Wenxi Confucius Temple

Wenxi Confucius Temple

Wenxi Confucius Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province.

Wenxi Confucius Temple is located in the northeast corner of Wenxi County. It was rebuilt in the fourth year of the Xianping era of the Song Dynasty but collapsed due to an earthquake in the seventh year of the Yuandade era (1303). It was reconstructed in the fourth year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1491). Covering an area of 38 mu, it faces south with its back to the north. The central axis from south to north consists successively of the Dacheng Gate, Pan Pond, Jimen (Pole Gate), and Dacheng Hall.

On the right side are the Chuandao Studio and Shouye Studio. In front of the Dacheng Gate is a Five-Dragon Screen Wall, and behind the screen wall is the Inkstone Pond. The Dacheng Hall is five bays wide and three bays deep, with bracket sets of the five-curved double-ang type and a glazed hip-and-gable roof. There are more than 200 structures including the Jixing Gate, Chao Gate, Dacheng Gate, Pan Pond, Dacheng Hall, Minglun Hall, Academy, and corridor rooms.

The Five-Dragon Screen Wall in front of the gate is made of colorful glazed tiles, featuring vivid shapes and simple, lustrous colors. The Dacheng Hall is magnificent and solemn, with a well-structured layout and dazzling glazed ridge ornaments. The temple houses numerous stone carvings, including the Xuan Sheng Miao Stele written and inscribed by Sima Guang of the Song Dynasty, a line-engraved portrait of Confucius from the Ming Dynasty, and over 40 stone tablets from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties—all well preserved. It is a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.

Phone: 0359-7028752

Address: Dangzheng Street, Wenxi County

Confucius (551–479 BCE), whose given name was Qiu and courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi, Changping, Lu State (present-day southeastern Qufu, Shandong). He was a thinker, educator, and statesman in the late Spring and Autumn period, the founder of Confucianism, and one of the most influential figures in Chinese history and culture. He also had a significant impact worldwide, especially in Southeast Asian countries, and is recognized as one of the world’s cultural icons.

Confucius’ ancestors were the younger half-brother of King Zhou of Shang, Weizi Qi, who continued the worship of the Shang dynasty and was enfeoffed in the State of Song. His sixth-generation ancestor, Kong Fu Jia, was the first to adopt the surname Kong. His fifth-generation ancestor, Mu Jin Fu, fled to Lu State to escape turmoil and later settled in Zou, Lu State... More detailed information about Confucius++

Further reading:

· Third Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units