion Stele for the Imperial College” from the twentieth year of the Qianlong era. In addition, the courtyard contains one ancient locust tree, four ancient cypress trees, and one ancient wisteria plant, all of which are several hundred years old, adding a solemn and majestic atmosphere to the Confucius Temple.

Self-driving guide: Take the Jiliao Expressway → Exit at the Western Liaocheng Interchange → Head south along the Liaoxin Highway (about 40 minutes) → About 3 minutes south from Xinxian Bus Station → Head east to the start of Zhenxing Street → Drive west for 3 minutes to reach Yanta Square.

Further reading:

· Third Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units