Shandong Qufu Confucian Temple, China

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Confucian Temple

The Confucian Temple is located in Qufu Prefecture, Shandong Province. It is the largest place to offer sacrifices to Confucius in China and it is also an ancient construction group that its scope is next to the Imperial Palace in present China.

Since ancient times, Chinese is famous for its etiquettes. Almost every prefecture, city or town has a Confucian Temple to symbolize the honor of respecting teachers and emphasizing etiquettes. Among multitudinous Confucian temples in China, the temple in Qufu Prefecture is the largest and the most unique one.

With an area of 327 mu, the Confucian Temple has nine courtyards, divided into east, west and center three directions layout. The east and west two sides arrange symmetrically. Including the gate Lingxing Star Gate, the main constructions are three halls and one pavilion, they are the Dacheng Hall, Bedroom Hall, the Shengji Hall and the Kuiwen Pavilion.

On both sides are the past tablets, gate archways and so forth. In the east there are mainly the Confucian house, Shili Halls and etc. while in the west there are the Jinsi Hall and the Qisheng Hall and etc. the whole construction group has 466 halls and pavilions, 54 gate archways altogether with red walls all around.

In the hall there is a huge Confucius statue, as high as 3.3 meters, with a radiant and dignified look. On both sides of the Confucius statue are the statues of his four good disciples Yanhui, Zengseng, Kongji and Mengke, as high as 2.6 meters, called "Four Matches" by succeeding people. There are the statues of other 12 disciples called "Twelve Wise Men" such as Zilu, all 2 meters high.

The Confucian Temple is not only the temple offered sacrifices to Chinese sacred teacher - Confucius, but also it is the knowledge treasure house of many Chinese cultures such as calligraphy, painting and sculpture art. There are more than 3,000 stone carvings and tablets in the temple. Among them, the most attractive one is the precious stone carving recorded art and learning for six dynasties after Han Dynasty.

The Confucian Temple, the Imperial Palace in Beijing and the Mountain Summer Resort in Chengde are called the three largest ancient construction groups in China.