A temple of Confucius or Confucian temple is a
temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
for the veneration of
Confucius
Confucius ( ; zh, s=, p=Kǒng Fūzǐ, "Master Kǒng"; or commonly zh, s=, p=Kǒngzǐ, labels=no; – ) was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. C ...
and the sages and philosophers of
Confucianism
Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...
in
Chinese folk religion
Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. Vivienne Wee described it as "an empty bowl, which can variously be filled ...
and other
East Asian religions
In the study of comparative religion, the East Asian religions or Taoic religions, form a subset of the Eastern religions. This group includes Chinese religion overall, which further includes Ancestral Worship, Chinese folk religion, Confuciani ...
. They were formerly the site of the administration of the
imperial examination
The imperial examination (; lit. "subject recommendation") refers to a civil-service examination system in Imperial China, administered for the purpose of selecting candidates for the state bureaucracy. The concept of choosing bureaucrats by ...
in China, Korea, Japan and
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
and often housed schools and other studying facilities.
There is a 72-meter-tall statue of Confucius made of brass and reinforced with steel. The giant statue is located in
Qufu
Qufu ( ; ) is a city in southwestern Shandong province, East China. It is located about south of the provincial capital Jinan and northeast of the prefectural seat at Jining. Qufu has an area of 815 square kilometers, and a total population of ...
, Shandong province, birthplace of the ancient Chinese educator and philosopher.
Names
The temples are known by a variety of names throughout
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
. The two greatest temples in
Qufu
Qufu ( ; ) is a city in southwestern Shandong province, East China. It is located about south of the provincial capital Jinan and northeast of the prefectural seat at Jining. Qufu has an area of 815 square kilometers, and a total population of ...
and
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
are now known in Chinese as (''Kǒngmiào'', 孔廟). In some localities, they are known as (文廟) vi, văn miếu; ind, boen bio) or ( vi, văn thánh miếu). In Southern China, however, temples by that name generally honor
Wenchang Wang
Wenchang Wang (), also known as Wenchang Dijun (), is a Taoist deity in Chinese mythology, known as the God of Culture and Literature. He is also at times referred to simply as Wen Qu, or Wen. The literal translation of his name would be King () ...
, a separate deity associated with the scholar Zhang Yazi. In Japan, they are usually known as "Temples" or or ''seidō'', respectively).
History
![曲阜孔廟大成殿](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/%E6%9B%B2%E9%98%9C%E5%AD%94%E5%BB%9F%E5%A4%A7%E6%88%90%E6%AE%BF.jpg)
The development of state temples devoted to the cult of Confucius was an outcome of his gradual canonisation. In 195 BC,
Han Gao Zu
Emperor Gaozu of Han (256 – 1 June 195 BC), born Liu Bang () with courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning in 202–195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Emper ...
, founder of the
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
(r. 206–195 BC), offered a sacrifice to the spirit of Confucius at his tomb in Qufu. Sacrifices to the spirit of Confucius and that of
Yan Hui
Yan Hui (–481 BC) was a Chinese philosopher. He was the favorite disciple of Confucius and one of the most revered figures of Confucianism. He is venerated in Confucian temples as one of the Four Sages.
Names
Yan Hui is also known by his c ...
, his most prominent disciple, began in the Imperial University (Biyong) as early as 241.
In 454, the
Liu Song
Song, known as Liu Song (), Former Song (前宋) or Song of (the) Southern Dynasty (南朝宋) in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the first of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. ...
dynasty of southern China built a prominent state Confucian temple. In 489, the
Northern Wei constructed a Confucian temple in the capital, the first outside of Qufu in the north. In 630, the
Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...
decreed that schools in all provinces and counties should have a Confucian temple, as a result of which temples spread throughout China. Well-known Confucian shrines include the Confucian Temple in
Jianshui
Jianshui County (; Hani: ''Jeifsyu'') is a city in Honghe prefecture, Yunnan province, China. and remains an important transportation crossroad. Previously, it has been known as Lin'an () or Huili (); today, the name Lin'an Town is retained by J ...
, the Confucian Temple in
Xi'an
Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), frequently spelled as Xian and also known by #Name, other names, is the list of capitals in China, capital of Shaanxi, Shaanxi Province. A Sub-provincial division#Sub-provincial municipalities, sub-provincial city o ...
