The Confucius Temple and Jade Emperor Pavilion in Guide

The Confucius Temple and Jade Emperor Pavilion in Guide

The Confucius Temple and Jade Emperor Pavilion in Guide are listed as Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

The Confucius Temple and Jade Emperor Pavilion in Guide are located in Heyin Town, Guide County, Qinghai Province, covering an area of 40,700 square meters with a built-up area of 4,901 square meters. It is an ancient architectural complex integrating Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, comprising six courtyards: the Confucius Temple, the Great Buddha Temple, the Jade Emperor Pavilion, the Temple of Guan Yu and Yue Fei, the Temple of the City God, and the People's Education Hall, as well as the ancient city of Guide and the historic military drill ground. The Confucius Temple and Jade Emperor Pavilion in Guide County are among the most representative examples of the existing Ming and Qing dynasty ancient architectural complexes in the county.

Historical records indicate that in the 17th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1589), to consolidate rule, cultivate public morality, and ensure “the eternal stability of the imperial realm and the prosperity of each year,” it was decided to “select a site within the city to construct the Holy Jade Emperor Pavilion.” The project took four years to complete. The Confucius Temple includes twelve individual structures: the Lingxing Gate, the Pan Pond, the Ancestral Worthies and Eminent Officials Shrine, the Seventy-Two Sages Shrine, the Dacheng Hall, and others. Among them, the Dacheng Hall enshrines the spirit tablet of Confucius, the great sage of the Chinese nation, and has long been a place where scholars worship Confucius and...

The Jade Emperor Pavilion in Guide is a relic of ancient architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was first built in the 20th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1592), expanded in the 17th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1837), and rebuilt during the Guangxu reign (1875–1908). The temples are closely situated, covering a total area of 61 mu, with a total built-up area of 4,915 square meters. There are currently 11 main halls, 46 side rooms on the east and west sides, 4 bell and drum towers, 1 memorial archway, 23 pavilions and corridors, 62 square meters of Ming and Qing dynasty murals, and 940 square meters of painted decorations from the Ming and Qing periods. The ancient architectural complex of the Jade Emperor Pavilion in Guide integrates Confucianism, Taoism, and deities, transcending sectarian divisions and coexisting harmoniously—an extremely rare layout in China. The temple courtyards are symmetrically arranged along a central axis, with grand and dignified halls and side rooms exuding a majestic aura.

The ancient architectural complex of the Jade Emperor Pavilion in Guide is grand in scale and has a long history, possessing significant historical, cultural, and architectural artistic value. The Jade Emperor Pavilion complex includes the Mountain Gate, the Corridor Hall, the East and West Side Halls, and the Jade Emperor Pavilion itself. The Mountain Gate is a central-pillar-style flush-gable building, with a full-height door in the middle bay of the front facade, walls on both sides, and open corridors in the front and rear. The Corridor Hall is also a flush-gable structure, three bays wide, with four central pillars and open corridors in the front and rear. The Jade Emperor Pavilion, also known as the Wanshou Temple, is the centerpiece of the entire complex and is hailed as the “Immortal Pavilion Piercing the Clouds.” It stands 26 meters tall, giving the impression of rising majestically from the earth and reaching toward the heavens. The base is square, with a foundation platform 1.4 meters high, atop which sits a 9.9-meter-high brick-faced earthen platform, supporting a three-story pavilion. The entire wooden structure features interlocking mortise-and-tenon joints, with rational load distribution and even pressure bearing, making the structure extremely sturdy.

Each floor features decorative dragon and phoenix lattice panels under the beams at the front, while the first floor has six finely carved brick reliefs of floral motifs on either side of the door, rich in symbolism. The green-tiled hip-and-gable roof is complete with ornamental ridge creatures. At the center of the main ridge sit three figures—a blue lion, a white elephant, and a treasure vase—reflecting characteristics of ancient northern Chinese architecture. Coupled with regionally distinctive painted decorations, the entire structure appears magnificent and resplendent. The Jade Emperor Pavilion belongs to Taoism. The three-story pavilion enshrines the “Heavens” on the top floor with the spirit tablet of the Jade Emperor, the “Earth” on the middle floor with the spirit tablet of the Earth God, and the “People” on the bottom floor with the imperial spirit tablet. The worship of “Heaven, Earth, and Humanity” embodies the profound concept of the “Unity of Heaven and Humanity.”

In addition to the Jade Emperor Pavilion and the Confucius Temple, the Ming and Qing dynasty ancient architectural complex in Guide also includes the Temple of Guan Yu and Yue Fei, which enshrines the three deities Guan Yu, Yue Fei, and Mazu; the Han-style architecture of the Great Buddha Temple, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery; and the Temple of the City God, which still retains 20 square meters of murals from the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty.

In June 2001, the Confucius Temple and Jade Emperor Pavilion in Guide were designated as part of the fifth group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level by the State Council.

Confucius (551–479 BCE), whose given name was Qiu and courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi in Changping, the State of Lu (present-day southeastern Qufu, Shandong Province). 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, especially across Southeast Asia, making him one of the world’s cultural icons.

Confucius’s ancestors were Weizi Qi, the half-brother of the last ruler of the Shang Dynasty, King Zhou. Qi upheld the sacrifices of the Shang 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 in Zouyi... More detailed information about Confucius ++

Further reading:

· Fifth Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level