The Hall of Great Achievement in the Linjin Confucius Temple

The Hall of Great Achievement in the Linjin Confucius Temple

The Hall of Great Achievement in the Linjin Confucius Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province.

The Hall of Great Achievement in the Linjin Confucius Temple (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Qing Dynasty

Address: West Street, Linjin Town, Linyi County, Yuncheng City

According to the revised Linjin County Annals from the 12th year of the Republic of China (1923), the Linjin Confucius Temple was first built during the Zhiyuan years of the Yuan Dynasty (1280–1294) and was renovated during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Inscriptions preserved on the beams inside the hall include a record reading “In the first year of the Xianfeng reign of the Great Qing, cyclical year Xin Hai, on the day of Yi Wei… repairs were jointly funded by all local scholars, who earnestly hoped that upon the completion of this project, the workforce would be inspired with reverence…” This inscription documents the construction date of the Hall of Great Achievement.

The Hall of Great Achievement faces south and is fronted by a large raised platform measuring 13.5 meters in length and 9 meters in width. The platform is enclosed by stone railings, with carved patterns of flowers, plants, and auspicious animals on the balusters and slab panels. A central pathway on the platform is paved with bluestone slabs engraved with images of two dragons. The Hall of Great Achievement is five bays wide and six rafters deep, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof covered in yellow, green, and blue glazed tubular tiles, along with glazed ridge ornaments. Its rooftop finial takes the form of a pavilion-style structure, rising layer upon layer, flanked by glazed statues of elephants and lions carrying treasure towers. Around the eaves are bracket sets both at the column heads and between columns, with one set of bracket arms (consisting of a single upward-curved arm) between columns—identical in design—with the central bay featuring 45-degree angled upward-curved arms. The rear wall of the central bay inside the hall has murals, though only fragments remain. The bargeboards and gable decorations are made of glazed components, with the center of each gable apex featuring a double-layered circular glazed frame. The eastern gable displays glazed images of two cranes and green bamboo, while the western gable shows two deer and green trees. To the left in front of the hall stands an ancient cypress tree from the Tang Dynasty, tall, sturdy, and vigorous, while to the right is an iron bell cast in the eighth year of the Zhenghe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1118), with legible inscriptions on its body. The bell has since been moved to the bell tower. Inside the hall are preserved stone steles engraved in the 36th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1697): one bearing the “In Praise of Yan Hui” and the other “In Praise of the Supreme Sage and First Teacher Confucius, with Preface.”

Source: Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Linjin Town: Linjin Town, historically known as Sangquan, lies against the Emei Terrace to the north, overlooks the peaks of the Zhongtiao Mountain Range to the south, connects to vast green fields to the east, and faces the surging Yellow River to the west. Blessed with exceptional natural beauty and abundant resources, it enjoys both picturesque landscapes and a vibrant culture. The town administers 28 administrative villages and 64 natural villages, covering a land area of 135,000 mu and a population of over 50,000, with an average per capita income of 3,500 yuan. It serves as the transportation, cultural, educational, medical, and commercial hub for the western half of Linyi County.

Linjin pomegranates have been famous since the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty and were once tributes to the imperial court. In the early years of the Republic of China, they won the... More details about Linjin Town++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units in Shanxi Province