(now the
Forest of Steles
The Stele Forest or Beilin Museum is a museum for steles and stone sculptures in Beilin District in Xi'an, Northwest China. The museum, which is housed in a former Confucian Temple, has housed a growing collection of Steles since 1087. By 194 ...
), the
Fuzi Miao in Nanjing, and the
Confucian Temple in Beijing
Beijing Temple of Confucius () is the second-largest Confucian temple in China, after the one in Confucius's hometown of Qufu.
History
The Temple of Confucius in Beijing was built in 1302 during the reign of Temür (Emperor Chengzong) of the ...
, first built in 1302. The Confucian Temple of old Tianjin is located on Dongmennei Dajie, a short distance west of Traditional Culture Street (Gu Wenhua Jie). Occupying 32 acres of land, The Confucian Temple is the largest extant traditional architectural complex in Tianjin.
The largest and oldest Temple of Confucius is found in Confucius' hometown, present-day
Qufu
Qufu ( ; ) is a city in southwestern Shandong province, East China. It is located about south of the provincial capital Jinan and northeast of the prefectural seat at Jining. Qufu has an area of 815 square kilometers, and a total population of ...
in
Shandong
Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region.
Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...
Province. It was established in 479 BC, one year after Confucius's death, at the order of the Duke Ai of the State of
Lu, who commanded that the Confucian residence should be used to worship and offer sacrifice to Confucius. The temple was expanded repeatedly over a period of more than 2,000 years until it became the huge complex currently standing. There is another temple in
Quzhou
Quzhou is a prefecture-level city in western Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the upper course of the Qiantang River, it borders Hangzhou to the north, Jinhua to the east, Lishui to the southeast, and the provinces o ...
.
In addition to Confucian temples associated with the state cult of Confucius, there were also ancestral temples belonging to the Kong lineage, buildings commemorating Confucius's deeds throughout China, and private temples within
academies
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosop ...
.
Structure
![Datong Wenmiao 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Datong_Wenmiao_2013.08.29_11-33-25.jpg)
Beginning in the Tang dynasty (618–907), Confucian temples were built in prefectural and county schools throughout the empire, either to the front of or on one side of the school. The front gate of the temple is called the Lingxing Gate (). Inside there are normally three courtyards, although sometimes there are only two. However, the complex in Qufu has nine courtyards containing scores of steles commemorating visits by an emperor or imperial grants of noble titles upon descendants of Confucius. The main building, situated in the inner courtyard with entry via the ''Dachengmen'' (), is called the ''Dachengdian'' (), variously translated as "Hall of Great Achievement", "Hall of Great Completion", or "Hall of Great Perfection". In imperial China, this hall housed the
Spirit Tablets () of Confucius and those of other important sages () and worthies (). In front of the ''Dachengdian'' in Qufu is the Apricot Pavilion or ''Xingtan'' (). Another important building behind the main building is the Shrine of Adoring the Sage (''Chongshengci'' ), which honoured the ancestors of Confucius and the fathers of the Four Correlates and Twelve Philosophers.
![Cicheng Kongmiao 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Cicheng_Kongmiao_2013.07.27_12-53-44.jpg)
Unlike
Taoist
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Tao ...
or
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
temples, Confucian temples do not normally have images. In the early years of the temple in Qufu, it appears that the spirits of Confucius and his disciples were represented with wall paintings and clay or wooden statues. Official temples also contained images of Confucius himself. However, there was opposition to this practice, which was seen as imitative of Buddhist temples. It was also argued that the point of the imperial temples was to honour Confucius's teachings, not the man himself.
The lack of unity in likenesses in statues of Confucius first led Emperor
Taizu of the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
to decree that all new Confucian temples should contain only spirit tablets and no images. In 1530, it was decided that all existing images of Confucius should be replaced with spirit tablets in imperial temples in the capital and other bureaucratic locations; nevertheless many modern Confucian temples do feature statues. Statues also remained in temples operated by Confucius's family descendants, such as that in Qufu.
Worship
The worship of Confucius centred upon offering sacrifices to Confucius's spirit in the Confucian temple.
