Ten-Thousand-Ren Palace Wall

　　   Before you even reach the Confucius Temple, you’ll see a grand and solemn palace wall, uniformly adorned with yellow tiles and red walls. Outside the southern gate is the Yangsheng Gate, inscribed with four bold, cinnabar-red characters: “万仞宫墙” (Ten-Thousand-Ren Palace Wall). There’s an ancient and vivid story behind these four characters.

　　   In the Analects, there’s a story: Confucius’ disciple Zigong once served as an aide to the Duke of Lu. On one occasion, Shusun Wushu, a high-ranking official of Lu, said to other officials in court, “Zigong is superior to Confucius.” Zigong, who was present, responded with an analogy: “A person’s knowledge is like a palace wall. Mine is only shoulder-high, so people can easily see all that lies within. But my teacher Confucius’ wall is several ren high. Unless you find the gate, you won’t be able to glimpse the magnificence of the ancestral temples and the splendor of the halls within.” Hearing this, Shusun Wushu was instantly ashamed of his shallowness.

　　    In ancient times, seven or eight Chinese feet were called one ren. Later generations felt that “the Master’s wall is several ren high” did not sufficiently express reverence for Confucius, so during the Ming Dynasty, Hu Zuanzong inscribed the words “万仞宫墙” (Ten-Thousand-Ren Palace Wall), which were then mounted on the Yangsheng Gate. The Qing Emperor Qianlong, to show his respect for Confucius, replaced it with his own imperial calligraphy of the same four characters. Behind the Yangsheng Gate, at the entrance to the Confucius Temple, stands the “Jinsheng Yuzhen Archway,” whose name originates from Mencius. Mencius praised Confucius, saying: “Confucius may be called the one who gathered together the complete wisdom of the ancients. To gather together the complete wisdom is to sound the note of metal and to strike the note of jade. The note of metal gives the beginning of the tune; the note of jade gives the finish.” “Jinsheng” (Sound of Metal) and “Yuzhen” (Resonance of Jade) represent the full process of a musical performance, symbolizing how Confucius’ philosophy encompassed the best of the ancient sages. The bridge before the gate is flanked by two cypress trees, giving rise to the saying “two cypresses supporting one archway.” In the second year of the Jin Mingchang era (1191), stone tablets were erected on the east and west sides of the bridge, inscribed with “All officials and commoners must dismount here,” commonly known as the “Dismounting Steles.” Officials of any rank or common people had to dismount from horses or carriages when passing here—even the emperor had to do so when coming to worship, showing just how revered this Confucius Temple was.