Ruins of Fandan Temple

Ruins of Fandan Temple

The Ruins of Fandan Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Ruins of Fandan Temple

Fandan Temple is located 700 meters east of Qiangenglou Village, Liuzhentun Township, southeast of the county seat. Research has confirmed that beneath the temple lies a site from the Dawenkou and Longshan cultures. In 1962, it was designated as a county-level cultural heritage protection unit.

The site is a square-shaped platform, about 2 meters above the ground. The surrounding area is flat, covering an area of 3,600 square meters, with a cultural layer generally 3 to 5 meters thick. Artifacts unearthed include pottery ding (tripods), bowls, and jars from the Longshan culture, as well as stone shovels, chisels, and adzes. On the northern side of the platform, there are Dawenkou culture tombs where grayish-blue pottery bamboo-joint cups were excavated.

Legend has it that Fandan Temple was the place where Confucius borrowed grain from Fandan when he was stranded in Chen. Later generations built over ten temple halls (now in ruins) in his memory. Fandan was a figure from the Eastern Han Dynasty, living some six or seven hundred years after Confucius, so the story of borrowing grain is considered unreliable, yet it has been passed down through the ages.

Source: Huaiyang Government Website