A dance known as the Eight-Row Dance (八佾舞), consisting of eight columns of eight dancers each, was also performed. Originally this was a Six-Row Dance, as performed for the lesser aristocracy, but in 1477 Confucius was allowed the imperial honour of the eight-row dance since he posthumously received the title of king. Musicians who accompanied this dance played a form of music termed ''
yayue
''Yayue'' () was a form of classical music and dance performed at the royal court and temples in ancient China. The basic conventions of ''yayue'' were established in the Western Zhou. Together with law and rites, it formed the formal represent ...
''.
In addition to worshipping Confucius, Confucian temples also honour the "
Four Correlates", the "
Twelve Philosophers The Twelve Philosophers or Wise Ones ( Chinese: , ''Shí'èr Zhé'') are 12 eminent philosophers in the Chinese Confucian tradition. They are traditionally accounted a kind of sainthood and their spirit tablets are prominently placed in Confucian ...
", and other disciples and Confucian scholars through history. The composition and number of figures worshipped changed and grew through time. Since temples were a statement of Confucian orthodoxy, the issue of which Confucians to enshrine was a controversial one.
By the
Republican period (20th century), there were a total of 162 figures worshipped. The Four Correlates are
Yan Hui
Yan Hui (–481 BC) was a Chinese philosopher. He was the favorite disciple of Confucius and one of the most revered figures of Confucianism. He is venerated in Confucian temples as one of the Four Sages.
Names
Yan Hui is also known by his c ...
,
Zeng Shen
Zeng Shen (505–435 BC), better known as Zengzi (Master Zeng), courtesy name Ziyu (), was a Chinese philosopher and disciple of Confucius. He later taught Zisi (Kong Ji), the grandson of Confucius, who was in turn the teacher of Mencius, thus be ...
,
Kong Ji (Zisi), and
Mencius. The Twelve Philosophers are
Min Sun
Min Sun (536 – BC), also known by his courtesy name Ziqian, was one of the most prominent disciples of Confucius. Confucius considered Min his second best disciple after Yan Hui, and commended him for his filial piety. His legend is included ...
(Ziqian),
Ran Geng
Ran Geng (born 544BC), also known by his courtesy name Boniu, was one of the most prominent disciples of Confucius. Confucius considered him his third best disciple, after Yan Hui and Min Sun, in terms of moral conduct.
Life
Ran Geng was a ...
(Boniu),
Ran Yong
Ran Yong (; born 522 BC), also known by his courtesy name Zhonggong (), was one of the prominent disciples of Confucius. Confucius thought highly of his excellent moral conduct, and considered him fit to be the ruler of a state. After completin ...
(Zhonggong), Zai Yu (Ziwo), Zi-gong, Ran You, Zi-Lu, Zi-You, Zi-Xia, Zi-Zhang, You Ruo, and
Zhu Xi
Zhu Xi (; ; October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200), formerly romanized Chu Hsi, was a Chinese calligrapher, historian, philosopher, poet, and politician during the Song dynasty. Zhu was influential in the development of Neo-Confucianism. He con ...
. A list of disciples of Confucius and their place in the Confucian temple can be found at
Disciples of Confucius.
File:Prayer flairs at Temple of Confucius.jpg, Prayer plaques in a temple of Confucius
File:PyeonjongIMG 6163.JPG, ''Aak
''Aak'' is a genre of Korean court music. It is an imported form of the Chinese court music ''yayue'', and means "elegant music". ''Aak'' was performed almost exclusively in state sacrificial rites, and in the present day it is performed in ce ...
'' musicians at a Confucian ceremony in Munmyo
Munmyo (more specifically Seoul Munmyo or Seonggyungwan Munmyo) is Korea's primary temple of Confucius ("munmyo" is also the general Korean term for a temple of Confucius). It is located in central Seoul, South Korea, on the campus of Sungkyunkwa ...
Shrine, Korea
File:20130918-嘉定孔庙-2.jpg, The Temple of Confucius in Jiading
Jiading is a suburban district of Shanghai. It had a population of 1,471,100 in 2010.
History
Historically, Jiading was a separate municipality/town, until, in 1958, becoming under the administration of Shanghai. In 1993, Jiading's designate ...
, now a suburb of Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
. The Jiading Temple of Confucius now operates a museum devoted to the imperial exam
The imperial examination (; lit. "subject recommendation") refers to a civil-service examination system in Imperial China, administered for the purpose of selecting candidates for the state bureaucracy. The concept of choosing bureaucrats by ...
formerly administered at the temples.
