Zhongjiang Confucius Temple

Zhongjiang Confucius Temple

Zhongjiang Confucius Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

The Confucius Temple, also known as the Kong Temple or the Sage Temple, is a hall built to enshrine Confucius, the great ancient thinker and educator. Zhongjiang Confucius Temple is located on Xiannan Street in the county town, covering an area of over one hectare. It is 50.2 meters wide from east to west and 212.46 meters long from south to north, enclosed by red walls. The site consists of a complete, grand, elegant, and majestic architectural complex that includes the Ten Thousand Ren High Palace Wall, the East and West Stone Arches, the Lingxing Gate, the Heavenly Pond, the Pan Pond, the Dacheng Hall, the Chongsheng Shrine, the Minghuan Shrine, the Xiangxian Shrine, the Scripture Repository, the Bell and Drum Towers, and more. The courtyard is densely planted with cypress trees, each tall and stately, casting a deep verdant shade.

Twenty or thirty years ago, at sunset when twilight fell, hundreds or even thousands of crows and egrets could often be seen returning to their nests amid the glow of the evening sky, calling noisily—a remarkable spectacle in Zhongjiang County. There are no historical records of when Zhongjiang Confucius Temple was first built. According to the Kangxi County Annals, the ancient Confucius Temple had long been abandoned. In the 13th year of the Jiading reign of the Song Dynasty (1220 AD), Yu Wenqi, who was both the Wine Supervisor and theMagistrate of Zhongjiang County, oversaw the temple’s reconstruction. Since then, the temple has undergone multiple renovations and expansions over the dynasties, becoming one of the more intact Confucius Temples in Sichuan.

The main building of the Confucius Temple is the Dacheng Hall, which has five bays and is eight meters high. In front of the hall are seven stone steps, with a green stone railing along the base. Inside the hall stands a statue of Confucius, flanked by the memorial tablets of the Nine Wise Disciples of the Confucian school. Legend has it that the clay used to create the statue of Confucius was transported from his hometown—Qufu in Shandong. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court ordered that the practice of creating statue images of Confucius be discontinued nationwide, decreeing that wooden tablets be used instead. However, existing statues were not to be removed and no new ones were to be created. As such, it is said there are only seven surviving clay statues of Confucius in China—one of which resides in Zhongjiang Confucius Temple. The statue is exquisitely crafted, dignified, and remarkably lifelike. After the liberation, the temple was occupied by various institutions. The Lingxing Gate and the Scripture Repository were demolished for construction needs. Most of the other buildings remain relatively well-preserved. Many of the ancient cypress trees have withered and declined, yet the Zhongjiang Confucius Temple remains one of the scenic highlights of the county.

Protected area: To the east, along the edge of the eastern gate tower of "Depei Tiandi" and the surrounding wall; to the south, 30 meters beyond the southern edge of the Ten Thousand Ren High Palace Wall; to the west, along the edge of the western gate tower of "Daoguan Gujin" and the surrounding wall; to the north, 5 meters beyond the northern edge of the Dacheng Hall.

Construction control zone: 10 meters beyond the protected area.

Kaijiang Town: Kaijiang Town is located in the northern part of Zhongjiang County and serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of the entire county. It covers an area of 102 square kilometers and borders Tongji Town, Huilong Town, Nanhua Town, and Yongtai Town. The town administers five subdistrict offices, governs 40 administrative villages and 16 neighborhood committees, with a total population of 126,000. The Luo-Gui Highway and the Tang-Ba Road run through the town from north to south, offering favorable conditions in transportation, communication, energy resources, and geographical location—it is the best environment for investment and business.

Since the reform and opening-up, Kaijiang Town has seen significant development in social economy and infrastructure... More detailed information on Kaijiang Town++

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units