Nanyue Confucius Temple

Nanyue Confucius Temple

Nanyue Confucius Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

Nanyue Confucius Temple, also known as the Temple of Confucius, is commonly referred to as "Huangxue" (meaning "school"). In the 27th year of the Kaiyuan era during the Tang Dynasty (739 AD), Confucius was posthumously honored as the "Duke of Literary and Cultural Prosperity," and his temple was called the "Temple of the Duke of Literary and Cultural Prosperity." After the Yuan and Ming dynasties, it came to be simply known as the "Confucius Temple."

The temple is located near "Yikui Mountain" in the southeastern corner of Nanyue County. In the third year of the Hongwu era (1370 AD), Ye Bojin, the magistrate’s clerk of Nanyue County, first built the temple, which was not very large at that time. In the fifth year of the Yongle era (1407 AD), Magistrate Wu Wen-zhi and in the fourth year of the Zhengtong era (1439 AD), Clerk Zhou Yu successively expanded the school grounds, creating a large architectural complex that extended to the foot of the city walls on the southeast sides, to the main road on the west, and to Jingtu Temple on the north. Major structures included the Dacheng Hall, the Sleeping Hall, the Jimen (Pole Gate), the Lingxing Gate, the Yuexin Study, and the Shixi Study. Later, during the Hongzhi, Jiajing, Longqing, and Wanli reigns of the Ming Dynasty, further additions and expansions were made, including the construction of the eastern and western side halls, excavation of the Pan Pond (a ritual pool), encircling it with stone railings, and the expansion of memorial archways such as "Virtue Matches Heaven and Earth" and "The Way Penetrates Ancient and Modern Times," giving the Confucius Temple its initial grand form. During the Qing Dynasty, under the reigns of Kangxi, Qianlong, Daoguang, and Guangxu, renovations were carried out on the existing foundations. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, the entire architectural complex remained largely intact. However, after the founding of the Republic of China, the structures deteriorated rapidly. By the early years of the People's Republic of China, only the Dacheng Hall and the Sleeping Hall remained, commonly known as the "Main Hall" and the "Small Hall."

The Dacheng Hall derives its name from Emperor Zhezong of the Northern Song Dynasty, who posthumously honored Confucius as the "Great Achiever, the Most Sage." As the main building of the Confucius Temple, the Dacheng Hall features a five-bay width and three-bay depth, with a rectangular floor plan. It has a single-eave, hip-and-gable roof with nine ridges, and its bracket sets and original wooden architectural structures inside are largely well-preserved. The column bases are made of stone in an inverted basin style. The hall is fronted by a 1.3-meter-high moon terrace. The roof is covered with traditional yellow glazed tiles, combining classical palace-style architecture with folk architectural elements. The Sleeping Hall is located behind the Dacheng Hall, also featuring a hip-and-gable roof with nine ridges. It is a typical Qing Dynasty residential-style building with a five-bay width and three-bay depth. The entire hall is grand and imposing, with soaring eaves and an ancient, majestic appearance. Surrounded by lush trees, the scenery is pleasant. Since 1980, the Henan Provincial Bureau of Cultural Relics has allocated funds for the renovation of the Dacheng Hall of the Confucius Temple, making it a popular destination for visitors.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Henan Province