File:Dacheng Hall of the Harbin Confucian Temple.JPG, The Hall of Great Achievement of the Temple of Confucius in Harbin
Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...
, Heilongjiang
Heilongjiang () formerly romanized as Heilungkiang, is a province in northeast China. The standard one-character abbreviation for the province is (). It was formerly romanized as "Heilungkiang". It is the northernmost and easternmost province ...
.
Outside mainland China
With the spread of Confucian learning throughout East Asia, Confucian temples were also built in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
,
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
, and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. Starting in the 18th century, some were even built in Europe and the Americas. At their height, there are estimated to have been over 3,000 Confucian temples in existence.
Hong Kong
![Chuk Un, Hong Kong - panoramio (1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Chuk_Un%2C_Hong_Kong_-_panoramio_%281%29.jpg)
The bill allowing for the building of the very first Confucian Temple in Hong Kong, proposed by the
Confucian Academy
The Confucian Academy is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1930 by Dr. Chen Huanzhang ( 陳煥章) to promote Confucianism. It follows Confucius's teachings to provide students with the relevant knowledge. His teachings are based ...
, passed in September 2013. The location of the temple was decided to be near the famous Taoist temple,
Wong Tai Sin Temple, in
Wong Tai Sin District
Wong Tai Sin District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is the only landlocked district in Hong Kong. It is located in Kowloon, and is the northernmost district in Kowloon. It borders the districts of Kwun Tong to its southeast, Ko ...
.
Taiwan
![Taipei Confucius Temple, Taiwan 20220618](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Taipei_Confucius_Temple%2C_Taiwan_20220618.jpg)
The first Confucian temple in
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
to be constructed was the
Taiwan Confucian Temple
The Tainan Confucian Temple () or Quan Tai Shou Xue (, lit. "First Academy of Taiwan"), is a Confucian temple on Nanmen Road () in West Central District, Tainan, Taiwan.
History
Kingdom of Tungning
The temple was built in 1665 during the Koxi ...
, which was built during the period of
Tungning Kingdom in 1665 in
Tainan
Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in southern Taiwan facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and also commonly known as the "Capital City" ...
. A more recent one, the
Taipei Confucius Temple
The Taipei Confucius Temple () is a Confucian temple in Datong District, Taipei, Taiwan.
History
Qing Dynasty
The Taipei Confucius Temple was built in 1879 during the Qing era, after Taipeh Prefecture was established in 1875.
Empire of Japa ...
, was built on Wenwu Street in
Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
in 1879, torn down by Japanese in 1907 to make place for the
Taipei First Girls' High School
Taipei First Girls High School (TFG; ; colloquially or ), is a Taiwanese all-girls senior high school, located in Zhongzheng District, Taipei City. Accepting only the top scorers in the national Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior Hig ...
, and re-erected on Dalong Street from 1925 to 1939. The new temple was designed by Wang Yi-Shun, who also oversaw its construction. The design is an example of typical
Fujian
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...
temple style. Every year on September the 28th, the birthday of Confucius, city authorities hold the Shidian () Ceremony here. In addition, there is a
Confucian temple
A temple of Confucius or Confucian temple is a temple for the veneration of Confucius and the sages and philosophers of Confucianism in Chinese folk religion and other East Asian religions. They were formerly the site of the administration ...
located in
Zuoying District of
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung City (Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsi ...
that was completed in 1974 in the Northern Song architectural style. Other Confucian Temples are found in
Chiayi City
Chiayi (, Taigi POJ: ''Ka-gī''; ), officially known as Chiayi City, is a city located in the plains of southwestern Taiwan. Formerly called ''Kagee'' during the late Qing dynasty and ''Kagi'' during the Japanese era (), its historical name ...
,
Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
,
Taichung
Taichung (, Wade–Giles: ''Tʻai²-chung¹'', pinyin: ''Táizhōng''), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality located in central Taiwan. Taichung has approximately 2.8 million residents and is the second most populous city of Ta ...
and
Changhua County
Changhua County ( Mandarin Pinyin: ''Zhānghuà Xiàn''; Wade-Giles: ''Chang¹-hua⁴ Hsien⁴''; Hokkien POJ: ''Chiang-hòa-koān'' or ''Chiong-hòa-koān'') is the smallest county on the main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth small ...
