Temple of Confucius at Mangdang Mountain

　　The temple faces south and consists of the Dacheng Hall, side rooms on the east and west, and the Dacheng Gate. Under the eaves of the Dacheng Gate, two stone pillars feature a couplet carved in intaglio on the front: “Though the palace walls stand several ren high, without the right gate one can only gaze from afar; but with upright conduct and true aim, one may follow this path and stay the middle course.” Upon entering the Dacheng Gate, two ancient cypresses and three stone stelae stand on either side of the courtyard: one is the “Record of the Confucius Temple Stele” written by Kong Yuyi, the 67th-generation descendant of Confucius and the hereditary Duke Yansheng, in the 28th year of the Kangxi reign; another is the “Record of the Confucius Cliff Stele” by County Magistrate Zhou Zhengji in the 30th year of the Kangxi reign, and the “Inscribed Stone Stele Record” by Kong Zhaohuan, the 71st-generation descendant of Confucius, in the 15th year of the Qianlong reign (1750). The cypress on the west side leans against a stone stele, forming the “Cypress Embracing the Stele” landscape. The cypress on the east side was once set on fire during battles between the Nian Army and Qing troops at Mangyang Mountain in the Qing Dynasty, yet it remains lush and green. Between the stone stelae and ancient cypresses are bluestone steps carved with cloud-and-dragon designs. Ascending the steps, you will see directly ahead...

　　...the Dacheng Hall, which is five bays wide and three bays deep, with a flush-gable roof covered in gray tiles. In front of the hall is a rolled shed-style corridor, supported by four stone pillars under the eaves. The front of the pillars features inscriptions in regular script carved in intaglio, a couplet composed by Chen Menglian, the Qing Dynasty county magistrate: “Your virtue matches heaven and earth, lofty, bright, broad, and profound; to dwell near the sage’s abode is to be this close. Your teachings surpass ancient and modern times, unifying the ways of the Two Emperors and Three Kings; standing at the center of the world, none can rival you.” Local villagers recall that the Dacheng Hall once housed statues of Confucius and his four disciples, while the east and west side rooms contained clay sculptures of the Seventy-Two Disciples. Unfortunately, these were almost completely destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. To prevent the loss of this historic site, repairs were carried out in 2002 with approval from the Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau. Statues of Confucius and his four disciples were recreated in the Dacheng Hall, and statues of the Seventy-Two Disciples were added to the east and west side rooms.

　　Confucius (551 BCE~479 BCE)　　 Confucius (551–479 BCE), whose given name was Qiu and courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi (present-day southeastern Qufu, Shandong), Changping District, the State of Lu. 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. His impact extends globally, especially across Southeast Asia, making him one of the world’s cultural icons. Confucius’ ancestors included Weizi Qi, the half-brother of King Zhou of Shang, who presided over the worship of the Shang and was enfeoffed in 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 Lu to escape turmoil and later settled in Zouyi. His father, Shuliang He, was a renowned warrior of Lu, famed for his courage and strength among the feudal lords. In his later years... More+