Gaotang Confucius Temple (Childhood Study Place of Li Kuchan)

Gaotang Confucius Temple (Childhood Study Place of Li Kuchan)

Gaotang Confucius Temple (Childhood Study Place of Li Kuchan) is a cultural relics protection unit of Shandong Province.

Also known as the childhood study place of Li Kuchan, Gaotang Confucius Temple is located on the west side at the southern end of Beihu Road in Gaotang County. It is now a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit.

The Gaotang Confucius Temple was first built in the 24th year of the Zhiyuan era during the Yuan Dynasty. It originally included structures such as the Dacheng Hall, screen wall, Moon Palace Gate, kitchen, east gate, and west gate. The Confucius Temple served as a site for worshipping Confucius and implementing Confucian education, and Gaotang Confucius Temple also functioned as an official school through the dynasties. The renowned Chinese painting master Mr. Li Kuchan studied here in his youth. Directly above the south gate of the Dacheng Hall hangs a plaque inscribed with “Childhood Study Place of Master Li Kuchan,” written by Qi Gong, a famous modern calligrapher.

Today, only the Dacheng Hall remains. The Dacheng Hall faces south and features a width of five bays and a depth of three bays, measuring 17.7 meters in length from east to west and 11.10 meters in width from north to south. It is a single-eave Xieshan-style building, primarily supported by columns, brick walls, and beams that uphold the gracefully curved roof. Brick walls are built between the outer eaves columns. The bracket sets under the eaves are decorative elements, while the overhanging eaves protect the columns and beams from erosion and damage caused by heavy rain, giving the hall a more majestic appearance. The main ridge of the roof is mainly covered with grey tiles, except for three diamond-shaped patterns made of yellow and green glazed tiles at the front and back. At the center of the main ridge is a round gourd, and at both ends are chi dragons.

Around the Dacheng Hall, several stone stele bases (bixi) and ancient steles have been discovered over time. These include notable ones such as “Record of Land Donation for Gaotang Prefecture School,” “Record of the Reconstruction of the Temple School in Gaotang Prefecture,” “Victory in Pacifying Junggar,” “Detailed Report on the Completion of Reconstruction in the 15th Year of the Daoguang Reign, Eighth Month,” “Record of the Reconstruction of the Temple of Dongfang Shuo, Grand Master of the Han Dynasty,” “Record of Donations,” “Record of the Reconstruction of the Gaotang Prefecture School,” “Record of the Reconstruction of Guanyin Temple,” and “Record of Equalizing Grain Tax.”

[Related Links] Li Kuchan (1899–1983), born into a poor family in Gaotang, developed a love for painting from a young age under the influence of folk art. In 1919, he went to Beijing to study art and learned sketching under Xu Beihong. In 1922, he was admitted to the Western Painting Department of the National Beijing Art School, supporting himself by driving a rickshaw at night. The following year, he became a disciple of Qi Baishi to study traditional Chinese painting and earned his mentor’s high regard. In 1930, Li Kuchan went to Hangzhou to teach at the National Art School at West Lake. During the War of Resistance against Japan, he resigned and lived in Beijing. He was imprisoned and tortured by the Japanese for aiding patriots but remained steadfast. In 1946, he was appointed as a professor at the National Art School in Beijing by Xu Beihong. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, he held positions such as professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, council member of the China Artists Association, and member of the administrative committee of the China National Academy of Painting.

Li Kuchan excelled in freehand brushwork flower-and-bird paintings. His works inherited the fine traditions of Chinese painting and blended Chinese and Western techniques. While rooted in classical methods, he forged his own path, constantly innovating in practice. He often used motifs such as pine, bamboo, plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, rock, lotus, myna, cormorant, and eagle. His style is characterized by bold, vigorous brushstrokes and imposing momentum, a profound and sweeping artistic conception, and vivid, refined imagery.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units