.
Vietnam
![Hanoi Temple of Literature](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Hanoi_Temple_of_Literature.jpg)
A Confucian Temple in Vietnam is called Văn Miếu.
The earliest recorded Văn Miếu in Vietnam is the
Văn Miếu, Hanoi, established in 1070 during the
Lý dynasty. After 1397, with the construction of schools throughout Vietnam under the
Tran, Confucian temples began to spread throughout the country. Another renowned Vietnamese Confucian temple is the
Văn Miếu, Hưng Yên, located in
Hưng Yên City. Well-known Confucian temples were built in
Huế
Huế () is the capital of Thừa Thiên Huế province in central Vietnam and was the capital of Đàng Trong from 1738 to 1775 and of Vietnam during the Nguyễn dynasty from 1802 to 1945. The city served as the old Imperial City and admi ...
,
Tam Kỳ
Tam Kỳ () is the capital city of Quảng Nam Province, in the South Central Coast of Vietnam.
History
The town was established in 1906 under the Nguyễn dynasty as an administrative and tax post.Bradley Camp Davis ''States of Banditry: The ...
,
Hội An
Hội An (), formerly known as Fai-Fo or Faifoo, is a city with a population of approximately 120,000 in Vietnam's Quảng Nam Province and is noted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. Along with the Cu Lao Cham archipelago, it is part o ...
,
Hưng Yên
Hưng Yên () is a city in Vietnam. It is the provincial capital of Hưng Yên Province and is a third-graded city according to Vietnam's city classification table.
Geography
*Hưng Yên is a delta city. It is located in the south of Hưng Yên ...
,
Hải Dương,
Biên Hòa
Biên Hòa (Northern accent: , Southern accent: ) is the capital city of Đồng Nai Province, Vietnam and part of the Ho Chi Minh City metropolitan area and located about east of Ho Chi Minh City, to which Biên Hòa is linked by Vietnam Hi ...
,
Vĩnh Long
Vĩnh Long () is a city and the capital of Vĩnh Long Province in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Vĩnh Long covers and has a population of 147,039 (as of 2009). The name was spelled 永 隆 ("eternal prosperity") in the former Hán Nôm writing sys ...
and
Bắc Ninh
Bắc Ninh () is a city in the northern part of Vietnam and is the capital of Bắc Ninh province. The city is the cultural, administrative and commercial center of the province. The city area is 82.60 square km, with a population of 501,199 in N ...
.
Korea
![Sungkyunkwan Daeseongjeon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Sungkyunkwan_Daeseongjeon.jpg)
Outside China, the largest number of Confucian temples is found in Korea. Temples were first built during the
Goryeo
Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
period (918–1392). In the time of
Yi Seonggye
Taejo of Joseon (4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), born Yi Seong-gye (), was the founder and first ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After ascending to the throne, he changed his name to Yi Dan (), and reigned from 1392 to 1398. He was ...
(r. 1392–1398), it was decreed that Confucian temples should be built in all areas of the nation. Although Chinese models were followed, variations in layout and construction were common, such as the building of schools in front of temples. Korea also added its own scholars (the eighteen scholars of the East) to the Confucian pantheon.
Historically, Korea had a total of 362 temples devoted to Confucianism. After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and the division of the country, those in the North were converted to use as a center of traditional culture (see
Gukjagam
The Gukjagam, known at times as Gukhak or Seonggyungwan, was the highest educational institution of the Korean Goryeo dynasty. It was located at the capital, Gaegyeong (modern-day Kaesong), and provided advanced training in the Chinese classics ...
). However, some of the 232 temples in the South continued their activities (see
Munmyo
Munmyo (more specifically Seoul Munmyo or Seonggyungwan Munmyo) is Korea's primary temple of Confucius ("munmyo" is also the general Korean term for a temple of Confucius). It is located in central Seoul, South Korea, on the campus of Sungkyunkwa ...
). In addition to temples devoted to Confucianism the
Republic of Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its east ...
also has twelve Confucian family temples, two temples in private schools, and three libraries.
Japan
![YushimaSeidoL8644](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/YushimaSeidoL8644.jpg)
were also widely built in Japan, often in conjunction with Confucian schools. The most famous is the
Yushima Seidō
, is a Confucian temple () in Yushima, Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was established in end of the 17th century during the Genroku era of the Edo period. Towards the late Edo period, one of the most important educational institutions of the sh ...
