Grand Hall of the Dacheng Palace at the Lin Ying Confucius Temple

Grand Hall of the Dacheng Palace at the Lin Ying Confucius Temple

The Grand Hall of the Dacheng Palace at the Lin Ying Confucius Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

The Confucius Temple is located in the southeast corner of Lin Ying County, within the premises of the county's No. 2 High School. The existing Grand Hall stands 9.6 meters tall with a base that is 2 meters high. It has five bays in width and three in depth, featuring a single-eave, nine-ridged hip-and-gable roof covered with green glazed tiles, accented with yellow decorative inserts, and adorned with intricately carved, openwork dragon ridges—displaying vivid and rich colors. The mythical chiwen creatures stand tall, the upturned eaves are lofty, and the sea creatures and celestial figures are varied in posture. At the center of the roof sits a large precious vase, shining brilliantly. Beneath the eaves, iron wind chimes tinkle melodiously.

The hall features five-tiered double-angled bracket sets, painted caisson ceilings, and elaborately carved beams and painted rafters. The space between the columns is adorned with carvings and paintings of landscapes, flowers, birds, rare animals, and the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars, creating a serene and auspicious atmosphere.

The front terrace of the hall is 22 meters from east to west and 15 meters from north to south, surrounded by bluestone railings. The central stairway is inlaid with a bluestone slab carved with the design of two dragons playing with a pearl, measuring 3 meters long and 1 meter wide. In front of the terrace stand two juniper cypresses, and along the pathway are numerous grand stone stelae, giving the area a magnificent, solemn, and respectful ambiance.

The Confucius Temple was originally built during the Sui Dynasty. The Qianlong-era Lin Ying County Annals record: “In the 54th year of the Kangxi reign, a wind broke a temple cypress, and upon digging, an ancient brick was unearthed bearing the characters ‘Daye Year.’ It is believed that the city was relocated here from Guicheng during the Daye era, and the temple was established along with it.” This indicates that when the city site was moved from Guixiangchengding to this location, the Confucius Temple was also built.

In the first year of the Daguan era of the Song Dynasty (1107), the Stele of the Imperial Decree on the Eight Virtues and Eight Punishments for Schools was erected to the east of the Jimen (Rank Gate).

It was used to regulate the behavior of students, with eight punishments imposed on those who violated the rules, and the rewards and penalties were administered by the academic officials.

The earlier Confucius Temple was completely destroyed during the wars at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. In the third year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1370), the school complex was rebuilt, with main structures including the Lingxing Gate, Pan Pond, Jimen, Grand Hall, and side halls. At the center of the Grand Hall stood a statue of the “Great Achiever, Supreme Sage, Literary Manifestation King,” flanked by statues of Yan Hui (Restorer Sage), Zisi (Narrator Sage), Zengzi (Ancestral Sage), and Mencius (Second Sage), all facing south. The Ten Wise Ones were arranged to the east and west, with sixty-five ancient sages on the eastern side facing west, and sixty-four on the western side facing east.

Behind the Grand Hall was the Minglun Hall (Hall of Ethics), and behind that was the residence of the education officer. The eastern courtyard included the Sacrificial Slaughter Hall, Local Sages Shrine, Wenchang Palace, Kitchen Shrine, Quarters for Students, Dining Hall, and the Ancestral Shrine where the three generations of Confucius’ ancestors were enshrined.

The western courtyard served as the residence of the teaching assistant. To the south was the Rulin Gate, to the north the Xian Guan Gate, to the east the Dao Yi Gate, and in the center the Guan De Pavilion. In the third year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, County Magistrate Ma Wenlong commissioned portraits of the sages of the Confucius Temple. In the sixth year of the Jiajing reign, by imperial decree, the sacrificial system was corrected: the statue of Confucius and images of ancient scholars and sages were removed, and wooden spirit tablets were installed instead. The title “King,” “Great Achiever,” and “Literary Manifestation” were dropped from Confucius’ name, and the tablet was inscribed with “Seat of the Supreme Sage and Foremost Teacher Confucius.” The Ming Dynasty Confucius Temple underwent continuous expansion, covering twenty acres and presenting a grand sight. It was destroyed by fire in the late Ming Dynasty, leaving only the main hall, Jimen, and Lingxing Gate.

In the second year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Minglun Hall was renovated. In the first year of the Yongzheng reign, the Ancestral Shrine was renamed the Chongsheng Shrine, and by the Qianlong reign, the original layout was gradually restored. The plaques in the main hall were inscribed multiple times by emperors, including: “Model Teacher for All Ages,” “Since the Birth of Humanity,” “The Sage Who Embodied Perfection,” “Here Lies Civilization,” and over ten others.

Since no top imperial examination (zhuangyuan) laureate came from Lin Ying County during the imperial examination era, the Lingxing Gate remained closed; scholars entered and exited through side gates. Only during the grand spring and autumn ceremonies, the reception of imperial edicts, or when imperial education inspectors passed through, were they allowed to use the main gate.

After the Xinhai Revolution, the Confucius Temple was converted into a school, and its buildings gradually lost their original appearance. By the Cultural Revolution, only the Grand Hall remained. In 1973, it was designated as a county-level key cultural relic protection unit. At the back wall of the hall lies a stone stele, 2 meters tall, 0.8 meters wide, and 0.2 meters thick, resting on a 0.5-meter-high Sumeru pedestal. The inscription on the back reads “Eternal Moral Principles,” engraved in intaglio script, and it was erected in the 34th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty. In 2008, the Grand Hall was designated as a key cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province. After renovation in the late 20th century, the Grand Hall remains well-preserved and continues to be used as the school’s academic affairs office.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Key Cultural Relic Protection Units of Henan Province