The Temple and Academy of Mount Ni

　　The Temple and Academy of Mount Ni are located at the eastern foot of Mount Ni, approximately 28 kilometers southeast of Qufu City, Shandong Province.

　　Mount Ni was originally called Niqiu Mountain. It was renamed Mount Ni to avoid using the same character as Confucius’ given name, Qiu. The mountain is not particularly high, with an elevation of about 340 meters, but boasts beautiful scenery. “A mountain need not be high — it is famous so long as there is a deity on it. A lake need not be deep — it has spiritual power as long as there is a dragon in it.” Because China’s great thinker, statesman, and educator Confucius was born here, Mount Ni has gained fame both in China and abroad.

　　Legend has it that Confucius’ father, Shuliang He, and his mother, Yan Zhengzai, prayed on Mount Ni for a child, after which Confucius was born. In later generations, a temple was built here in his honor. Originally named the Temple of Shuliang He, the Tang Dynasty text “Kuodi Zhi” recorded: “The Temple of Shuliang He, also known as the Shrine of Niqiu Mountain, is located fifty li east of Sishui County in Yanzhou, at the eastern foot of Niqiu Mountain.” During the Later Zhou Dynasty (954–960 AD), Zhao Hou, governor of Yanzhou, rebuilt the temple on Mount Ni. In the third year of the Qingli era (1043 AD) during the Song Dynasty, Kong Zongyuan, the 46th-generation descendant of Confucius and holder of the title Duke Wenxuan, “constructed new palaces and halls, including a main hall, sleeping quarters, a lecture hall, study rooms (originally located west of the temple, now gone), and ritual fields,” transforming it into a temple primarily dedicated to Confucius. In the fifth year of the Mingchang era (1194 AD) during the Jin Dynasty, over 4,000 guan from surplus maintenance funds of the Confucius Temple were used to carry out major renovations, resulting in a structure similar to the present one. In the third year of the Zhiyuan era (1332 AD) during the Yuan Dynasty, Kong Sihui, the 54th-generation descendant of Confucius and Duke Yansheng, submitted a petition requesting repairs. In the fourth year of the Yuanyou era (1338 AD), in March, Yang Na, an official from Lianfang Qian Shi, and others funded the reconstruction. In the 14th year of the Zhiyuan era (1348 AD), statues of Confucius and his four attendants were added. Further renovations occurred in the 10th year of the Hongwu era (1377 AD) during the Ming Dynasty. In the 15th year of the Yongle era (1417 AD), Kong Yanjie, the 59th-generation descendant of Confucius and Duke Yansheng, “completely rebuilt the temple, constructing a main hall with three rooms, matching the regulations in size and height.” Major repairs and partial reconstructions took place in the 7th year of the Hongzhi era (1494 AD), the 17th year of the Wanli era (1589 AD), the 13th year of the Kangxi era (1674 AD), the 2nd year of the Yongzheng era (1724 AD), and the 20th year of the Qianlong era (1755 AD). In the 26th year of the Daoguang era (1864 AD), Kong Fanhao, the 74th-generation descendant of Confucius and Duke Yansheng, petitioned for another renovation of the Temple of Mount Ni. With imperial approval, 31,500 taels of silver were allocated for the project.

　　The Temple of Mount Ni covers an area of about 1.6 hectares, consisting of 27 structures including halls, chambers, shrines, and pavilions, totaling 81 rooms with a construction area of 1,700 square meters. The entire architectural complex is divided into three routes and five courtyards, with over 80 halls in total. At the front is the stone Lingxing Gate, beside which a stele pavilion stands by the stone bridge, housing the “Record of the Reconstruction of the Temple of Confucius on Mount Ni.” To the east of the gate, near the cliff, it is said that Confucius once observed the convergence of five rivers, and later generations built the wooden “Guan Chuan Pavilion” there. As recorded in the Analects: “The Master standing by a river, said, ‘It passes on just like this, never ceasing day or night!’” This refers to this very spot. East of the Guan Chuan Pavilion, under the cliff, lies the “Kunling Cave,” also known as the “Confucius Cave,” because Confucius was born here. The Dacheng Hall has five rooms, a single-eave hip-and-gable roof covered with yellow glazed tiles. Although rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty, it retains the wooden structural style of the Yuan Dynasty. There are five rooms each on the eastern and western corridors, a sleeping hall with five rooms, and on the eastern side, a lecture hall, screen wall, and shrine to the Earth God. On the western side is the Qisheng Hall, dedicated to Confucius’ father, Shuliang He. Further back is the sleeping hall, dedicated to Confucius’ mother, Lady Yan. The Yushenghou Shrine, located in the northern part of the central route, is dedicated to the God of Mount Ni. About 100 meters northeast of the temple lies the Academy of Mount Ni, enclosed by walls. The academy’s main gate faces south, and inside are five main rooms with a five-rafter, four-pillar front-and-rear corridor-style wooden frame and gray-tiled gable roofs, along with five rooms each on the eastern and western sides. It served as a place for lectures, teaching, and commemorating Confucius in ancient times.

　　Behind the Temple of Mount Ni lies the Academy. The Academy of Mount Ni was first built in the third year of the Qingli era (1043 AD) during the Song Dynasty, originally located on the western side of the temple. In the fifth year of the Mingchang era (1194 AD) during the Jin Dynasty, it was moved to its current location and has undergone multiple renovations, with the current structure dating back to the Ming Dynasty. Kong Chengqing, the 60th-generation descendant of Confucius (who died young and was posthumously granted the title Duke Yansheng in 1455 AD during the Ming Dynasty), once wrote: “Where is the home of dangling vines on a huge rock? Deep in the mountains, a cottage is veiled by mist and clouds. When the recluse finishes reading, with nothing else to do, he puts on a gauze hat and boils tea himself.” Such an elegant and tranquil paradise is indeed a rare and ideal place for reading and teaching. Titles for the head of the academy have varied through dynasties, such as “Dongzhu,” “Shanzhang,” “Tangzhang,” “Yuanzhang,” and “Professor.” The Academy of Mount Ni was managed by a Xuezhang (academic head), ranked as a minor official of the eighth grade. The academy used the “Four Books” and “Five Classics” as core teaching materials and served as a local education hub and a gathering place for renowned scholars to discuss learning. Establishing the academy behind the Temple of Mount Ni signifies the profound meaning of situating an educational institution at the birthplace of the culturally revered sage. The main building of the academy has three rooms with a front corridor, no bracket sets, and a gray-tiled hanging gable roof. Each of the eastern and western sides has three wing rooms, with a two-room teahouse south of the eastern wing room—all featuring gray-tiled rigid gable roofs. There is one main gate with a gray-tiled hip-and-gable roof. To the east of the gate is a stone stele from the Yuan Dynasty commemorating the Academy of Mount Ni.

　　In 2006, the Temple and Academy of Mount Ni were listed by the State Council as part of the sixth group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level, designated as cultural relics from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

　　Confucius (551 BCE~479 BCE)　　 Confucius (551–479 BCE), whose personal name was Qiu and courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi, Changping (present-day southeastern Qufu, Shandong Province). 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 were from the royal family of the Yin-Shang dynasty. His earliest known ancestor was Weizi Qi, the half-brother of the tyrant King Zhou of Shang, who continued the Shang ancestral worship 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, Mukin Fu, fled to the State of Lu to escape turmoil and eventually settled in Zouyi. His father, Shuliang He, was a renowned warrior in Lu, known for his bravery and strength among feudal lords. In his later years... More+