, built in 1630 during the Edo period as a private school connected with the Neo-Confucianist scholar
Hayashi Razan
, also known as Hayashi Dōshun, was a Japanese Neo-Confucian philosopher and writer, serving as a tutor and an advisor to the first four ''shōguns'' of the Tokugawa ''bakufu''. He is also attributed with first listing the Three Views of Japa ...
. Originally built in Shinobi-ga-oka in
Ueno
is a district in Tokyo's Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Park. Ueno is also home to some of Tokyo's finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Museum of Na ...
, it was moved at the end of the 18th century near present-day
Ochanomizu by the
Tokugawa Shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
, and a major state-sponsored school, Shoheikō, was opened on tis grounds..
Other well-known Confucian temples are found in
Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan.
It became the sole port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hidden Christian Sites in the ...
,
Bizen,
Okayama prefecture;
Taku
Taku may refer to:
Places North America
* the Taku River, in Alaska and British Columbia
** Fort Taku, also known as Fort Durham and as Taku, a former fort of the Hudson's Bay Company near the mouth of the Taku River
** the Taku Glacier, in Al ...
,
Saga prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. Saga Prefecture has a population of 809,248 (1 August 2020) and has a geographic area of 2,440 km2 (942 sq mi). Saga Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northeast and Nagasak ...
; and
Naha
is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 persons per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area ...
,
Okinawa prefecture.
Indonesia
![Boen bio, Surabaya](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Boen_bio%2C_Surabaya.jpg)
Confucian temples are also found in Indonesia, where they are often known as "Churches of Confucius" as Confucianism is a recognised religion in that country. In Chinese, these establishments are known as
''litang'' () or "halls of worship". The largest and oldest is the
Boen Bio
Boen may refer to:
People
* Earl Boen (born 1941), American film, television and voice actor
* Haldor Boen (1851–1912), American congressman
* Yvonne Marie Boen, alleged victim of Robert Pickton
Robert William "Willy" Pickton (born October 24 ...
in
Surabaya
Surabaya ( jv, ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or jv, ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; ; ) is the capital city of the Provinces of Indonesia, Indonesian province of East Java and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. L ...
, originally built in the city's
Chinatown in 1883 and moved to a new site in 1907. There are reportedly more than 100 Confucianist halls of worship throughout Indonesia.
Malaysia
The first Confucian temple in Malaysia was built within a primary school known as
Chung Hwa Confucian School
Chung Hwa Confucian High School (or 孔圣庙中华中学 in Chinese) is a Chinese conforming (national-type) secondary school located in Green Lane, Penang, Malaysia. The school is one of 10 Chinese secondary schools in Penang and also has a g ...
(which has since split into SJK(C) Chung Hwa Confucian A, B and
SMJK Chung Hwa Confucian) in
Penang, in the early 20th century. The building of the school was initiated by the
Qing dynasty ambassador to the British
Straits Settlement at that time. In those days parents in Penang brought their children to this temple for prayer before they began their schooling. The children prayed for excellence in their studies.
There are also two Confucian schools in
Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia
, pushpin_map_caption =
, coordinates =
, su ...
, namely SMJK Confucian and Confucian Private School, and a Confucian school in
Malacca where ceremonies in honour of Confucius are held annually.
List of temples
![代县文庙-5](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/%E4%BB%A3%E5%8E%BF%E6%96%87%E5%BA%99-5.jpg)
*
Temple of Confucius in Qufu, China (Confucius's home town)
*
Temple of Confucius in Beijing, China
*
Temple of the Master in Nanjing, China
*
Temple of Confucius in Shanghai, China
*
Temple of Confucius in Suzhou, China
*
Temple of Confucius in Jianshui, Yunnan, China (
建水文庙)
*
Temple of Confucius in Daixian, Shanxi, China
*
Temple of Confucius in Taipei, Taiwan
*
Temple of Confucius in Taoyuan, Taiwan
*
Temple of Confucius in Taichung, Taiwan
*
Temple of Confucius in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
*
Temple of Confucius in Tainan, Taiwan ("Taiwan Confucian Temple")
*
Temple of Confucius in Changhua, Taiwan
*
Temple of Confucius in Chiayi, Taiwan
*
Temple of Confucius in Nagasaki, Japan
*
Shiseibyō
The is a Confucian temple in the Wakasa district of Naha, Okinawa. It served for centuries as a major center of Chinese learning for the Ryūkyū Kingdom, and contains within its precincts the Meirindō, first public school in Okinawa.Inform ...
