Yangcheng Confucius Temple

Yangcheng Confucius Temple

The Yangcheng Confucius Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Confucius Temple

Era: Ming and Qing Dynasties

Address: Southeast corner of Yangcheng County town

The Confucius Temple was originally built in the Song Dynasty, rebuilt during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty by then-county magistrate Li Fei, and the Dacheng Hall was destroyed by fire in the 28th year of the Kangxi reign (1689) of the Qing Dynasty. It was renovated in the 19th year of the Daoguang reign (1839), when the Dacheng Hall was expanded to five bays, and additional structures such as the Chongsheng Shrine, east and west side halls, and Jimen Gate were added, including the Confucius Temple, Minglun Hall, and Wenchang Palace. Currently only the Confucius Temple remains, with over twenty buildings, all from the Ming and Qing periods.

The Confucius Temple is a two-courtyard complex covering an area of about 1,000 square meters. The front courtyard contains a pond, Jimen Gate, Shrine of Meritorious Officials, and Shrine of Local Worthies, while the rear courtyard houses the Dacheng Hall, east and west side halls.

The main structure, the Dacheng Hall, was rebuilt in the 19th year of the Daoguang reign (1839) of the Qing Dynasty. It has a stone base, spans five bays in width, eight rafters in depth, and features a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof covered with glazed tile ridges. It has a nine-rafter front-porch structure, with bracket sets on the lower eave columns and bracket arms extending to support the bracket sets above. The front eaves feature bracket arms shaped like lotus petals, while the rear eaves have bracket sets resembling inverted ladles. The surrounding area includes the Lingxing Gate and steps leading up to the main hall.

On October 7, 2019, the Yangcheng Confucius Temple was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Confucius (551–479 BCE), also known as Qiu and with the courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi (present-day southeastern Qufu, Shandong Province), the capital of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was a philosopher, 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. His impact extends globally, particularly across Southeast Asia, making him one of the world’s cultural icons.

Confucius’ ancestors were the younger brother of the tyrant King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty, Weizi Qi, who upheld the Shang ancestral sacrifices 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 the State of Lu to escape turmoil and eventually settled there in Zou... More details about Confucius ++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units