Changzhi Lucheng Confucius Temple

Changzhi Lucheng Confucius Temple

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

Changzhi Lucheng Confucius Temple

The Lucheng Confucius Temple is situated on the front square in front of the Lucheng City Government, slightly to the east of the government building. Together with the Lucheng City Auditorium, they form the only two unique structures within the square—one in the style of the Tang Dynasty and the other in European style—making them particularly eye-catching.

It covers an area of about 2,000 square meters and was first built during the Tianhui era of the Jin Dynasty. It has been repeatedly damaged by earthquakes and wars, and has undergone several renovations and expansions. After the liberation, it was repurposed as office space for the labor union and as a small parking area for government agencies. During the “Ten Years of Catastrophe,” the situation worsened, and the so-called Confucius Temple was completely unrecognizable. After the reform and opening up, governments at all levels carried out multiple renovations, spending a total of more than 2 million yuan, to restore its former glory—and even surpass it.

Today’s Lucheng Confucius Temple is simple yet elegant, magnificent and resplendent. It is a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit. Passing through the Jimen (Pike Gate), there is an auxiliary room on each side. The main structures inside the temple include the Dacheng Hall with five bays, and ten bays each for the east and west wing rooms. The Dacheng Hall is situated on a moon platform surrounded by white marble railings on the east, west, and south sides. The rafter ends and bracket sets are all painted in color, and the roof is covered entirely with yellow glazed tubular tiles and ridge ornaments. Inside the hall, the atmosphere is solemn and respectful. On a platform over one meter high, five newly sculpted statues are arranged in a row. In the center is Confucius (the Greatest Sage), flanked by Yan Hui (the Second Sage), Zengzi (the Sage’s Descendant), Zisi (the Expositor of the Sage’s Teachings), and Mencius (the Second Sage of the Sage)—all for worshippers to pay homage. The east and west walls are painted with 30 illustrations that depict examples of Confucius’s devotion to teaching despite poverty and the essence of Confucian thought. Lucheng is the only county-level city in the Changzhi region, boasting a long history and outstanding people.

The temple faces south and originally had four courtyards. Along the central axis are, in sequence, a glazed screen wall (also called a “zhao wall”), the Lingxing Gate archway, a stone bridge over the Pan Pool, the Chaomen (Dacheng Gate), the Dacheng Hall, and the Chongsheng Hall. On the east and west sides of each courtyard are structures such as the Shan Suo Bei Ting (碑亭 for good deeds), Zhong Yi Guan Ting (Loyal and Righteous Officials’ Pavilion), Ming Huang Ci (Temple to Distinguished Officials), Xiang Xian Ci (Temple to Local Sages), the East Corridor, and the West Corridor. The front courtyard has two side gates opening east-west, and outside these gates stand a pair of dismounting steles. Behind the Chongsheng Hall is another courtyard that houses the Xue Shu (Academic Office) and the Jie Xiao Ci (Filial Piety and Chastity Shrine). The total area is over 2,000 square meters. The overall layout features a clear central axis, symmetrical design, majestic buildings, and a simple yet grand style. Currently, only the Jimen (Pike Gate), Dacheng Hall, and East Corridor remain.

The Jimen, commonly known as the Dacheng Gate, is the current entrance gate of the Confucius Temple.

The Dacheng Gate is built on a 60-centimeter-high stone platform, with a width of three bays and a depth of four rafters, featuring a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The columns on the gable sides are embedded within the walls. The eave columns are connected by vertical railings, and the column-top flat beams support five-tier bracket sets. White marble railings, rail boards, balusters, handrails, aprons, and steps are installed on both sides of the front and rear platforms. The carvings are delicate, and the assembly is solid. Blue plaques with gold characters reading “Dacheng Gate” are hung under the front and rear eaves, very striking. On the left and right sides of the gate are a pair of tall and majestic white marble stone lions, with lifelike designs.

The Dacheng Hall is the oldest surviving wooden structure in the temple. In front of the hall is a high, broad, and flat moon platform, square in shape. The edge of the platform is fitted with white marble railings, rail boards, and balusters, with a central imperial path in the middle featuring bas-reliefs of two dragons playing with a pearl. On both sides are neatly constructed double-layer five-step staircases. An incense burner made of white marble is placed at the front of the platform. The hall itself is built on a 1-meter-high stone base, with a width of five bays and a depth of three bays, featuring a six-rafter structure. It has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The column bases are of the inverted basin type, carved with large, roughly made lotus petals in relief, reflecting the style of the Jin and Yuan periods. The wooden pillars in the front eaves are thick and upright, with noticeable inclination and rise. The bracket sets are of the four-purlin single-angle type, with 45-degree diagonal brackets and angles on the corner sets. The bracket sets are robust and powerful. Under the middle bay of the front eave hangs a wooden plaque, with striking blue background and gold characters reading “Dacheng Hall.” Inside the hall, two front golden columns are painted with images of dragons coiling amid clouds, surging ocean waves, and other patterns. The painting techniques are exquisite and dynamic. The beams are naturally curved; the two middle beams are square, while the secondary ones are round. The roof is decorated with red glazed ridge ornaments and tubular tiles, with orderly arrangements of ornaments on the ridge apex and hip ridges, all vividly shaped. Four corner deities hang in mid-air, majestic and imposing, with the sounds of wind chimes adding to the ancient temple charm. At the center of the hall’s shrine stands a statue of Confucius, holding a ceremonial tablet and sitting upright on the shrine. Beside him are sculpted disciples and descendants such as Kong Ji, Zeng Shen, and Yan Hui. Each colored sculpture is solemn and dignified. The three side walls have recently been painted with large murals that promote Confucius’s legacy, such as “Balancing the Six Arts,” “The Vast Knowledge of the Sage,” “Three Thousand Disciples,” and “Teachings in the Confucian School.” The layout is well-arranged, the colors are subdued, the figures and stories are interwoven, and the content depicted is extremely rich.

The temple courtyard houses five inscribed stones from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, as well as ten recently unearthed epitaphs for viewing and research. It has now been converted into the site of the Lucheng City Cultural Relics and Museum Management Office.

Contact number: 0355-6762246

Address: On the front square in front of the Lucheng City Government

Nearby services: Parking is available near the square; for refueling, go to Sihai Fuel City in the city; nearby hospitals are the City Workers’ Hospital and the City Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital; nearby banks include Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, and China Construction Bank.

Transportation: Take bus No. 13 from downtown Changzhi to directly reach Lucheng City. Bus No. 13 stops at the front square in front of the government. To get to Lizhuang Confucius Temple from within Lucheng City, take a taxi—the starting fare is 4 yuan.

Confucius (551–479 BC), whose given name was Qiu and courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi (present-day southeast of Qufu, Shandong Province), in the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period. 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 has had great impact worldwide, especially in Southeast Asian countries, and is recognized as one of the world’s cultural figures.

Confucius’s ancestors were Weizi Qi, the half-brother of King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty, who presided over Shang rituals 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 later settled there in Zou... More detailed information on Confucius ++

Further reading:

· Second Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units