Quzhou Confucius Temple

　　     This Confucius Temple in Quzhou, Zhejiang was built over 800 years ago during the Southern Song Dynasty. At that time, the Jin army launched a massive invasion of the Central Plains, the capital Kaifeng fell, and Emperors Huizong and Qinzong were captured. The new emperor, Emperor Gaozong of Song, fled south, and the 47th-generation descendant of Confucius, the Duke Yansheng, also escaped from his hometown in Shandong. With the support of the royal family, he was granted residence in Quzhou. The Duke Yansheng had hoped that the Zhao imperial family would triumph in the war against the Jin and return north to the Central Plains, reclaiming their homeland. However, the Southern Song Dynasty chose comfort over resistance, treating "Hangzhou as if it were Bianzhou." Left with no choice, this humble ritual official sought funding from the imperial court and local government, and constructed this family temple of the Kong clan in Quzhou following the architectural model of the Qufu Confucius Temple.

　　     On the morning of September 28, 2005, the Quzhou Municipal Government held a grand public worship ceremony at the Southern Confucian Clan Family Temple. The participants were mainly newly appointed teachers, aiming to promote teacher ethics education and highlight the educational community's commemoration of Confucius. In addition, competitions for primary and secondary school students in reciting the Analects of Confucius, as well as exhibitions of calligraphy contests featuring excerpts from the Analects by elementary students, were also held.

　　Confucius (551 BC~479 BC)　　     Confucius (551–479 BC), whose given name was Qiu and courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi (present-day southeast of Qufu, Shandong) in the State of Lu’s Changping District. 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. He also had a significant impact worldwide, especially in Southeast Asian countries, making him one of the world’s cultural icons. Confucius’ ancestors included Weizi Qi, the half-brother of King Zhou of Shang in the late Yin Dynasty. Qi presided over the rites of the Shang and was enfeoffed in the State of Song. His sixth-generation ancestor, Kong Fu Jia, was the first to adopt “Kong” as the family surname. His fifth-generation ancestor, Mu Jin Fu, fled to Lu to escape turmoil and later settled in Zouyi, Lu. His father, Shu Liang He, was a warrior in Lu known for his courage and strength among feudal lords, and in his later years... Details+