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 of the
imperial examination in China, Korea, Japan and
Vietnam 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, Shandong province, birthplace of the ancient Chinese educator and philosopher.
Names
The temples are known by a variety of names throughout
East Asia. The two greatest temples in
Qufu and
Beijing 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, a separate deity associated with the scholar Zhang Yazi. In Japan, they are usually known as "Temples" or or ''seidō'', respectively).
History
The development of state temples devoted to the cult of Confucius was an outcome of his gradual canonisation. In 195 BC,
Han Gao Zu, founder of the
Han Dynasty (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 cou ...
, his most prominent disciple, began in the Imperial University (Biyong) as early as 241.
In 454, the
Liu Song dynasty of southern China built a prominent state Confucian temple. In 489, the
Northern Wei
Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei (), Tuoba Wei (), Yuan Wei () and Later Wei (), was founded by the Tuoba (Tabgach) clan of the Xianbei. The first of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties ...
constructed a Confucian temple in the capital, the first outside of Qufu in the north. In 630, the
Tang Dynasty 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, the Confucian Temple in
Xi'an (now the
Forest of Steles), the
Fuzi Miao in Nanjing, and the
Confucian Temple in Beijing, 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 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.
Structure
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 Tablet
A spirit tablet, memorial tablet, or ancestral tablet, is a placard used to designate the seat of a deity or past ancestor as well as to enclose it. The name of the deity or past ancestor is usually inscribed onto the tablet. With origins in tr ...
s () 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.
Unlike
Taoist or
Buddhist 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 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''.
In addition to worshipping Confucius, Confucian temples also honour the "
Four Correlates
The Four Sages, Assessors, Legge, James. The Confucian Analects, the Great Learning, & the Doctrine of the Mean'. 1893. or Correlates () are four eminent Chinese philosophers in the Confucian tradition. They are traditionally accorded a kind of sai ...
", the "
Twelve Philosophers", 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 cou ...
,
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 (; c. 481–402 BCE), born Kong Ji (孔伋), was a Chinese philosopher and the grandson of Confucius.
Intellectual genealogy, teaching, criticism
Zisi was the son of Kong Li (孔鯉) ( Boyu (伯鱼)) and the only grandson of Confucius. ...
(Zisi), and
Mencius
Mencius ( ); born Mèng Kē (); or Mèngzǐ (; 372–289 BC) was a Chinese Confucianism, Confucian Chinese philosophy, philosopher who has often been described as the "second Sage", that is, second to Confucius himself. He is part of Confuc ...
. The Twelve Philosophers are
Min Sun (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 n ...
(Boniu),
Ran Yong (Zhonggong), Zai Yu (Ziwo), Zi-gong, Ran You, Zi-Lu, Zi-You, Zi-Xia, Zi-Zhang, You Ruo, and
Zhu Xi. A list of disciples of Confucius and their place in the Confucian temple can be found at
Disciples of Confucius
According to Sima Qian, Confucius said: "The disciples who received my instructions, and could themselves comprehend them, were seventy-seven individuals. They were all scholars of extraordinary ability." It was traditionally believed that Confuciu ...
.
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 Shrine, Korea
File:20130918-嘉定孔庙-2.jpg, The Temple of Confucius in Jiading, now a suburb of Shanghai. The Jiading Temple of Confucius now operates a museum devoted to the imperial exam 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.
Outside mainland China
With the spread of Confucian learning throughout East Asia, Confucian temples were also built in
Vietnam,
Korea, 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
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.
Taiwan
The first Confucian temple in
Taiwan to be constructed was the
Taiwan Confucian Temple, which was built during the period of
Tungning Kingdom
The Kingdom of Tungning (), also known as Tywan by the British at the time, was a dynastic Thalassocracy, maritime state that ruled part of southwestern Taiwan and the Penghu islands between 1661 and 1683. It is the first predominantly Han Chine ...
in 1665 in
Tainan. A more recent one, the
Taipei Confucius Temple, was built on Wenwu Street in
Taipei 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 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 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,
Taipei,
Taichung and
Changhua County.
Vietnam
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
The Lý dynasty ( vi, Nhà Lý, , chữ Nôm: 茹李, chữ Hán: 李朝, Hán Việt: ''Lý triều'') was a Vietnamese dynasty that existed from 1009 to 1225. It was established by Lý Công Uẩn when he overthrew the Early Lê dynasty an ...
. 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,
Tam Kỳ,
Hội An,
Hưng Yên,
Hải Dương
Hải Dương () is a city in Vietnam. It is the capital of Hải Dương, an industrialized province in the Hanoi Capital Region and the Red River Delta in Northern Vietnam. The city is at the midpoint between the capital Hanoi and major port H ...
,
Biên Hòa,
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 syst ...
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
Outside China, the largest number of Confucian temples is found in Korea. Temples were first built during the
Goryeo period (918–1392). In the time of
Yi Seonggye (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 and the division of the country, those in the North were converted to use as a center of traditional culture (see
Gukjagam). However, some of the 232 temples in the South continued their activities (see
Munmyo). In addition to temples devoted to Confucianism the
Republic of Korea also has twelve Confucian family temples, two temples in private schools, and three libraries.
Japan
were also widely built in Japan, often in conjunction with Confucian schools. The most famous is the
Yushima Seidō, built in 1630 during the Edo period as a private school connected with the Neo-Confucianist scholar
Hayashi Razan. Originally built in Shinobi-ga-oka in
Ueno, it was moved at the end of the 18th century near present-day
Ochanomizu
is a neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan. It extends from the Yushima section of Bunkyo-ku to the Kanda section of Chiyoda-ku. Sundai Preparatory School, Meiji University, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and Juntendo University all have main ca ...
by the
Tokugawa Shogunate, and a major state-sponsored school, Shoheikō, was opened on tis grounds..
Other well-known Confucian temples are found in
Nagasaki,
Bizen,
Okayama prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Okayama Prefecture has a population of 1,906,464 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 7,114 Square kilometre, km2 (2,746 sq mi). Okayama Prefectur ...
;
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 Ala ...
,
Saga prefecture; and
Naha,
Okinawa prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city o ...
.
Indonesia
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
A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...
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
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
, in the early 20th century. The building of the school was initiated by the
Qing
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...
dynasty ambassador to the British
Straits Settlement
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Comp ...
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, namely SMJK Confucian and Confucian Private School, and a Confucian school in
Malacca
Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
where ceremonies in honour of Confucius are held annually.
List of temples
*
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, Okinawa, Japan
*
Seibyō, the Temple of Confucius in Taku, Japan
*
Yushima Seidō, the Temple of Confucius in Tokyo, Japan
*
Munmyo, 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 syst ...
, 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 churches
*
Mansion
A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...
and
Cemetery of Confucius
*
Wenchang Dijun
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 () ...
(文昌帝君)
*
Supreme Council for the Confucian Religion in Indonesia
The Supreme Council for the Confucian Religion in Indonesia ( id, Majelis Tinggi Agama Konghucu Indonesia, MATAKIN; Chinese: 印尼孔教總會; pinyin: yìnní kǒngjiào zǒnghuì) is a Confucian church established in 1955 in Indonesia, compri ...
*
Taoist temples
*
Buddhist temples
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