Temple of the Sage of Literature

Temple of the Sage of Literature

The Temple of the Sage of Literature is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Temple of the Sage of Literature is an ancient architectural complex. Its construction began in April of the fifth year of the Hongwu era (1372) during the Ming Dynasty, was completed in February of the sixth year, and designated as the prefectural school in the ninth year. In the tenth year, Prefect Jin Defu further embellished it. It underwent multiple renovations afterward. The Guangxu-era "Mianyang Prefecture Annals" includes a woodblock-printed panoramic illustration of the Temple of the Sage, showing its full layout. In the illustration, the temple covers half a hectare and faces south, sitting on a north-south axis, with an outer pond in front of the gate. Behind the pond lies a stone-paved official road stretching east to west, flanked at both ends by archways reading “Civil officials dismount, military officials dismount.” Beyond the road are grand stone steps, atop which stands the Lingxing Gate, inscribed with the four large characters “Supreme Harmony of Qi.” To its left are the words “Virtue Surpasses Antiquity,” and to its right, “Morality Matches Heaven and Earth.” Entering through the gate leads to an inner pond, spanned by the Number One Scholar Bridge. Beyond the bridge lies the Hall of Great Achievement, where the memorial tablet of Confucius is enshrined. Behind it is the Hall of Revered Sages, along with auxiliary structures such as the Hall of Enlightenment, the Poetry Composition Studio, the Music Cultivation Studio, and the Archery Field. The entire complex features majestic halls and soaring pavilions, ranking among the grandest of ancient structures in Miancheng.

In December 1994, Miancheng established the Confucian Studies Association. Through fundraising efforts, over 80,000 RMB was collected from donors at home and abroad, including a 40,000 RMB contribution from Mr. Xiang Qingfeng, a fellow townsman residing in Taiwan. In the spring of 1995, the Miancheng Confucian Studies Association commissioned the Huadong Rock Products Factory in Miluo City, Hunan Province, to create a statue of Confucius. The statue, made of granite, stands 3.5 meters tall and weighs 8 tons, with its design modeled after the statue of Confucius from Qufu, Shandong.

In September of the same year, the statue was transported back. Subsequently, complementary structures such as the “Temple of the Sage of Literature Tower,” “Flower Garden,” “Bamboo Garden,” “Forest of Steles,” “Pond,” “Ornamental Columns,” and “Sage Reflection Pavilion” were built successively on the original site of the Temple of the Sage (now next to the Hui Ethnic Primary School).

The statue of Confucius is dressed in long robes, hands clasped in salute, with kind and serene features. It stands atop a stone pedestal approximately 3 meters high, facing the pond to the south, the Forest of Steles to the north, the Sage Tower to the west, and the Bamboo Garden to the east. The Sage Tower is a replica-style building that cost over 300,000 RMB and has three stories. It features carved railings, painted beams, upturned eaves, and elegant, dignified architecture. The first floor houses the Confucius Memorial Hall, displaying four groups of sculpted scenes based on the "Illustrated Biography of Confucius," namely Zigong Taking Leave, Consulting Politics at Mount Tai, The Four Disciples Seated Together, Zigao's Benevolence and Forgiveness, along with other related images of Confucius. The second floor is an exhibition hall for calligraphy and painting works.

These include artworks from Mr. Yu Peiyun and Mr. Zheng Yunling of the National Calligraphers Association, Mr. Chen Yijing and Mr. Zhong Mingtian of the Provincial Calligraphy Association, as well as works from overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Taiwan. The artists range in age from over 90 years old to as young as 10. Each brushwork piece showcases unique charm and profound meaning. The third floor is the Ancient City Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall. It houses over 200 relics dating back to the Neolithic Age, including stone tablets, carvings, pottery, porcelain, ancient bricks, and coins. Notable items include a Neolithic pottery bowl, Sui-Tang dynasty pottery jars, a Song dynasty bronze mirror, a Yuan dynasty bowl symbolizing dragons and phoenixes, a brick from the late Yuan dynasty bearing the reign title “Heavenly Decree” of Xu Shouhui, a Ming dynasty blue-and-white porcelain bowl, and a Qing dynasty Yongzheng-era bowl featuring the motif “Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl.”

Throughout the Temple of the Sage Park, in spring you’ll find shaded bamboo, in summer cooling lotus breezes, in autumn chrysanthemums blooming near the platforms, and in winter towering pines and cypresses. Surrounded by flowers and trees, with spacious grounds and flat paths, visitors can pause to admire the grand image of the Sage. Scholars may gather here to explore the origins of Confucianism; the young may receive moral instruction, and the elderly may pass on virtues. Being there inspires awe and reverence toward this sage, whose “morality matches heaven and earth, and whose virtue surpasses antiquity.”

Today, the Temple of the Sage Park has become a sacred site for students seeking academic blessings. On the eve of the college entrance exams, many students and their parents kneel devoutly before the statue of Confucius, praying for success and the top honors. Interestingly, in recent years, the number of students from Miancheng High School admitted to universities has risen sharply, surpassing a thousand. This is the saying: Worship at the Temple of the Sage, and a top scholar will arise at Confucius’s feet.

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