, the Temple of Confucius in
Naha
is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 persons per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area ...
, Okinawa, Japan
*
Seibyō, the Temple of Confucius in Taku, Japan
*
Yushima Seidō
, is a Confucian temple () in Yushima, Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was established in end of the 17th century during the Genroku era of the Edo period. Towards the late Edo period, one of the most important educational institutions of the sh ...
, the Temple of Confucius in Tokyo, Japan
*
Munmyo
Munmyo (more specifically Seoul Munmyo or Seonggyungwan Munmyo) is Korea's primary temple of Confucius ("munmyo" is also the general Korean term for a temple of Confucius). It is located in central Seoul, South Korea, on the campus of Sungkyunkwa ...
, the Temple of Confucius in Seoul, South Korea
*
Văn Miếu in Hanoi, Vietnam
*
Văn Miếu in Hưng Yên, Vietnam
*
Văn Miếu
Văn Miếu (Vietnamese: ''Văn Miếu'', Hán tự: 文廟) is a temple dedicated to Confucius in Hanoi, northern Vietnam. The temple also hosts the Imperial Academy (, ), Vietnam's first national university. The temple was built in 1070 at ...
in Hải Dương, Vietnam
* Văn Miếu in
Bắc Ninh
Bắc Ninh () is a city in the northern part of Vietnam and is the capital of Bắc Ninh province. The city is the cultural, administrative and commercial center of the province. The city area is 82.60 square km, with a population of 501,199 in N ...
, Vietnam
* Văn Miếu in
Nghệ An, Vietnam
* Văn Miếu in
Khánh Hòa, Vietnam
*
Văn Miếu
Văn Miếu (Vietnamese: ''Văn Miếu'', Hán tự: 文廟) is a temple dedicated to Confucius in Hanoi, northern Vietnam. The temple also hosts the Imperial Academy (, ), Vietnam's first national university. The temple was built in 1070 at ...
in Đồng Nai, Vietnam
* Văn Miếu in
Vĩnh Long
Vĩnh Long () is a city and the capital of Vĩnh Long Province in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Vĩnh Long covers and has a population of 147,039 (as of 2009). The name was spelled 永 隆 ("eternal prosperity") in the former Hán Nôm writing sys ...
, Vietnam
*
Boen Bio
Boen may refer to:
People
* Earl Boen (born 1941), American film, television and voice actor
* Haldor Boen (1851–1912), American congressman
* Yvonne Marie Boen, alleged victim of Robert Pickton
Robert William "Willy" Pickton (born October 24 ...
in
Surabaya
Surabaya ( jv, ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or jv, ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; ; ) is the capital city of the Provinces of Indonesia, Indonesian province of East Java and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. L ...
, Indonesia
See also
*
Confucian church
The Confucian church ( or ) is a Confucianism, Confucian religious and social institution of the Church (congregation), congregational type. It was first proposed by Kang Youwei (1858–1927) near the end of the 19th century, as a state religion ...
es
*
Mansion and
Cemetery of Confucius
The Cemetery of Confucius () is a cemetery of the Kong clan (the descendants of Confucius) in Confucius' hometown Qufu in Shandong province. Confucius himself and some of his disciples are buried there, as well as many thousands of his desc ...
*
Wenchang Dijun (文昌帝君)
*
Supreme Council for the Confucian Religion in Indonesia
*
Taoist temples
A Taoist temple (, also called ''dàoguàn'' and , is a place where the Tao is observed and cultivated it is a place of worship in Taoism.
Structure and function can vary according to the Taoist school the temple belongs to. For example, ''guà ...
*
Buddhist temples
A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...
References
External links
Images of the Temple of Culture, with detailed history of Confucian templesAsian Historical Architecture: Fuzimiao in NanjingAsian Historical Architecture: Confucian temple in Suzhou
{{Authority control
Confucius, Temple of
5th-century BC establishments
Religious Confucianism
Confucian education
Confucius, Temple of